College English Reading

1. College English Reading Unit10

2. Text What’s in a Name? Supplementary Reading

3. Lead-in Questions • Vocabulary • Comprehension (III IVV) • Post-Reading Discussions

4. Lead-in Questions • 1. What occurs to you when you think of a name whether people or product? • ie: what is the purpose of names and how much thought do you think goes • into “naming”? • 2. What names occur to you when it comes to products and brands?

5. 3. What specific products or brands have you been influenced to buy because of the advertising of those products or the marketing of those products? • 4. Can you recall some impressive advertising slogans used by big corporations?

6. Vocabulary • Directions: Choose the one word or phrase that is closest in meaning to the italicized part of the sentences taken or adapted from the article. • 1. It’s a collage of contending names—and the people walking through it are likely to be logo-laden as well. • a. fighting • b. competing • c. arguing

7. 2. The content of Adbustersresonates well with the young and restless. • a. produces an emotional effect on • b. produces a deep and clear sound • c. agrees • 3. The making of evocative and memorable designs commands tremendous creative talent. • a. reminiscent • b. provocative • c. similar

8. 4. The tangible aspect —the logo, symbol, or trademark— is itself no small matter. • a. real • b. touchable • c. imaginable • 5. The study shows that the best brands must be more vigilant about delivering what they promise. • a. cautious • b. critical • c. bold

9. 6.Thousands of medicines were advertised in billboards and newspapers, and the product was peripheral—it was almost all about image. • a. of less importance • b. of less value • c. of less help • 7.Nike builds spiritual or ethical values into its brand. • a. material • b. aesthetic • c. moral

10. 8.To understand the speed and volatility of the business environment, historian Pavitt draws parallels between dot coms and the patent medicines of yore. • a. instability • b. prosperity • c. vitality

11. Comprehension • I. Directions: Try to answer the following questions in your own words. • 1.Can you show some examples of brands that fill the mindscape? • Whenever we read newspaper, turn on radio or TV, surf on Net, or go shopping, etc. we will see, be impressed by and think of brands. Brands guide our buying decision and influence our tastes for food, clothes, cosmetics, electrical appliances, cars even houses.

12. 2.What does the title of the magazine Adbusters carry with it? (Try to guess from the formation of the word.) • The formation of the word “Adbusters” is as follows: ad(vertisement) + busters. Thus, we can know that advertisements, like busters—explosive and destructive bombs, are power and influential in our daily life.

13. 3.According to the author, what is the purpose of “culture jamming”? • The purpose of culture jamming is to interfere with or weaken the power and influence of advertisements in people’s daily life.

14. 4. According to the author, why are brands taken as powerful signs of the times? • Because people of different occupations make use of brands, say, taking them as business tools, secret manipulators, the consumer’s best fiend, tokens of choice and freedom, or symbols of homogenizing globalization and economic exploitation.

15. 5.How do you understand “the subject of branding is a useful metaphor about a whole range of social relations” in Para.3? • A brand, just like a metaphor, is not only the symbol of a product or a company, but also serves as business tools, secret manipulators, etc., reflecting and combining various social relations together.

16. 6. What responsibility do corporations have to produce value product while maintaining their successful brand promotions? Give your reasons. • Successful corporations should attach equal importance to both their brands and products. They must, first, provide consumers with good quality products. If they fail to do so, they will lose the market, then how can they be considered successful? With good quality products, the strength of brands will be enhanced. At the same time, impressive and conspicuous brands will promote the popularity of the products.

17. II. Directions: Choose the best answer to each of the following questions. • 1.The 1st sentence in the 1st paragraph can be understood as ______________. • a.Look around Time Square today and you will find there is a company built in each square inch. • b.Look around Time Square today and you will find yourself surrounded by advertisements of companies. • c. Look around Time Square today and you will find every square inch has been paid by companies.

18. 2. By “3,000 messages that are seeping into the average North American’s mind a day (Para.2)”, what does the author imply here? • a. North Americans are exposed to thousands of messages every day. • b. North Americans are sending thousands of messages every day. • c. North Americans are leaving thousands of messages everyday.

19. 3. Which of the following expressions is not mentioned concerning the influential aspect of brands? • a.powerful business tools • b.secret manipulators • c.symbols of wealth • 4.What is the metaphysical aspect of brands according to the article? • a. the identifying mark of brands • b. the credibility of brands • c. the ethical values of brands

20. 5. Which of the following statements is the best answer concerning the advice of the management consultants to companies according to the article? • a. Building spiritual or ethical values into their brands. • b. Making products consistent with the brand idea they are promoting. • c. Advertising their products in newspapers and billboards.

21. To what do these specific names refer? • Time Square • a big square located in Manhattan, New York • Adbusters • a magazine founded by Kalle Lasn • Brand. New • a companion book

22. TM: Trademarks Designed by Chermayeff & Geismar • a book featuring the work of one of today’s more successful commercial design firms • Unique Value International • a management consulting firm • No Logo: Taking Aim at the Brand Bullies • a book written by Naomi Klein

23. Viking • a pressing house • New Brand World • a book written by Scott Bedbury • Landor Associates • a brand consultancy • USAS • a movement having chapters on over 200 college campuses in U.S.

24. IV. Directions: Decide whether the following sentences taken from the article are facts (F) or the writer’s opinions (O). • 1. [ ] Lasn is not alone in thinking brands are powerful signs of the times. • 2. [ ] Managing this aspect of the brand means making the brand idea consistent with the product, avoiding exaggerated promises, and being careful about what sort of things a company makes its brand stand for. F o

25. o • 3. [ ] …“that successful corporations must primarily produce brands, as opposed to products. ” • 4. [ ] Today, of course, that image is as likely to mobilize resentment and opposition as desire or trust. • 5. [ ] Seducing orprovoking, brands are likely to be ever more with us, particularly if marketing experts David Andrusia and Rick Haskins have their way. o o

26. V. Directions: Explain the following sentences from the article in your own words. • 1. Adbusters features clever spoofs of brand-name ads and a steady dose of “green politics”content that resonates well with the young and restless, including many who gathered in Seattle and Washington, D.C., to protest the allegedexcesses of the new global economy. (Para.1) • The main charateristic of Adbusters is to make fun of ads names and to advocate a kind of “green” politics. What it talks about produces an emotional effect on the young and those who are nervous and bored, including many people gathering in Seattle and Washington. D. C. They are there to protest against too much emphasis on the new global economy.

27. 2. Activists, critics, marketing experts, and corporate CEOs now take them(i.e. brands) to be variously invaluable business tools, insidious manipulators, the consumer’s best friend, tokens of choice and freedom, or symbols of homogenizing globalization and economic exploitation. (Para.3) • Such people as activists, critics, marketing experts and corportate CEOs make use of brands in different ways. They consider them as invaluable business tools, secret manipulators, the consumer’s best friend, tokens of choice and freedom or symbols of the sole globalization and economic exploitation.

28. 3.To look through TM: Trademarks Designed by Chermayeff & Geismar, a new book featuring the work of one of today’s more successful commercial design firms, is to realize that there is almost no organization, from the largest multinational to the smallest do-good cause, that feels it can get by without an identifying mark. (Para.4) • When we read through a new book TM: Trademarks Designed by Chermayeff & Geismar, we will understand why all organizations, ranging from the largest multinational to the smallest charitable cause, put emphasis on a conspicuous mark. They think they will not function properly without it. The book introduces the work of one of today’s successful commercial design companies .

29. 4. While the best brands must constantly come up with new ways of communicating their identity, the study shows, they must be even morevigilantabout delivering what they promise. (Para.8) • The study shows that although it is important for the best brands to produce new ways of communicating their identity, the more important is that they must be cautious about carrying out their promises.

30. 5. Seducing or provoking, brands are likely to be ever more with us, particularly if marketing experts David Andrusia and Rick Haskins have their way (Para.9). • Whether they are appealing or annoying, brands seem to be an indispensable part of our life, especially when marketing experts David Andrusia and Rick Haskins are exerting their influence.

31. Post-reading Discussions • 1.How can big companies maintain their brands? • 2.It is said the modern Olympics are not only the contests among athletes, but also the contests among brands. What is your opinion on this? If possible, try to support your viewpoint with some statistical or “news” analyses .

32. 3.What is true about Chinese brands? Suppose you are a brand consultant with a big international corporation, what is your advice to the Chinese corporations? • 4.Surf on the Net to search for Nike Code of Conduct. http://www.ipielle.emr.it/mqsr/docs/esperienze/codici/NIKE%20NEW%20CODE%20OF%20CONDUCT.pdf • What have you read from the Nike Code of Conduct?

33. Supplementary Reading Passage 2 Developing a Company Image and Brand

34. II. Directions: Decide whether the following statements are True or False or Not Mentioned according to the article. Write T for True, F for False and NM for Not Mentioned.

35. NM • 1. [ ] The brand of Nike has been enhanced because Nike is the name of a goddess. • 2.[ ] The real brand power of Nike comes from the consistency of the identity. • 3.[ ] Individuals who wear Nikes will win. • 4.[ ] The name of Coke tells the original ingredients in the product. • 5. [ ] The examples of Nike and Coke show a good name is helpful in establishing the identity. F F T NM

36. Suggested Answers • 1. NM (Refer to Para.4, it is not mentioned.) • 2.F (Refer to Para.5 “So consistency certainly has helped promote the brand. Its real brand strength, however, comes from its ability to influence people’s buying decisions based on perceptions about its name and image. ”, so it is false.)

37. 3.F (Refer to Para.5"Advertising campaigns set Nike apart by proclaiming that Nike wearers had the guts to JUST DO IT, JUST DO IT consistently, and JUST DO IT right. Whether weekend warriors or professional athletes, individuals like to perceive themselves as winners. Wear Nikes and you are a part of that winning or doing. " , it is told in advertisement, so it is false. )

38. 4.T (Refer to Para.6 “Coca Cola, or Coke, another world famous brand, is actually indicative of the original ingredients in the product. ”, so it is true.) • 5.NM (Refer to Para.5-6, it is not mentioned.)

39. Thank You