English Test – Commercialism

1 – As advertising has become prevalent in modern society, it is increasingly being criticized. Advertising occupies public space, and more and more invades the private sphere of people. According to Georg Franck, “It is becoming harder to escape from advertising and the media. Public space is increasingly turning into a gigantic billboard for products of all kinds. The aesthetical and political consequences cannot yet be foreseen.” Hanno Rauterberg, in the German newspaper Die Zeit calls advertising a new kind of dictatorship that cannot be escaped.

2 – There are ads in schools, airport lounges, doctors’ offices, movie theaters, hospitals, gas stations, elevators, convenience stores, on the internet, on fruit, on ATMs, on garbage cans, and countless other places. There are ads on beach sand and restroom walls. One of the ironies of advertising in our times is that as commercialism increases, it makes it that much more difficult for any particular advertiser to succeed, hence pushing the advertiser to even greater efforts.” Within a decade, advertising on radios climbed to nearly 18 or 19 minutes per hour. On prime-time television, the standard until 1982 was no more than 9.5 minutes of advertising per hour. Today it is between 14 and 17 minutes. With the introduction of the shorter 15-second spot, the total amount of ads increased even more. Ads are not only placed during breaks but also into sports telecasts during the game itself. They flood the internet, a growing market.

3 – Advertising has developed into a multi-billion-dollar business. In 2014, 537 billion US dollars were spent worldwide on advertising. In 2013, TV accounted for 40.1% of ad spend, compared to a combined 18.1% for the internet, 16.9% for newspapers, 7.9% for magazines, 7% for outdoor, 6.9% for radio, 2.7% for mobile and 0.5% for cinema as a share of ad spend by medium. Advertising is considered to raise consumption. In Germany, the advertising industry contributes 1.5% of the gross national income. The German Advertising Association stated that in 2007, 30.78 billion Euros were spent on advertising in Germany. 26% in newspapers, 21% on television, 15% by mail, and 15% in magazines. In 2002 there were 360,000 people employed in the advertising business. The Internet revenues for advertising doubled to almost 1 billion Euros from 2006 to 2007, giving it the highest growth rates.

4 – Commercialism is interested in children and adolescents because of their buying power and because of their influence on the shopping habits of their parents. As they are easier to influence, they are especially targeted by the advertising business.

Children represent three distinct markets:

• Primary Purchasers ($2.9 billion annually)
• Future Consumers (Brand-loyal adults)
• Purchase Influencers ($20 billion annually)

Kids will carry forward brand expectations, whether positive, negative, or indifferent. Kids are already accustomed to being catered to as consumers. The long-term prize: The loyalty of the kid translates into a brand-loyal adult customer.

I. COMPREHENSION (15 points)

BASE ALL YOUR ANSWERS ON THE TEXT

A. ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY. (3 points)

1. Advertising occupies just public spaces.
2. Ads revenues have increased recently.
3. Commercialism focuses more on adults. 

B. ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS. (3 points)

1. Where can we find Ads? Give just three examples.
2. How many employees were in the advertising business in 2003?
3. What do kids represent to commercialism?

C. COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES (2 points)

1. Hanno Rauterberg compared advertising to ………..
2. The advertiser is pushed to greater efforts because …………….

D. WHAT DO THE UNDERLINED WORDS REFER TO (3 points)

1. It (paragraph 2): ………………….
2. It (paragraph 3): …………………….
3. They (paragraph 4): …………………

E. FIND IN THE TEXT WORDS OR EXPRESSIONS WHICH MEAN THE SAME AS (3 points)

1. Predicted (paragraph 1): ……………………………..
2. To increase (paragraph 3): ………………………….
3. Anticipations (paragraph 4): ………………………

F. WHAT IS THE WRITER’S ATTITUDE?

The writer

1. Is for Commercialism.
2. Shows no opinion.
3. Is against commercialism

II. LANGUAGE (15 points)

A. FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH THE APPROPRIATE WORDS FROM THE LISTS (3 points)

1. A ……………person is the one who has superior mental ability or intelligence.
   • Educated – gifted – silly – adult
2. The prime minister signed a………………………. together to combat illegal immigration.
   • Partnership – dropouts – rate – forum
3. …………………….refers to countries with low standard of living.
   • Sustainable development – developed world – developing world – business world

B. GIVE THE CORRECT FORM OF THE WORDS BETWEEN BRACKETS (3 points)

1. You are the most……………….. (organize) student I have ever met.
2. Women’s illiteracy and……………………. (Ignore) go hand in hand.
3. A true citizen is one who has good (participate) …………. in community.

C. REWRITE THE SENTENCES BEGINNING WITH THE WORDS GIVEN. (4 points)

1. Perhaps there were more spectators in China than in Seoul.
   • There may ………………..
2. Some hooligans were riding all over the place in stolen cars that they later burnt. 
   • After they ………………………
3. “Is she preparing for her TOEFL?” He wondered.
   • He wondered ……………………
4. Andrew is producing a drama-documentary
   • A drama-documentary ……………..

D. PUT THE VERBS BETWEEN BRACKETS IN THE CORRECT TENSE. (3 points)

Fatima used ……………. (Work) in Agadir. She …………………… (Leave) it last year because she had problems with the manager. If she …………………. (Anticipate) the situation she ………………… (Retire) a few years earlier.

E. FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH THE APPROPRIATE PREPOSITIONS. (2 points)

1. Youssef Shahine passed…………. when he was 82 years old.
2. Some workers were laid ………………….because of relocating factories.

III. WRITING (10 points)

Would you choose a friend of another race or culture? Write to the editor of your school magazine and give your opinion about this issue.

Key Answers to English Test Commercialism

I. COMPREHENSION (15 points)

BASE ALL YOUR ANSWERS ON THE TEXT

A. ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY. (3 points)

1. False. Advertising occupies public space, and more and more invades the private sphere of people.
2. True. Advertising has developed into a multibillion-dollar business in the last decades.
3. False. Commercialism is interested in children and adolescents.

B. ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS. (3 points)

1. Ads in schools, airport lounges, doctors’ offices, movie theatres, hospitals, gas stations, elevators, convenience stores, on the Internet, on fruit, on ATMs, on garbage cans, and countless other places. There are ads on beach sand and restroom walls.
2. In 2002 there were 360,000 people employed in the advertising business.
3. Primary Purchasers ($2.9 billion annually)
   • Future Consumers (Brand-loyal adults)
     • Purchase Influencers ($20 billion annually)

C. COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES (2 points)

1. Hanno Rauterberg compared advertising to a new kind of dictatorship that cannot be escaped.
2. As commercialism increases, it makes it that much more difficult for any particular advertiser to succeed.

D. WHAT DO THE UNDERLINED WORDS REFER TO (3 points)

1. Advertising.
   2. The Internet revenues.
   3. Children and adolescents.

E. FIND IN THE TEXT WORDS OR EXPRESSIONS WHICH MEAN THE SAME AS (3 points)

1. Foreseen
2. To raise
3. Expectations

F. WHAT IS THE WRITER’S ATTITUDE?

The writer

1. Is for Commercialism.
2. Shows no opinion.
3. Is against commercialism

II. LANGUAGE (15 points)

A. FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH THE APPROPRIATE WORDS FROM THE LISTS (3 points)

1. Gifted.
2. Partnership
3. Developing world

B. GIVE THE CORRECT FORM OF THE WORDS BETWEEN BRACKETS (3 points)

1. Disorganized.
2. Ignorance.
3. Participation.

C. REWRITE THE SENTENCES BEGINNING WITH THE WORDS GIVEN. (4 points)

1. There may have been more spectators in China than.
2. After they had been riding in stolen cars, the hooligans burnt them.
3. He wondered whether/if she was preparing for her TOEFL.
4. A drama documentary is being produced by Andrew.

D. PUT THE VERBS BETWEEN BRACKETS IN THE CORRECT TENSE. (3 points)

To work – left – had anticipated – would have retired

E. FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH THE APPROPRIATE PREPOSITIONS. (2 points)

1. Passed away.
2. Laid off