(单词翻译:单击)
Passage One
短文一
Weather is a constant force in our lives, but there is little marketing research on how it affects businesses.
在我们的生活中，天气是恒常存在的力量，但几乎没有关于它如何影响企业的营销研究。
Now, a new study reveals how sunny and snowy conditions influence consumer behavior.
如今，一项新研 究揭示了晴天和雪天是如何影响消费者行为的。
Those weather conditions trigger consumers to mentally visualize using products associated with the respective weather.
这些天气情况促使消费者在脑海中设想使用与各自天气相关的产品。
This leads to consumers placing a higher value on those products.
这导致消费者对这些产品赋予更高的价值。
That is, they 're willing to pay more money for them.
也就是说，他们愿意花更多的钱购买这些产品。
But the correlation is only found with products related to being outside.
但这种相关性仅见于与户外相关的产品。
How does this work? Researchers give the example of a beach towel.
这种影响是如何起作用的呢？研究人员举了沙滩巾的例子。
On a sunny day, consumers who see that product are not just looking at the towel itself, they are likely imagining themselves lying on the towel in the sun.
在晴天，看见沙滩巾的消费者并不仅仅只是盯着这一产品本身，还可能正想象自己躺在上面，沐浴在阳光里。
This mental picture of using the towel increases the value of the product in the consumers' mind.
在脑海中构想使用沙滩巾的画面会提升这一产品在消费者心目中的价值。
Researchers put forward the following hypothesis to explain their findings.
研究人员提出了以下假设来解释其研究发现。
They think the mental picture works in sunshine and snow because these weather conditions have a positive association with outside activities.
他们认为，脑海中的画面之所以在晴天和雪天起作用，是因为这些天气情况与户外活动呈正相关。
The effect is not seen with rainy weather.
雨天则看不到这种影响。
Researchers assert this is because there aren't many activities that are enabled by rain.
研究人员断言，这是因为雨天促成的活动不多。
Most products associated with rain, like umbrellas, are only used for protection from the weather, and not for any activities.
大多数与雨天相关的产品（比如雨伞）仅用于挡雨，而不用于任何活动。
Researchers believe that companies that sell a wide array of products online can benefit most from the insights this study provides.
研究人员认为，在网上销售各类产品的公司能从这项研究提供的洞见中获益最多。
Online sellers often use complex mathematical formulas to determine what products to feature and how to price these products.
线上商家通常利用复杂的数学公式来决定要主推何种产品及如何定价。
Incorporating more data about weather would allow them to make better decisions.
纳入更多与天气相关的数据能使他们作出更好的决策。
This could bolster sales.
这可能会推动销量。
Questions 9 to 11 are based on the passage you have just heard.
请根据你刚听到的文章回答9到11题。
Question 9: What do we learn about the findings of the new study?
问题9:关于这项新研究的发现，我们了解到了什么?
Question 10: What does the passage say may increase the value of products for consumers?
问题10:文章说什么可以增加产品对消费者的价值?
Question 11: How can the findings of the new study benefit online sellers according to the researchers?
问题11:根据研究人员的说法，这项新研究的发现对在线卖家有什么好处?
