Passage Four Questions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage:
Reebok executives do not like to hear their stylish athletic shoes called “ footwear for yuppies (雅皮士，少壮高薪职业人士)”. They contend that Reebok shoes appeal to diverse market segments, especially now that the company offers basketball and children's shoes for the under-18 set and walking shoes for older customers not interested in aerobics （健身操）or running. The executives also point out that through recent acquisitions they have added hiking boots, dress and casual shoes, and high-performance athletic footwear to their product lines, all of which should attract new and varied groups of customers. Still, despite its emphasis on new markets, Reebok plans few changes in the upmarket (高档消费人群的)retailing network that helped push sales to $ 1 billion annually, ahead of all other sports shoe marketers. Reebok shoes, which are priced from $ 27 to $85, will continue to be sold only in better specialty, sporting goods, and department stores, in accordance with the company's view that consumers judge the quality of the brand by the quality of its distribution. In the past few years, the Massachusetts-based company has imposed limits on the number of its distributors (and the number of shoes supplied to stores), partly out of necessity. At times the unexpected demand for Reebok's exceeded supply, and the company could barely keep up with orders from the dealers it already had. These fulfillment problems seem to be , but the company is still selective about its distributors. At present, Reebok shoes are available in about five thousand retail stores in the United States.
Reebok has already anticipated that walking shoes will be the next fitness-related craze, replacing aerobics shoes the same way its brightly colored, soft leather exercise footwear replaced conventional running shoes. Through product diversification and careful market research, Reebok hopes to avoid the distribution problems Nike came across several years ago, when Nike misjudged the strength of the aerobics shoe craze and was forced to unload huge inventories of running shoes through discount stores.
36.One reason why Reebok's managerial personnel don't like their shoes to be called "footwear for yuppies" is that _______. A) they believe that their shoes are popular with people of different age groups B) new production lines have been added to produce inexpensive shoes C) "yuppies" usually evokes a negative image D) the term makes people think of prohibitive prices
37.Reebok's view that "consumers judge the quality of the brand by the quality of its distribution" (Line 5, Para. 2)implies that ______. A) the quality of a brand is measured by the service quality of the store selling it B) the quality of a product determines the quality of its distributors C) the popularity of a brand is determined by the stores that sell it D) consumers believe that first-rate products are only sold by high-quality stores
38.Reebok once had to limit the number of its distributors because ______. A) its supply of products fell short of demand B) too many distributors would cut into its profits C) the reduction of distributors could increase its share of the market D) it wanted to enhance consumer confidence in its products
39.Although the Reebok Company has solved the problem of fulfilling its orders, it ______. A) does not want to further expand its retailing network B) still limits the number of shoes supplied to stores C) is still particular about who sells its products D) still carefully chooses the manufacturers of its products
40.What lesson has Reebok learned from Nike's distribution problems? A) A company should not sell its high quality shoes in discount stores. B) A company should not limit its distribution network. C) A company should do follow-up surveys of its products. D) A company should correctly evaluate the impact of a new craze on the market.
本文是关于Reebok鞋业公司营销策略的一篇说明文。第一段概述（通过管理层之口）其公司产品的目标市场；第二段论及其对高档消费人群这一块零售市场的营销策略；第三段论及营销策略的另一方面-精选批发商；最后一段谈市场预测及营销决策。 36.答案为A 要点推论题。题干中的“managerial personnel”即为第一段的executives，因此可知本题答案在第一段且为该段之主题:目标市为多大，高层领导们当然不希望自己的产品仅供应一些雅皮士，再由下文之“children's shoes for the under-18 set and walking for older customers”更可知其目标消费是多高层次的。容易错选的选项B侧重公司的生产策略，故不妥。 37.答案为D 句意理解及要点暗示题。题干引号中那部分在第二段，答案当然应在第二段，而该段主要论及高档消费群体的零售网--只在精品专卖屋、体育用品专卖店及大百货商场销售。 38.答案为A 要点归纳题。根据题干中“limit the number of distributions”确定答案在第三段该段论及即使产品供不应求时，也要对批发商有所选择，而过运河一段时间对批发商数量的限制主要是“out of necessity”(迫不得已)，因为需求量出乎意料地超过了供应能力。 39.答案为C 要点理解定位题。题干中的“although”与短文第三段倒数第二句之“but”相呼应，答案即为该句的复述。 40.答案为D 要点推论题。Nike (耐克)一词确定答案位置在最后一段，市场预测与决策。Nike 公司正是由于当时错误地判断了健身鞋流行的强度而导致了老产品（running shoes）的积压而不得不打折销售一这是市场预测不准确所导致的。
, but the company is still selective about its distributors. At present, Reebok shoes are available in about five thousand retail stores in the United States.
