We can see how the product life cycle works by looking at the introduction of instant coffee. When it was introduced, most people did not like it as well as “regular” coffee and it took several years to gain general acceptance (introduction stage). At one point, though, Instant coffee grew rapidly in popularity and many brands were introduced (stage of rapid growth). After a while people became attached to one brand and sales leveled off (stage of maturity). Sales went into a slight decline（衰退） when freeze-dried coffees were introduced (stage of decline).The importance of the product life cycle to marketers is this: Different stages in the product life cycle call for different strategies. The goal is to extend product life so that sales and profits do not decline. One strategy is called market modification. It means that marketing managers look for new users and market sections. Did you know, for example, that the backpacks that so many students carry today were originally designed for the military? Market modification also means searching for increased usage among present customers or going for a different market, such as senior citizens.
A marketer may re-position the product to appeal to new market sections. Another product extension strategy is called product modification. It involves changing product quality, features, or style to attract new users or more usage from present users. American auto manufacturers are using quality improvement as one way to recapture world markets. Note, also, how auto manufacturers once changed styles dramatically from year to year to keep demand from falling.
According to the passage, when people grow fond of one particular brand of a product, its sales will________.
由第四句“After a while people became attached to one brand and sales leveled off”可知，在人们习惯用某一个特定品牌时，该品牌的销量应该会维持在一个稳定的水平上，因此可知答案为B。
The first paragraph tells us that a new product is________.
由第二句“most people did not like it as well as “regular” coffee and it took several years to gain general acceptance”可知新产品在被介绍 时，不易获得大众的认可。因此正确答案为A。
Marketers need to know which of the four stages a product is in so as to________.
由第六句“The importance of the product life cycle to marketers is this: Different stages in the product life cycle call for different strategies”可知如果知道了产品发展的这四个阶段，会对商业策略的 调整有所帮助。因此正确答案为C。
The author mentions the example of “backpacks” (Line 4, Para.2) to show the importance of________.
在文章中间部分“One strategy is called market modification. It means that marketing managers look for new users and market sections”后，作者举了题目中提到的例子。由此可知例子是为了说明前面的部分， 也就是“look for new users and market sections”，即寻找新客户和开拓 新的市场的重要性。因此正确答案为D。
In order to recover their share of the world market, U.S. auto makers are________.
题目问的是“为了收回他们在世界市场上的份额，美国汽车制 造商怎么做”。由倒数第五句“A marketer may re-position the product to appeal to new market sections”可知营销人员可能会重新定位产品以吸 引新的市场部门，因此正确答案为C。