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The free enterprise had produced a technology ___47____ of providing the American consumer with the largest and most varied marketplace in the world. Technological advances, however, have come hand-in-hand with impersonal mass marketing of goods and services. Along with___48____ too, have come some instances of manipulative (操纵性的) advertising practices and a great increase to products whose reliability, safety and quality are difficult to__49_____.
Today’s consumers buy, enjoy, use and throw away more types of goods than could possibly have been imagined even a few years ago. Yes, too often consumers have no idea of the materials that have gone into the manufacturer’s finished product or their own ___50____ in selecting one product over another.
Easy credit and forceful techniques of modern marketing persuade many consumers to buy what they can’t ___51____ . The consequent __52_____ of family budgets is a problem for consumers at all economic levels. It is not unusual for families to set aside 20 percent or more of their income to debt repayments without understanding the effect this allocation has upon other choices. Some families have such tight budgets that an illness, a period of unemployment, or some other crisis finds them without ___53____ reserves(储备;储蓄).
In addition to the growing complexity of the market, consumers are sometimes faced with unfair and___54____ practices. Although there are laws__55_____ to protect the consumers, there are not a sufficient number of laws enforced to cover all the abuses of the marketplace.
An adult in today’s society should be knowledgeable in the use of credit. He should understand what is involved in purchasing a house, and the many pitfalls to be avoided when ___56 ____into financial agreements. He should know enough about advertising and selling techniques to enable him to tell the honest from the deceptive. He should be knowledgeable about consumer protection laws so that he can demand his rights. When he needs help, he should know the private and public sources to which he can turn for assistance.
A) virtually B) deceptive C) supervisors D) entering E) evaluate
F) capable G) efficiently H) progress I) designed J) likely
K) afford L) adequate M) overburden N) amazing O) motivation
