Test 3A

Version A
School: ________________________________

English Test 11th Form Level VII

Student: __________________________________Class: 11th ___________________ Date: ___/___/___

Teacher: _________________________________ Mark: _________ Parents Signature: ____________

Before you begin:

Read all the questions carefully.
Check that you have answered all the questions.
If you do not know the answer to a question, move on and come back to it at the end.
Re-read your work once you have finished and look out for any silly mistakes.

A Before reading the text, answer the questions below in no more than 40 words. (20 marks)

Are you a fashion slave, someone whose shopping habits are controlled by brands and
a desire to look cool? Explain what kind of consumer you are.

Driving Teen Egos and Buying through Branding

1. Comparing the marketing of today with the marketing of yesteryear is like comparing a BB
gun to a smart bomb; its enhanced by technology, honed by child psychologists and
brought to us by billions of dollars. In the new millennium, marketing executives are insinuating
their brands into the fabric of childrens lives. They want to use industry terms cradle to
5 grave brand loyalty and to own children.

2. By the time children reach their teens, a developmental stage when theyre naturally
insecure and searching for a personal identity, theyve been taught that material
possessions are what matter, Kanner says in his book Psychology and Consumer Culture: The
Struggle for a Good Life in a Materialistic World. Advertisers understand the teens desire to be
10 cool, and manipulate it to sell their wares Kanner says.

3. Teens want to identify with their peer group and in a certain sense, that is a vulnerability,
Kanner says. Indeed, teens and tweens, children between the ages of 12 and 14, are
attracted to the prestige they believe brand-name clothing provides them. The attraction to
prestige brands develops in adolescent years because its a time when peer pressure and fitting
15 in are very important, she notes.

4. The problem, says Kanner, is that marketers manipulate that attraction, encouraging
teens to use materialistic values to define who they are and arent. In doing that, marketers
distort the organic process of developing an identity by hooking self-value to brands, he adds.
More naturally, you might develop your identity around, for example, doing good in the world
20 or building a career out of an interest, he explains.

5. Identity-oriented branding also encourages disapproval of anything different, be it a

different generation, different cultural group or different school clique. The way advertising
separates kids from their parents is particularly insidious. Essentially, advertisers encourage
rejection of the older generations preferences to the point of trying to create an official
25 statement about what is cool for teenagers, capitalizing on the body image, weight concerns
and beauty ideals that make them most vulnerable.
Source: http://www.apa.org (adapted)

B
1. Re-read paragraphs 1-3 carefully. Decide whether the following statements are true (12 marks)
or false. Quote a sentence from the text to support your answer.
a. Marketers present-day strategies target adults rather than teens as the latter can better afford
innovative technology.
b. A famous psychologist states that teens are vulnerable and educated to consume material things.
c. Brand-names are associated with the idea of popularity at school and positive peer feedback by
teenagers.
d. Parents always have a word to say in this matter and teens usually listen to them.

2. Complete the following sentences according to paragraphs 3-5. (30 marks)

a. Instead of persuading young people to do good or build a positive self-image, __________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
b. Being led by brands, teenagers set themselves apart from _________________________________
c. Body image, weight concerns and beauty ideals _________________________________________

3. Explain the meaning of the following expressions from the text in your own words: (18 marks)
a. are insinuating their brands into the fabric of childrens lives (ll. 3-4)
b. Teens want to identify with their peer group (l. 11)
c. is particularly insidious (l. 23)

C Fill in the gaps with an appropriate word in the box below. (16 marks)

find; on; influx; immune; how; need; stop; together

Many teens believe that they are a. ________________ to marketing manipulation, a topic that is very difficult
to address. So parents and others who care about children b. ________________ to take baby steps in several
arenas to turn the materialistic tide:
At home, c. ________________ ways for children to spend time away from advertising and talk to them about
why and d. ________________ ads are produced.
In communities, share concerns with parents and community leaders who can work e. ________________ to
change teen views of marketing.
In schools, work to stop the f. ________________ of advertising messages in school buildings.
In the marketplace, join advocacy groups, such as the Coalition to g. ________________ the Commercial
Exploitation of Children, that lobby politicians and companies to be responsible marketers. Also, support
foundations that fund research h. ________________ marketing effects on children.
D
1. Join the following sentences using a relativiser. Then decide if it is a defining or (40 marks)
non-defining relative clause.
a. The girl was looking at a gigantic Coca-Cola poster. She looked amazed.
b. This is the new shopping centre. Teens spend hours in it.
c. Ive been buying Christmas gifts. Im going to offer them to my younger nephews and nieces.
d. People watch too many adverts. They end up buying what they dont need.

2. Rephrase the following sentences beginning with the words given. (24 marks)
Dont change their meaning.
a. Its hopeless to assume marketers will stop targeting teens.
There is no use __________________________________________________________________
b. It is almost useless to show very young children how pernicious advertising can be. Just switch off
the TV.
Theres no point __________________________________________________________________
c. Its pointless to tell a teen he/she shouldnt eat so much. It can be counter productive.
Its not worth ____________________________________________________________________

E Choose one of the following topics and write a composition of about 150-200 words. (40 marks)

1. Comparing the marketing of today with the marketing of yesteryear is like comparing a BB gun to a
smart bomb.

2. How does publicity affect teens lives? Does it influence your choices and priorities? How do you/
your peers feel about that?
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Good luck!
(Total: 200 marks)