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16 Sep 2014, 01:57
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Psychologists and marketers alike are aware that product labels can trigger brand loyalty and influence customers' perceptions of quality. A recent experiment, however, goes beyond brand loyalty and suggests that expectation can alter the experience of taste itself.
In the experiment, 300 men and women tasted two versions of a beverage each, one a regular cola, and the other the same cola with a few drops of white vinegar added. A previous survey had found that most cola drinkers thought vinegar would worsen the taste. The participants were told only that one of the beverages, called "cola extra," contained an unspecified secret ingredient.
Researchers found that in a blind taste test of 100 people, 60% actually preferred the vinegar-enriched "cola extra." A second group of 100 learned after they had tasted both beverages that vinegar was the secret ingredient. This group, surprisingly, preferred "cola extra" by the same percentage. A final group was told before the taste test that one of the colas contained vinegar. In this group, only about one third of respondents favored "cola extra."
In the experiment, 300 men and women tasted two versions of a beverage each, one a regular cola, and the other the same cola with a few drops of white vinegar added. A previous survey had found that most cola drinkers thought vinegar would worsen the taste. The participants were told only that one of the beverages, called "cola extra," contained an unspecified secret ingredient.
Researchers found that in a blind taste test of 100 people, 60% actually preferred the vinegar-enriched "cola extra." A second group of 100 learned after they had tasted both beverages that vinegar was the secret ingredient. This group, surprisingly, preferred "cola extra" by the same percentage. A final group was told before the taste test that one of the colas contained vinegar. In this group, only about one third of respondents favored "cola extra."
1. The primary purpose of the passage is to
(a) Critique the concept of brand loyalty.
(b) Argue that taste preference is merely a matter of expectation.
(c) Discuss an experiment studying the relationship of expectation to taste.
(d) Survey the taste preferences of participants.
(e) Persuade readers to prefer cola with vinegar.
2. The author mentions previous findings that "most cola drinkers thought vinegar would worsen the taste" primarily to
(a) Offer interesting background to the most recent experiment.
(b) Prove that all cola drinkers have taste preferences.
(c) Contrast the negative expectation associated with vinegar and the neutral expectation of other taste tests.
(d) Establish that taste testers were not expected to prefer the beverage containing vinegar.
(e) Demonstrate the scientists' commitment to the project.
3. Which of the following is the best sentence with which to begin a paragraph continuing the passage above?
(a) The test group responses prove there may be a market for colas blended with vinegar.
(b) Previous research in marketing psychology shows that expectation can indeed change the physical trace of neural activity.
(c) This experiment illustrates the need for further research before the impact of expectation on taste can be stated conclusively.
(d) This experiment establishes that labels indicating a "secret ingredient" will always sell more of a product.
(e) This experiment offers useful information to cola marketers, who may now modify their product to fit with the customers' taste.
4. It can be inferred from the passage that which of the following, if true, would be most damaging to the conclusion that expectation influences taste?
(a) A majority in all three test groups preferred standard cola to "cola extra," regardless of whether they were told it contained a secret ingredient.
(b) The experiment was conducted again with vanilla as the secret ingredient and produced similar results.
(c) Taste testers were told that a "bitter ingredient," rather than a "secret ingredient," had been added to the colas.
(d) A previous survey had established that consumers thought vinegar would improve the taste of cola.
(e) Both colas were given to taste testers in glasses that looked exactly alike.
(a) Critique the concept of brand loyalty.
(b) Argue that taste preference is merely a matter of expectation.
(c) Discuss an experiment studying the relationship of expectation to taste.
(d) Survey the taste preferences of participants.
(e) Persuade readers to prefer cola with vinegar.
2. The author mentions previous findings that "most cola drinkers thought vinegar would worsen the taste" primarily to
(a) Offer interesting background to the most recent experiment.
(b) Prove that all cola drinkers have taste preferences.
(c) Contrast the negative expectation associated with vinegar and the neutral expectation of other taste tests.
(d) Establish that taste testers were not expected to prefer the beverage containing vinegar.
(e) Demonstrate the scientists' commitment to the project.
3. Which of the following is the best sentence with which to begin a paragraph continuing the passage above?
(a) The test group responses prove there may be a market for colas blended with vinegar.
(b) Previous research in marketing psychology shows that expectation can indeed change the physical trace of neural activity.
(c) This experiment illustrates the need for further research before the impact of expectation on taste can be stated conclusively.
(d) This experiment establishes that labels indicating a "secret ingredient" will always sell more of a product.
(e) This experiment offers useful information to cola marketers, who may now modify their product to fit with the customers' taste.
4. It can be inferred from the passage that which of the following, if true, would be most damaging to the conclusion that expectation influences taste?
(a) A majority in all three test groups preferred standard cola to "cola extra," regardless of whether they were told it contained a secret ingredient.
(b) The experiment was conducted again with vanilla as the secret ingredient and produced similar results.
(c) Taste testers were told that a "bitter ingredient," rather than a "secret ingredient," had been added to the colas.
(d) A previous survey had established that consumers thought vinegar would improve the taste of cola.
(e) Both colas were given to taste testers in glasses that looked exactly alike.
16 Sep 2014, 01:57
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Show SpoilerQuestion V02-19 explanation
To answer this question, look at the passage as a whole. The first paragraph introduces the results of a scientific experiment. The second paragraph details the method of the experiment, and the third paragraph discusses the results. Therefore, the overall purpose of the passage is to relay information about the experiment.
- The concept is mentioned in the passage, but not critiqued.
- Argue is too strong a word for the tone of the passage. Also, the word merely suggests a more strict correlation between expectation and taste than that discussed in the passage.
- Each paragraph provides different information about the experiment's background, methods, and results.
- The experiment concerns the influence of expectation on taste, not the original taste preferences of participants.
- The passage does not seek to persuade.
Show SpoilerQuestion V02-20 explanation
To answer this question, examine the function of the phrase in the context of the passage as a whole. Since the experiment deals with taste preferences, mentioning the fact that participants were not expected to prefer vinegar establishes the related fact that they were also not expected to prefer the "cola extra" with vinegar additive. The fact that some of them did proves that expectation influences taste.
- The fact may be interesting, but it serves a more specific purpose in the passage.
- This may be true, but does not directly address the question of how participants would react to the taste of vinegar.
- The passage does not discuss other taste tests.
- By establishing that participants were not expected to prefer the beverage containing vinegar, the passage is able to argue that expectation of a "secret ingredient" led some participants to prefer "cola extra."
- The passage does not discuss the scientists' commitment.
Show SpoilerQuestion V02-21 explanation
Consider the intention and structure of the passage as a whole. The passage is concerned with discussing several aspects of the experiment with the influence of expectation on taste. The correct answer will continue in the same vein, and offer yet another piece of information for discussion.
- The passage is not concerned with marketing, so a suggestion that cola with vinegar might be popular is misplaced.
- Previous research is one more piece of information to discuss the hypothesis.
- The passage is not designed to suggest further experiments, but to discuss information regarding this one.
- Labeling is not the main concern of the passage, so will not logically be its extension.
- The experiment deals with expectation and taste, not product development.
Show SpoilerQuestion V02-22 explanation
An inference is drawn from information stated in the passage. Since the experiment establishes a correlation between expectation and taste, the correct answer choice will disprove the correlation.
- If members of all three test groups prefer the cola without vinegar, then the experiment has proven that expectation has no influence on taste.
- Expectation would still be a factor in the experiment, though the preference for cola with vanilla might not be as surprising.
- This version of the experiment would ask participants to identify a bitter flavor, not test the correlation between expectation and taste.
- The experiment might yield higher percentages of participants preferring cola extra, but the taste test would still reveal a correlation between expectation and taste.
- The appearance of glasses is irrelevant to an experiment testing taste.
17 Oct 2016, 05:51
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In the question V02-22 about inference, it is true that there is a correlation between expectation and taste. What could damage this correlation? What if the experiment is done with a group of people with a biased preference towards vinegar??
In the second paragraph, it is stated that "A previous survey had found that most cola drinkers thought vinegar would worsen the taste". But the passage never says that the 300 participants in the experiment have the same opinion about vinegar worsen the taste. So, What if members of all three test groups have a positive previous preference for the cola with vinegar, then the experiment has proven that expectation has no influence on taste.
I think Option A should be reworded:
A) majority in all three test groups preferred "cola extra" to standard cola, regardless of whether they were told it contained a secret ingredient.
Please, I appreciate in advance your comments about my observation.
In the second paragraph, it is stated that "A previous survey had found that most cola drinkers thought vinegar would worsen the taste". But the passage never says that the 300 participants in the experiment have the same opinion about vinegar worsen the taste. So, What if members of all three test groups have a positive previous preference for the cola with vinegar, then the experiment has proven that expectation has no influence on taste.
I think Option A should be reworded:
A) majority in all three test groups preferred "cola extra" to standard cola, regardless of whether they were told it contained a secret ingredient.
Please, I appreciate in advance your comments about my observation.
