在线英语听力室

SSS 2011-02-15

时间:2011-03-04 03:52:33

搜索关注在线英语听力室公众号:tingroom,领取免费英语资料大礼包。

(单词翻译)

This is Scientific American’s 60-Second Science. I’m Steve Mirsky. Got a minute?

Remember the Seinfeld where George buys Jon Voight’s car? Or the one where Elaine bids on JFK’s golf clubs? Why would anyone spend money, often a lot of money, on a common object just because somebody famous once owned it? A study in the Journal of Consumer Research offers some insights.

In one experiment subjects rated how much they would like to own, say, a watch. Some were told it had belonged to a nobody, others heard it was once a celebrity1’s. Study participants rated the same objects as more desirable when they carried the alleged2 celebrity luster3.

Some buyers look at a celebrity’s former possession as an investment, because they know somebody else will pay even more for it eventually. But other purchasers of objects touched by a famous person are swayed by so-called contagion4: the implicit5 belief that the thing retains some essence or physical trace of the former owner.

In the Seinfeld episode, Elaine got JFK’s golf clubs for $20,000, twice as much as she had been given permission to bid. In an actual auction6 in 1996 JFK’s clubs went for more than a quarter of a million, which sounds crazy until you remember that you probably got the bag, too.

Thanks for the minute. For Scientific American’s 60-Second Science, I’m Steve Mirsky.


分享到:


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 celebrity xcRyQ     
n.名人,名流;著名,名声,名望
参考例句:
  • Tom found himself something of a celebrity. 汤姆意识到自己已小有名气了。
  • He haunted famous men, hoping to get celebrity for himself. 他常和名人在一起, 希望借此使自己获得名气。
2 alleged gzaz3i     
a.被指控的,嫌疑的
参考例句:
  • It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
  • alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为
3 luster n82z0     
n.光辉;光泽,光亮;荣誉
参考例句:
  • His great books have added luster to the university where he teaches.他的巨著给他任教的大学增了光。
  • Mercerization enhances dyeability and luster of cotton materials.丝光处理扩大棉纤维的染色能力,增加纤维的光泽。
4 contagion 9ZNyl     
n.(通过接触的疾病)传染;蔓延
参考例句:
  • A contagion of fear swept through the crowd.一种恐惧感在人群中迅速蔓延开。
  • The product contagion effect has numerous implications for marketing managers and retailers.产品传染效应对市场营销管理者和零售商都有很多的启示。
5 implicit lkhyn     
a.暗示的,含蓄的,不明晰的,绝对的
参考例句:
  • A soldier must give implicit obedience to his officers. 士兵必须绝对服从他的长官。
  • Her silence gave implicit consent. 她的沉默表示默许。
6 auction 3uVzy     
n.拍卖;拍卖会;vt.拍卖
参考例句:
  • They've put the contents of their house up for auction.他们把房子里的东西全都拿去拍卖了。
  • They bought a new minibus with the proceeds from the auction.他们用拍卖得来的钱买了一辆新面包车。

本文本内容来源于互联网抓取和网友提交,仅供参考,部分栏目没有内容,如果您有更合适的内容,欢迎 点击提交 分享给大家。