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The competition among producers of personal computers is essentially a race to get the best, most innovative products to the marketplace. Marketers in this environment frequently have to make a judgement as to their competitors' role when making marketing strategy decisions. If major competitors are changing their products, then a marketer may want to follow suit to remain competitive. Apple Computer, Inc. has introduced two new, faster person computers, the Macintosh II and Macintosh SE, in anticipation of the introduction of a new PC by IBM, one of Apple' s major competitors.
Apple' s new computers are much faster and more powerful than its earlier models. The improved Macintosh is able to run programs that previously were impossible to run on an Apple PC, including IBM-compatible programs. This compatibility feature illustrates computer manufacturers' new attitude of giving customers the features they want. Malting Apple computers capable of running IBM software is Apple' s effort at making the Mackintosh compatible with IBM computers and thus more popular in the office, where Apple hopes to increase sales, Users of the new Apple can also add accessories to make their machines specialize in specific uses, such as engineering and writing.
The new computers represent a big improvement over past models, but they also cost much more. Company officials do not think the higher price will slow down buyers who want to step up to a more powerful computer. Apple wants to stay in the high price end of the personal computer marker to finance research for even faster, more sophisticated computers.
Even though Apple and IBM are major competitors, both companies realize that their competitor's computers have certain features that their own models do not. The Apple line has always been popular for its sophisticated color graphics, where-as the IBM machines have always been favored in offices. In the future, there will probably be more compatibility between the two companies' products, which no doubt will require that both Apple and IBM change marketing strategies. 26. According to the passage, Apple Computer, Inc, has introduced the Mackintosh 11 and the Mackintosh SE because _________.
A) IBM is changing its computer models continuously
B) it wants to make its machines specialize in specific uses
C) it wants to stay ahead of IBM in the competitive computer market
D) it expects its major competitor IBM to follow its example
27. Apple hopes to increase Mackintosh sales chiefly by_________.
A) making its new models capable of running IBM software
B) improving the color graphics of its new models
C) copying the marketing strategies of IBM
D) giving the customers what they want
28. Apple sells its new computer models at a high price because.
A) they have new features and functions
B) they are more sophisticated
C) they have new accessories attached
D) it wants to accumulate funds for future research
29. It can be inferred from the passage that both Apple and IBM try to gain a competitive advantage by _________.
A) copying each other's technology
B) incorporating features that make their products distinctive
C) making their computers more expensive
D) making their computers run much faster
30. The best tittle for the passage would be_________.
A) Apple's Efforts so Stay Ahead of IBM B) Apple's New Computer Technology
C) Apple's New personal Computers D) Apple's Research Activities
答案：26. C 27. A 28. D 29. B 30. A
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