在自考英语专升本考试中,customer的考察不仅限于其基本词义,还会涉及固定搭配和短语。最常见的搭配有regular customer(老顾客、常客),这个词组在阅读理解和写作中都很实用。例如,When a regular customer walks into the store, the owner always greets him by name. 这句话可以出现在描述店铺经营或人物关系的文章中。另一个常见搭配是potential customer(潜在客户),在商务主题的阅读题中经常出现,比如The company is trying to attract more potential customers through online advertising. 此外,customer service(客户服务)是一个高频词组,在阅读中可能作为一个段落的核心,也常常在写作中作为论点出现。还有customer satisfaction(客户满意度)和customer loyalty(客户忠诚度),这些在偏商务管理类的阅读材料中比较常见,需要你能够快速理解它们的意思。
现在,我们来看一些例句,帮助你在真实语境中加深对customer的理解。第一个例句:The new shopping mall is trying to attract more customers by offering discounts and free samples. 这个句子中,customer是“顾客”的意思,整个句子讲的是购物中心通过折扣和免费样品来吸引更多顾客。第二个例句:A good salesman always knows how to treat his customers with respect and patience. 这个句子展示了customer在人物关系中的使用。第三个例句:According to the survey, customer satisfaction has increased by 15 percent this quarter. 这里customer satisfaction是固定搭配,表示客户满意度。第四个例句:If you want to keep your regular customers, you need to provide excellent after-sales service. 这句话直接点出了regular customer与售后服务的关系,可以用在写作中论证服务的重要性。第五个例句,难度稍高:The company's customer base has expanded rapidly since it launched the mobile app. 这里的customer base是“客户基础”或“客户群体”的意思,在商务阅读中非常常见。
为了让你更好地应对考试,我们来设计几道与customer有关的试题。第一道是词汇选择题:The store treats every ______ as a VIP, which is why it has so many regulars. 选项为A. clients B. customers C. guests D. hosts 正确答案是B。因为store(商店)对应的是customer,而client虽然也是客户,但通常用于专业服务行业,所以这里不选。第二道是完形填空题:It is important for a business to listen to its ______ feedback in order to improve its products. 填入的单词是customers',注意所有格形式。这个空考察的是customer与feedback的常见搭配。第三道是阅读理解中的细节题:What does the phrase "customer loyalty" mean in the passage? 你需要从上下文推断出它指的是“顾客忠诚度”,即顾客愿意持续购买某品牌或光顾某店铺的倾向。第四道是翻译题:将“这家餐馆的服务态度很好,所以吸引了很多回头客”翻译成英语。参考译为:The restaurant has good service attitude, so it attracts many repeat customers. 这里repeat customers就是“回头客”的意思,与regular customers相近。第五道是写作题中的应用:请用customer satisfaction和customer service写两个连贯的句子。可以这样写:Good customer service is the key to improving customer satisfaction. Once customers are satisfied, they are more likely to become regular customers.