Decades ago, NASA asked experts to develop the "smell of space" in order to help prepare astronauts for the experience of outer space. Now, a perfume, Eau de Space, has attracted eager buyers.
According to the Kickstarter activity, which has been launched to sell Eau de Space, the history of the "smell of space" has been unclear owing to various accounts of its development. Ever since the first spacewalk, astronauts have been shocked by the smell.
NASA astronaut Col. Chris Hadfield said, "The only time you can smell space is when you come back from a spacewalk. As you open the hatch (舱门), there is a distinctive smell." Some astronauts and space tourists describe it as the smell of fruit, or burnt cookies. Astronaut Eugene Cerman talked of another smell he experienced: "The moon smells like spent gunpowder." The smell of space is so distinct that NASA reached out to fragrance makers to recreate the smell, according to NASA documents.
Now, the makers have cooperated with award-winning perfumers (香水制造者), and reported that they've secured commercial contracts to reproduce the smell based on astronauts' accounts.
At $ 29 per bottle, Eau de Space will help support STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) programs for students. "For every bottle of Eau de Space you buy, we're going to donate $ 1 to a STEM program for low-income students. It's a big promise and isn't the best decision for a company trying to make a profit. But, imagine that a child who smells Eau de Space today is whipped up to become an astronaut, scientist or engineer," shows Kickstarter.
Eau de Space will be made in the UK employing low-income labor and environment-friendly practices, including zero manufacturing waste, according to the campaign. So far, about 11,000 people have become supporters.
【小题1】Why was the Kickstarter campaign started?| A．To promote Eau de Space. | B．To attract perfume makers. |
| C．To explain the "smell of space". | D．To recreate the "smell of space". |
| A．Trained. | B．Inspired. |
| C．Forced. | D．Persuaded. |
| A．Eau de Space, a Perfume Used in Space |
| B．Eau de Space, a Perfume on the Way |
| C．The History of Developing the "Smell of Space" |
| D．Astronauts' Different Accounts about the Space Smell |
But while the wise have realized that they don’t need them, others—apparently including some distinguished men of our time—are spending total fortunes on them. Brands such as Rolex, Patek Philippe and Breitling command shocking prices, up to ￡250,000 for a piece.
This is ridiculous. Expensive cars go faster than cheap cars. Expensive clothes hang better than cheap clothes. But these days all watches tell the time as well as all other watches. Expensive watches come with extra functions — but who needs them? How often do you dive to 300 metres into the sea or need to find your direction in the area around the South Pole? So why pay that much of five years’ school fees for watches that allow you to do these things?
If justice were done, the Swiss watch industry should have closed down when the Japanese discovered how to make accurate watches for a five-pound note. Instead the Swiss reinvented the watch, with the aid of millions of pounds’ worth of advertising, as a message about the man wearing it. Rolexes are for those who spend their weekends climbing icy mountains; a Patek Philippe is for one from a rich or noble family; a Breitling suggests you like to pilot planes across the world.
Watches are now classified as “investments”（投资）. A 1994 Patek Philippe recently sold for nearly ￡350,000, while 1960s Rolexes have gone from ￡15,000 to ￡30,000 plus in a year. But a watch is not an investment. It’s a toy for self-satisfaction, a matter of fashion. Prices may keep going up—they’ve been rising for 15 years. But when fashion moves on, the owner of that ￡350,000 beauty will suddenly find his pride and joy is no more a good investment than my childhood Timex.
【小题1】The sales of watches to young people have fallen because they______.
| A．have other devices to tell the time | B．think watches too expensive |
| C．prefer to wear an iPod | D．have no sense of time |
| A．people dive 300 metres into the sea |
| B．expensive clothes sell better than cheap ones |
| C．cheap cars don’t run as fast as expensive ones |
| D．expensive watches with unnecessary functions still sell |
| A．It targets rich people as its potential customers. |
| B．It’s hard for the industry to beat its competitors. |
| C．It wastes a huge amount of money in advertising. |
| D．It’s easy for the industry to reinvent cheap watches. |
| A．Timex or Rolex? | B．My Childhood Timex |
| C．Watches? Not for Me! | D．Watches — a Valuable Collection |
With brand new products constantly emerging, it can be hard to keep track of what things to sell in 2023. The secret to selling new popular products is to find winning products before they become mainstream. So if you’re looking for the best new products of 2023 before your competitors discover them, read on.
Smart temperature sensors
With most countries having four seasons in a year, smart temperature sensors will surely attract customers from around the globe. People can use the sensor to check the temperature, humidity level, etc. Then, they can share this data with other smart devices that regulate the temperature in their room (smart heaters, curtains, etc.). The rich functionality makes it one of the best products to sell in 2023.
Biomagnetic ear stickers
We’d never imagined a day when earrings would help you improve blood circulation (循环), but that day has come. Biomagnetic ear stickers put pressure on your ears and stimulate blood flow. It’s said that magnets can also help with weight loss. However, be sure not to make any claims about how much weight your customers will lose. Not making definitive claims is a common practice in fitness and health care to avoid legal action.
Reusable straws
Reusable straws make a great product, especially if you have an eco-friendly product store. You can position the product as good for the environment while protecting marine life from plastic waste. Remember: a business that makes the world a better place is the best kind of business.
【小题1】What makes smart temperature sensors get popular?| A．Being self-operating. | B．Being eco-friendly. |
| C．Being multi-functional. | D．Being money-saving. |
| A．To monitor health. | B．To boost blood flow. |
| C．To sharpen hearing. | D．To lower blood pressure. |
| A．Product designers. | B．Storekeepers. |
| C．Fashion customers. | D．Environmentalists. |
Household appliances and consumer electronic products witnessed strong sales during last year’s Spring Festival holiday, as stay-at-home consumers purchased cutting-edge (尖端的) digital products to keep themselves entertained or to send wishes to family members in other cities.According to the Ministry of Commerce, sales of communication equipment and household appliances rose by 39 percent and 29.9 percent respectively during the seven-day holiday.
Ma Ke, a white-collar worker in Beijing, did not go back to her hometown in Wuhan, Hubei Province during the holiday.Instead, she bought a 5G smartphone and a smartwatch for her parents as New Year gifts.“My father is a fan of electronic products.He always wants to be an early user of the latest phones and smartwatches,” Ma said.Consumers like Ma answered the call to stay where they work during the holiday period in a bid to reduce the potential spread of the COVID-19.While staying put, they bought the latest digital products and adopted cutting-edge digital technologies.Some of them also bought new fitness equipment, as the stay-at-home-fitness trend was booming in China.
Sensing many consumers did not travel during the holidays, shopping malls also came up with new ideas to better entertain them.Shopping malls in Shenzhen and Beijing, for instance, set robots powered by artificial intelligence (AI) to issue a variety of coupons (优惠券) for dining, movies, sports and other activities to attract consumers.
Jacky Han, vice-president of marketing at tech company Cheetah Mobile, said shopping malls played a central role in the retail ecosystem.“AI-powered robots set there can help merchants to turn foot traffic into intelligent data, by functioning as an interactive advertising platform and information desk and improving the customer experiences,” Han said.
【小题1】Why did people buy advanced digital products during the holiday?| A．To keep up with fashion trends. |
| B．To help boost the Chinese economy. |
| C．To give them to their friends as presents. |
| D．To entertain themselves or contact their families. |
| A．5G smart devices are the right gifts for the old. |
| B．It is difficult for the elders to adapt to the digital age. |
| C．Staying put may promote the consumption of electronic products. |
| D．Office workers are primary consumers of fitness equipment. |
| A．By offering a free parking service. |
| B．By using robots to send out coupons. |
| C．By providing various entertainments. |
| D．By letting kids experience AI technology. |
| A．AI Technology Improves People’s Lives |
| B．Using Digital Products Has Become a Trend |
| C．Shopping Malls Play a Key Role on Holidays |
| D．Consumption Boomed During the Holiday of Staying Put |
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