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Freebie Marketing Reading Answers: IELTS Reading Practice Test

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Updated on Jul 02, 2024, 11:57

The IELTS Reading test is crucial for achieving your academic and career goals and enhancing your language skills. This section assesses how well you can understand and analyse texts typically found in academic and professional settings. 

This section includes 3 passages and 40 questions, all to be completed in just 60 minutes. A strong score demonstrates your language proficiency and supports practical goals like visa applications and career advancement.

Effective preparation is key to excelling in this test. This involves familiarising yourself with the test format, building your vocabulary, and honing techniques like skimming and scanning to find information quickly. You can also practice reading passages to improve your comprehension. 

One particularly interesting passage for IELTS Reading prep is ‘Freebie Marketing.’ This passage provides valuable insights into a unique marketing strategy and a fascinating historical context, making it a compelling read for anyone preparing for the IELTS Reading test. 

We’ll explore this passage and freebie marketing reading answers on this page in detail! 


 

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1. Freebie Marketing Reading Passage

You should spend approximately 20 minutes answering Questions 1 - 13 based on the Reading Passage below. This approach can help manage time effectively during a reading comprehension activity or exam.

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2. Freebie Marketing Reading Questions and Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about Freebie Marketing Reading Questions and Answers

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1.

Freebie Marketing Reading Passage

General Information

  • Read Instructions: Understand each question before answering.
  • Manage Time: Spend about 20 minutes per passage.
  • Skim and Scan: Quickly get the main idea and find specific information.
  • Highlight Key Info: Underline essential words or phrases.
  • Answer All Questions: Attempt every question; no penalty for wrong answers.
  • Stay Focused: Avoid distractions and keep your attention on the task.
  • Check Spelling: Ensure correct spelling and grammar.
  • Transfer Answers Clearly: Write answers neatly on the answer sheet.
  • Don’t Dwell: Move on if stuck and return later.
  • Review: If time allows, review your answers.

 

 

 

 

Freebie Marketing Reading Passage

 



Paragraph A: While touring as a nomadic representative for the Crown.Cork and Seal Company in the late 1890s. King C. Gillette noticed that his corked bottle caps were thrown away as soon as they were opened. Whilst touring as a nomadic representative for the Crown.Cork and Seal Company in the late 1890s. King C. Gillette noticed that his corked bottle caps were thrown away as soon as they were opened. Despite this, his company made a fair profit and had a lot of potential. Gillette quickly realised that even though the product had only been used a few times. Whilst working with such a straight-bladed razor — a sluggish, fussy, and possibly hazardous tool that needed constant sharpening – Gillette made his success. He rightly reasoned that a basic, temporary blade that might be disposed of when it is blunted would meet a real demand and earn substantial revenues. In 1901, he started the American Safety Razor Company. In 1903, he sold 168 blades, but by 1905, he had sold over a thousand.

 

Paragraph B: What King C. Gillette pioneered is far more than a quick and economical way for men to shave; it is the business technique now known as "freebie marketing," which has influenced a slew of other businesses over the years. Gillette's strategy defied conventional wisdom at the time, which maintained that the ideal basis for a corporation was a single, long-lasting, high-quality, and high-cost luxury product with a high price tag. Freebie marketing combines two types of products: a master product that is purchased just once when a disposable item is periodically discarded and repurchased. In this case, the primary product is frequently sold at a loss and is occasionally distributed at a loss.

 

Paragraph C: Complimentary advertising only succeeds if the master item's creator also has control over the production and sale of the refills. If this does not occur, cheaper replicas of the consumable items may be manufactured, preserving the old business without net profits. For instance, the video game manufacturer Atari initially offered its Atari 2600 systems at cost, depending on game sales to make a profit. However, a group of programmers left Atari and founded Activision, which developed similar-quality games at a lower cost. Suddenly, Atari was left with no means of generating revenue. Activision's lawsuits were unsuccessful, and Atari only managed to survive by incorporating license restrictions into its succeeding 5200 and 7800 consoles.

 

Paragraph D: In other cases, consumers may discover that using a master product eliminates the requirement for discs. This is a well-known problem that has plagued the makers of the CueCat barcode scanner. These were handed away for free via Wired magazine in the hopes that users would use them to scan barcodes adjacent to adverts in the magazine, generating new revenue streams. However, users learned that the devices could be easily customised and used for various purposes, such as developing a separate library of books and CD collections. because there was never a licensing deal between Wired and its magazine customers. CueCat was powerless to stop it, and after the company was liquidated, the barcode scanners were quickly accessible in large quantities for as little as $0.30 each.

 

Paragraph E: Giveaway marketing is not permitted in any form. The use of gratis marketing to "push" habit-forming goods in locations where there is no market is an excellent illustration of this. This is already prohibited for illegal substances due to the illegality of the product, but it is also prohibited for legal goods such as tobacco, alcohol, and pharmaceuticals because the short-term profit for a comparatively tiny range of business branches is not presumed to be worth the monetary cost of ubiquitous drug addiction.

 

Paragraph F: Another tactic that is prohibited by antitrust regulations is "tying," which is a type of freebie marketing. Whenever a sale of goods is the purchase of one good contingent on the purchase of a second good, this is known as a conditional sale. The first good is usually vital and desirable, while the latter is inferior and unattractive in certain situations. For instance, a music distributor with the rights to a popular record may only allow retailers to acquire copies of the album provided they also purchase undesirable material that does not sell well. Because such techniques often rely on the distributor's exploitation of a captive market, they are widely seen as anti-competitive.


 

2.

Freebie Marketing Reading Questions and Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about Freebie Marketing Reading Questions and Answers

Questions and Answers 1-6
  • Choose the correct headings for section A-F from the list of headings below.
  • Write the correct number i-x in boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet.
  •  

     

    1. No giveaways for addictive products
    2. Sales of razor blades increase astronomically
    3. The monopoly of consumables is vital for success
    4. Video gaming – a risky business
    5. A novel method of dual marketing ruled out
    6. Freebie marketing is restricted to legal goods
    7. Buyer ingenuity may lead to bankruptcy
    8. A marketing innovation
    9. A product innovation
    10. More money to be made from high–quality products


     

    1. Paragraph A
    2. Paragraph B
    3. Paragraph C
    4. Paragraph D
    5. Paragraph E
    6. Paragraph F 

     

    Freebie Marketing Reading Answers with Explanation 1-6

     

     

    Type of question: Matching information 

    Matching information questions require you to find specific details in the reading passage and match them with given statements or pieces of information. These questions test your ability to locate and understand detailed information in the text.

     

    How to best answer:

    1. Quickly skim the passage to get a general understanding of its content and structure.
    2. Carefully read the instructions to understand the requirements and any specific guidelines.
    3. Read each statement or piece of information you need to match and identify keywords or phrases.
    4. Scan the passage for these keywords, their synonyms, or related concepts.
    5. When you find a potential match, read the surrounding text carefully to ensure it accurately corresponds to the statement.
    6. Ensure the information you choose fits logically and contextually with the statement or piece of information you match.
    7. Review your answers to ensure they are correct and that no details have been overlooked.


     

    8. Paragraph A: IX - A product innovation

     


    Reference:  Paragraph A "Gillette quickly realised that even though the product had only been used a few times..."

     

    Explanation: King C. Gillette's invention of the disposable razor blade represents a significant product innovation, addressing the shortcomings of traditional straight razors by introducing a disposable blade concept.

     

    9. Paragraph B: viii - A marketing innovation

     


    Reference: Paragraph B "What King C. Gillette pioneered is far more than a quick and economical way for men to shave..."

     

    Explanation: Gillette's introduction of freebie marketing, where the razor handle is sold at a loss while the blades are frequently replaced at a profit, demonstrates a groundbreaking marketing strategy that deviates from traditional business models.


     

    10. Paragraph C: iii - The monopoly of consumables is vital for success

     


    Reference: Paragraph C "Complimentary advertising only succeeds if the master item's creator also has control over the production and sale of the refills..."

     

    Explanation: The success of freebie marketing hinges on maintaining control over the production and distribution of consumable products, ensuring that cheaper alternatives don't undercut profits. Thus, the importance of monopolising consumables is emphasised.

     

     

    11. Paragraph D: vii - Buyer ingenuity may lead to bankruptcy

     


    Reference: Paragraph D "However, users learned that the devices could be easily customised and used for various purposes..."

     

    Explanation: The adaptability of consumers in repurposing freebie products like the CueCat barcode scanner led to unforeseen uses and undermined the original business model, potentially leading to financial losses for the company.

     

    12. Paragraph E: i - No giveaways for addictive products


    Reference:  Paragraph E "Giveaway marketing is not permitted in any form..."

     

    Explanation: Freebie marketing for addictive substances, whether illegal like drugs or legal like tobacco, is prohibited due to concerns about fostering addiction and societal harm, highlighting restrictions in place to prevent misuse of such marketing tactics.

     

    13. Paragraph F: v - A novel method of dual marketing ruled out


    Reference:  Paragraph F "Another tactic that is prohibited by antitrust regulations is 'tying,' which is a type of freebie marketing..."

     

    Explanation: Tying, where the sale of one product is conditional on purchasing another less desirable product, is restricted under antitrust laws to prevent anti-competitive practices, thus ruling out this form of dual marketing as a valid strategy.

    Questions and Answers 7-9
  • Complete the sentences below.
  • Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text for each answer.
  • Write your answers in boxes 7-9 on your answer sheet.
  •  

     

    7. The new tactic of freebie marketing ran against………… Gillette’s time.

    8. Occasionally, people who buy a master product find ways of using it that get around the necessity of buying more ……………….

    9. Wired never had a ………………. with its customers about the use of the barcode readers.

     

     

    Freebie Marketing Reading Answers with Explanations (7-9 )

     

     

    Type of question: Sentence completion questions require you to fill in the blanks in a sentence with words or phrases from the reading passage. These questions test your understanding of specific details and ability to integrate this information into a coherent sentence.


     

    How to best answer:


     

    • Quickly skim the passage to understand its main ideas and structure.
    • Carefully read the instructions to understand the word limit and any specific guidelines.
    • Read the incomplete sentences and identify keywords or phrases that indicate needed information.
    • Scan the passage for these keywords, their synonyms, or related concepts.
    • Locate the relevant section of the passage and read it carefully to find the precise words or phrases needed to complete the sentence.
    • Ensure the words you choose fit grammatically and contextually within the sentence.
    • Review your completed sentences to ensure they make sense and accurately reflect the information in the passage.

     

     

    14. Received wisdom

     


    Reference: Paragraph B "Gillette's strategy defied conventional wisdom at the time, which maintained that the ideal basis for a corporation was a single, long-lasting, high-quality, and high-cost luxury product with a high price tag." 

     

    Explanation: Gillette’s freebie marketing approach contradicted the conventional belief of his contemporaries that selling high-quality products with high profit margins was the best business model.


     

    15. Consumables

     


    Reference: Paragraph D: "In other cases, consumers may discover that using a master product eliminates the requirement for discs." 

     

    Explanation: Some consumers find alternative uses for the master product, which reduces their need to buy consumable items, as seen with the CueCat barcode scanner.


     

    9. Licensing agreement

     


    Reference: Paragraph D "because there was never a licensing deal between Wired and its magazine customers." 

     

    Explanation: Wired had not established licensing agreements with its readers, allowing them to use the barcode readers freely and leading to unintended uses and financial losses for the company.


     

    Questions and Answers 10-13
  • Complete the summary below.
  • Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text for each answer.
  • Write your answers in boxes 10-13 on your answer sheet.
  •  

    Freebie marketing is not permitted by law for either illegal or legal 10 ………………… products. This type of promotion of goods such as tobacco and alcohol is not considered worth 11 ……………. and has consequently been outlawed. “Tying” is also prohibited. This is when the sale of an attractive product is 12 …………………. on the purchase of another. It tends to occur when the seller takes advantage of a natural monopoly and is generally considered to be 13 ……………….

     

     

    Freebie Marketing Reading Answers with Explanations 10-13

     

     

    Type of question: Summary completion 

    Summary completion questions ask you to fill in the blanks in a provided summary of part of the reading passage with appropriate words or phrases from the passage. This type of question focuses on key points and main ideas.

     

    How to answer: 

    1. Quickly skim the passage to grasp its main ideas and structure.
    2. Focus on keywords in the summary and look for these or their synonyms in the passage.
    3. Carefully read the instructions to know the word limit and any specific guidelines.
    4. Identify the part of the passage related to the summary by scanning for keywords or phrases.
    5. Ensure the words you choose fit grammatically and contextually within the summary.
    6. After filling in the blanks, review the summary to ensure it makes sense and follows the word limit.

     

     

    10. Habit-forming

     


    Reference: Paragraph E "The use of gratis marketing to 'push' habit-forming goods in locations where there is no market is an excellent illustration of this."

     

    Explanation: Freebie marketing is prohibited for habit-forming goods, emphasising the term "habit-forming."

     

     

    11. Social cos

     


    Reference:  Paragraph E "because the short-term profit for a comparatively tiny range of business branches is not presumed to be worth the monetary cost of ubiquitous drug addiction."

     

    Explanation: The high social cost of promoting habit-forming products like tobacco is highlighted, justifying the term "social cost."

     

     

    12. Conditional

     


    Reference:  Paragraph F "Whenever a sale of goods is the purchase of one good contingent on the purchase of a second good, this is known as a conditional sale."

     

    Explanation: The term "conditional" refers to the requirement that one product must be purchased along with another less desirable product, as described in "tying."

     

    13. Anti-competitive behavior

     


    Reference:  Paragraph F "Because such techniques often rely on the distributor's exploitation of a captive market, they are widely seen as anti-competitive."

     

    Explanation: Exercising monopoly power through tactics like "tying" is considered anti-competitive behaviour, emphasising the term.


     

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    FAQs

    Q. Should I write answers in capital letters for my IELTS Reading test?

    Ans. There is no strict rule requiring you to use either uppercase or lowercase letters for your answers in the IELTS Reading test. You can choose either format, but it is recommended not to mix them. Consistency is key: use all uppercase or all lowercase letters for your answers.

    Q. How many reading passages are there in the IELTS Reading test?

    Ans. The IELTS Reading test consists of three or more passages, depending on the type of test. The IELTS Academic Reading test has three sections, each containing one long passage. The number of passages in the IELTS General Training Reading test varies by section: Section 1 has 2-3 passages, Section 2 has 2 passages, and Section 3 has one long passage.

     

    Q. What are some practices for IELTS Reading test preparation?

    Ans. To prepare for the IELTS Reading test, you should:


     

    • Read various types of texts daily.
    • Practice with IELTS Reading sample passages.
    • Attempt IELTS Reading mock tests.
    • Mark and analyse your answers.
    • Identify your strengths and weaknesses and focus your preparation accordingly.
    • Carefully read both the passages and the exam instructions.