# Case study: Chocozine’s difficult decision - 科目：雅思听力真题（Part 4） - 考频：中频 - 最近考试：2019.12.15Asia - 题目数：10 - 来源页：https://www.yaquan.site/paper/e9103acd-559d-48d1-bb09-7bd5e89d8a30（在线机考练习与音频请访问该页面） - 数据更新：2026-10-29 ## 题目原文 00:00:00,780 Now turn to section four on page seven. 00:00:08,520 Four. You will hear part of a lecture in a business class. 00:00:14,220 The professor is discussing a case study of a company in North America called Chocolazine. First, you have some time to look at questions thirty-one to forty on page seven. 00:01:17,100 Now listen carefully and answer questions thirty-one to forty. 00:01:24,760 We've been talking about small businesses and some of the challenges they face. Today, I wanna look at a case study based on a company called Chocolazine that illustrates the need to evaluate opportunities very carefully. A man called Eric Smith and two of his colleagues were struck by the mass customization movement that was spreading through a large number of industries in the US. This involved mass producing products and at the same time, individually customizing them for their customers. 00:01:57,040 Why not apply the same concept to chocolate? Customers could choose the ingredients they'd like to have put into their chocolate bars. So Smith and his colleagues decided to launch a customized chocolate operation called Chocolazine. 00:02:11,700 Then, when Chocolazine was only about nine months old, Smith received an email from a large European luxury retailer. This retailer was inquiring about ordering fifteen thousand bars of chocolate for their customers. They wanted to give these as a gift in their high-end stores in New York City, Miami, and Los Angeles during the holiday shopping season. 00:02:35,300 The offer certainly sounded enticing because Chocolazine was selling fewer than a hundred and fifty chocolate bars a day. 00:02:42,580 Smith and his co-founders knew it could also be very good publicity, so they needed to consider it carefully. 00:02:50,100 They had many things to consider. Obviously, it was a tempting offer, but at the same time, the risk was great. They didn't know whether they could get the order completed in time. Also, if they accepted it, and then it turned out they couldn't do it, what about the financial fallout, as well as the possible damage to the company's reputation? As well as this, another thing they had to think about was how they were actually going to produce all these chocolate bars, as the number of machines they had was limited. They only had three of them, and that clearly wasn't going to be enough. 00:03:31,500 So they decided to think creatively and try to find a subcontractor to produce the bars. 00:03:37,760 They weren't ready to pass up such a rare opportunity. 00:03:41,340 Smith spent two days searching for a suitable subcontractor, but he couldn't find anyone who had experience of making bars with the type of melted toppings that Chocolazine used. 00:03:52,380 Then something rather unexpected happened. A professor at Harvard Business School was teaching a class about product customization, so she wrote to Smith and asked if he would speak to the students. 00:04:04,680 So in late October, Smith had an opportunity to talk about the deal to about ninety MBA students and to ask them for their advice. Many of the students thought that doing the deal with the luxury retailer would be a mistake. However, after the class, Smith spoke with one of the students. This student had worked as a buyer at a major chocolate retailer, and he said he had a contact in the business who might be interested in doing the job. 00:04:33,140 Smith called the new subcontractor the next day. He said he was interested in doing the order, but he found there were difficult technical issues to be worked out, including how to faithfully reproduce the distinctive shape of the Chocolazine bars. 00:04:47,560 Smith thought about it, and in the end, reluctantly, he sent an email declining the luxury retailer's order. But fortunately for Chocolazine, their sales picked up anyway, and the company gradually expanded its market share and is now doing very well. 00:05:04,500 Chocolazine's case is important. They were wise to carefully consider whether they could actually manage an order of this kind. But not every small business will have the happy ending that Chocolazine did, and taking on too big an order has destroyed many a small business. 00:05:23,860 That is the end of section four. You now have half a minute to check your answers. ## 题目与答案 ### 31. Background ·Smith and his colleagues noticed the spread of mass-customisation in many US 31_____. ·They decided to apply the idea to chocolate, and allow clients to decide which ingredients they wanted. ·They called their company’s ‘Chocozine’. Background ·Smith and his colleagues noticed the spread of mass-customisation in many US 31_____. ·They decided to apply the idea to chocolate, and allow clients to decide which ingredients they wanted. ·They called their company’s ‘Chocozine’. **答案**：industries 原文定位：A man called Eric Smith and two of his colleagues were struck by the mass customization movement that was spreading through a large number of industries in the US 同义替换：「noticed」↔「struck by」；「spread of mass-customisation」↔「mass customization movement that was spreading」；「many」↔「a large number of」 ### 32. The email order ·A European retailer wanted 15,000 chocolate bars to use as a 32_____ for customers. The email order ·A European retailer wanted 15,000 chocolate bars to use as a 32_____ for customers. **答案**：gift 原文定位：This retailer was inquiring about ordering fifteen thousand bars of chocolate for their customers. They wanted to give these as a gift in their high-end stores ### 33. ·The deal could improve their sales and provide 33_____ . ·The deal could improve their sales and provide 33_____ . **答案**：publicity 原文定位：Smith and his co-founders knew it could also be very good publicity, so they needed to consider it carefully 同义替换：「provide」↔「could also be very good」 ### 34. But there were risks · They might not have sufficient time for the job. ·If they failed, it could affect their finances and their 34_____ . But there were risks · They might not have sufficient time for the job. ·If they failed, it could affect their finances and their 34_____ . **答案**：reputation 原文定位：Also, if they accepted it, and then it turned out they couldn't do it, what about the financial fallout, as well as the possible damage to the company's reputation 同义替换：「failed」↔「couldn't do it」；「affect」↔「damage」 ### 35. · They only had three 35_____, which was not enough. · They only had three 35_____, which was not enough. **答案**：machines 原文定位：They only had three of them, and that clearly wasn't going to be enough ### 36. They attempt to subcontract ·At first they couldn’t find a subcontract with the right 36_____ . They attempt to subcontract ·At first they couldn’t find a subcontract with the right 36_____ . **答案**：experience 原文定位：Smith spent two days searching for a suitable subcontractor, but he couldn't find anyone who had experience of making bars with the type of melted toppings that Chocolazine used 同义替换：「right」↔「suitable」 ### 37. ·A Harvard professor invited Smith to speak to students. ·Many students said it would be a 37_____ to do the deal. ·A Harvard professor invited Smith to speak to students. ·Many students said it would be a 37_____ to do the deal. **答案**：mistake 原文定位：Many of the students thought that doing the deal with the luxury retailer would be a mistake 同义替换：「said」↔「thought」 ### 38. ·One student had a 38_____ in the chocolate industry. ·One student had a 38_____ in the chocolate industry. **答案**：contact 原文定位：However, after the class, Smith spoke with one of the students. This student had worked as a buyer at a major chocolate retailer, and he said he had a contact in the business who might be interested in doing the job 同义替换：「industry」↔「business」 ### 39. ·But this subcontract had trouble with the unusual 39_____ of the chocolate bar. ·Chocozine finally declined the order, but their sales improved anyway. ·But this subcontract had trouble with the unusual 39_____ of the chocolate bar. ·Chocozine finally declined the order, but their sales improved anyway. **答案**：shape 原文定位：He said he was interested in doing the order, but he found there were difficult technical issues to be worked out, including how to faithfully reproduce the distinctive shape of the Chocolazine bars 同义替换：「trouble with」↔「difficult technical issues」；「unusual」↔「distinctive」 ### 40. Comment ·Accepting 40_____ orders has created severe problems for many new businesses. Comment ·Accepting 40_____ orders has created severe problems for many new businesses. **答案**：big 原文定位：taking on too big an order has destroyed many a small business 同义替换：「Accepting」↔「taking on」；「created severe problems」↔「destroyed many a small business」 --- 以上内容由鸭圈雅思真题库（www.yaquan.site）提供，收录近期雅思考试真题回忆，支持在线机考模式免费练习。