GRE写作素材Section Four: Mass Media_GRE写作

GRE写作素材Section Four: Mass Media

　　What kind of propaganda techniques do advertisers use? There are seven basic types:

　　1. Name Calling Name calling is a propaganda tactic in which negatively charged names are hurled against the opposing side or competitor. By using such names, propagandists try to arouse feelings of mistrust, fear, and hate in their audiences. For example, a political advertisement may label an opposing candidate a loser, fence-sitter, or warmonger. Depending on the advertisers target market, labels such as a friend of big business or a dues-paying member of the party in power can be the epithets that damage an opponent. Ads for products may also use name calling. An American label of foreignness will have unpleasant connotation in many peoples minds. A childhood rhyme claims that name can never hurt me, but name calling is an effective way to damage the opposition, whether it is another car maker or 2 congressional candidates.

　　2. Glittering Generalities using glittering generalities is the opposite of name calling. In this case, advertisers surround their products with attractiveand slipperywords and phrases. They use vague terms that are difficult to define and that may have different meanings to different people: freedom, democratic, all-American, progressive, Christian, and justice. Many such words have strong, affirmative overtones. This kind of languages stirs positive feelings in people, feelings that may spill over to the product or idea being pitched. As with name calling, the emotional response may overwhelm logic. Target audiences accept the product without thinking very much about what the glittering generalities meanor whether they even apply to the product. After all, how can anyone oppose truth, justice, and the American way?