《2026年水木金卷高考模拟试卷精编英语》

C
“If it ain’t broke， don’t fix it.” Coca-Cola learned this hard lesson in 1985 when they introduced “New Coke”， a decision that nearly alienated(疏远，使敌对) its loyal customer base.
During the 1970s， Pepsi gained market share despite Coca-Cola remaining the world’s best-selling soft drink. Pepsi’s success was partly due to the “Pepsi Challenge” campaign， where blind taste tests showed many consumers preferred Pepsi’s flavor. This led Coca-Cola executives to believe their soda’s taste， not Pepsi’s marketing， was responsible for the decline in market share. To counter this， they developed a new， sweeter formula that resembled Pepsi’s taste.
On April 23， 1985， Coca-Cola chairman Roberto Goizueta announced New Coke， discontinuing the company’s 99-year-old classic formula. However， the decision backfired spectacularly(引人注目地). Loyal Coca-Cola fans were boiling. The company received 5，000 angry phone calls a day， and protests broke out， with people pouring New Coke into sewer drains(下水道排水口). One consumer wrote， “I don’t think I’d be more upset if you were to burn the flag in our front yard.”
Coca-Cola executives were caught off guard by the public anger. Their decision had been backed by 190，000 blind taste tests， which indicated consumers preferred the new formula. However， they underestimated the emotional attachment people had to the original Coke. They never asked how consumers would feel if the new recipe completely replaced the old one.
Just 79 days later， Coca-Cola held another press conference to announce the return of the original formula， now rebranded as “Coca-Cola Classic”. Goizueta admitted， “Our boss is the consumer.” Coca-Cola Classic quickly outsold New Coke， and within a few months， it regained its position as the top-selling cola， surpassing Pepsi. Surprisingly， the company’s market position improved， as consumers reaffirmed their loyalty to the original Coca-Cola brand.
Reflecting on the incident， Goizueta acknowledged that no amount of consumer research could capture the emotional bond people had with the original Coca-Cola. “All the time and money and skill heavily poured into consumer research on the new Coca-Cola could not measure the deep emotional attachment to original Coca-Cola felt by so many people.” Some even speculated(猜测) that the disaster had been a deliberate marketing trick. Goizueta denied this， saying， “The truth is that we’re not that dumb(愚蠢的) and we’re not that smart.”
Ultimately， Coca-Cola learned that data and taste tests cannot always replace brand loyalty， especially with a product so tied to consumer identity. New Coke’s failure demonstrated the risks of trying to “fix” something that wasn’t broken in the first place.
46. What was the main reason for Coca-Cola introducing New Coke in 1985?
A. To respond to customer complaints about the original formula.
B. To compete with Pepsi after declining market share.
C. To create a healthier beverage option for consumers.
D. To celebrate the company’s 100th anniversary.
47. How did Coca-Cola consumers initially react to the introduction of New Coke?
A. They were indifferent and did not care about the change.
B. They welcomed the new formula and praised the company.
C. They were angry and expressed their anger through protests.
D. They preferred New Coke over the original one immediately.
48. What did Roberto Goizueta learn from the New Coke incident?
A. They shouldn’t have done so few flavor tests.
B. Products development doesn’t necessarily increase market share.
C. Brand loyalty cannot be measured through tests and data.
D. Marketing tricks are effective in regaining consumer trust.
49. What was the outcome of Coca-Cola’s return decision to the original formula?
A. Coca-Cola Classic quickly outsold New Coke and regained market leadership.
B. Financial losses increased as consumers rejected the original one.
C. The new Coke formula remained more popular than the Classic.
D. Pepsi became the top-selling cola brand permanently.
50. The author’s main focus in writing this passage is to .
A. highlight Coca-Cola’s recovery from the New Coke failure
B. criticize Coca-Cola’s decision-making process
C. discuss the emotional bond consumers have with brands
D. compare and contrast Coca-Cola’s and Pepsi’s market strategies

答案： 46.B 细节理解题。题干意为：可口可乐在1985年推出新可乐的主要原因是什么？根据第二段中“This led Coca-Cola executives to believe their soda’s taste，not Pepsi’s marketing，was responsible for the decline in market share. To counter this，they developed a new，sweeter formula that resembled Pepsi’s taste.”可知，可口可乐的高管们认为，市场份额下降的原因在于自家汽水的口味，他们因此研发出了一种与百事可乐的口味相似的配方。由此可知，可口可乐在1985年推出新可乐的主要原因是市场份额下降后与百事进行竞争。故选B。
47.C 细节理解题。题干意为：可口可乐的消费者最初对新可乐的推出如何反应？根据第三段中“The company received 5,000 angry phone calls a day，and protests broke out，with people pouring New Coke into sewer drains(下水道排水口).”可知，消费者最初的反应是愤怒并通过抗议来表达不满。故选C。
48.C 推理判断题。题干意为：Roberto Goizueta从新可乐事件中学到了什么？根据倒数第二段中“All the time and money and skill heavily poured into consumer research on the new Coca-Cola could not measure the deep emotional attachment to original Coca-Cola felt by so many people.’”可知，Goizueta表示，投入了大量时间、金钱和技术对新可口可乐进行消费者调查，但这些都无法衡量众多消费者对原版可口可乐的深厚情感依恋。由此可推知，Roberto Goizueta从这一事件中学到了品牌忠诚度不能通过测试和数据来衡量。故选C。
49.A 细节理解题。题干意为：可口可乐决定回归原始配方的结果是什么？根据第五段中“Coca-Cola Classic quickly outsold New Coke，and within a few months，it regained its position as the top-selling cola，surpassing Pepsi.”可知，恢复原始配方后，经典可口可乐的销量迅速超过了新可乐，并且在几个月内就重新夺回了最畅销可乐的地位，超过了百事可乐。由此可知，可口可乐恢复原始配方的结果是经典可口可乐的销量迅速超过新可乐，并重新获得了市场领先地位。故选A。
50.C 写作意图题。题干意为：作者写这篇文章的主要目的是 。通读全文，并根据最后一段中“Coca-Cola learned that data and taste tests cannot always replace brand loyalty”可知，本文主要讲述了可口可乐公司在1985年推出了新可乐，结果却遭到顾客的强烈反对，最终恢复了原始配方的事件，该公司从这次失败的事件中得到了一个教训：品牌忠诚度不能用测试和数据来衡量。由此可知，作者写这篇文章的主要目的是讨论消费者与品牌的情感纽带。故选C。