B Consumers everywhere are faced with the same dilemma : given limited resources , what sorts of purchases are most likely to produce lasting happiness and satisfaction? Recent research has confirmed that experiential purchases tend to produce greater hedonic ( 享乐的 )gains than material purchases. The reason why experiences improve with time may be because it is possible to think about experiences in a more abstract manner than possessions.For example , if you think back to a fantastic summer from your youth , you might easily remember an abstract sense of warm sunshine and youthful exuberance( 生气勃勃 ) , but you ’ re less likely to remember exactly what you did day ­ by ­ day. Material possessions are harder to think about in an abstract sense.The car you bought is still a car , that great new jacket you picked up cheap is still just a jacket.It ’ s more likely the experience of that summer has taken on a symbolic meaning that can live longer in your memory than a possession. Purchasing may have a negative impact on happiness because consumers often buy “ joyless ” material possessions , resulting in comfort but not pleasure.In general , people adapt to experiences more slowly than to material purchase.This can be seen in both negative and positive purchases : hedonic adaptation would result in a positive experience causing more happiness but a negative experience causing less happiness than the comparable material purchase with the same initial happiness level. Experience , however , seems to be more resistant to these sorts of unfavourable comparisons. It is because of the unique nature of experience. It ’ s more difficult to make an unfavourable comparison when there is nothing directly comparable.After all , each of our youthful summers is different. It ’ s well established that social comparisons can have a huge effect on how we view what might seem like positive s.One striking example is the finding that people prefer to earn $50 , 000 a year while everyone else earns $25 , 000 , instead of earning $100 , 000 themselves and having other people earn $200 , 000. A similar effect is seen for possessions.When there are so many flat ­ screen HD TVs to choose from , it ’ s easy to make unfavourable comparisons between our choice and the others available. 1 . An abstract sense in the passage refers to awareness of something ________ . A . you cannot think about B . you can ’ t remember well C . you cannot understand D . you cannot see or touch 2 . If you make an experiential purchase before a material purchase , you may go to________ . A . a theatre before going to a store B . an exhibition before going to a park C . a mall before going to a grocer's D . a market before going to a restaurant 3 . The example of earnings is given to actually indicate________ . A . how ridiculous people are B . how people feel content C . how nearsighted people are D . how people hold prejudice 4 . It is implied in the passage that , after their material purchases , people might________ . A . enjoy their ownership of what they have bought B . pick every fault in the products they have got C . regret a wrong decision to buy the items D . leave what they ’ ve purchased untouched at home