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Practice Reading: Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown) ID: #50870 Estee Lauder
Instructions ›
Below is a text with blanks. Click on each blank, a list of choices will appear. Select the appropriate choice for each blank.
She  transformed  beauty  into  big  business  by  cultivating  classy  sales  methods  and  giving  away  samples.  Leonard  Lauder,  chief  executive  of  the  company  his  mother  founded,  says  she  always  thought  she  'was  growing  a  nice  little  business.'  And  that  it  is.  A  little  business  that    45%  of  the  cosmetics  market  in  U.S.  department  stores.  A  little  business  that  sells  in  118  countries  and  last  year  grew  to  be  $3.6  billion  big  in  sales.  The  Lauder  family's  shares  are  worth  more  than  $6  billion.  But  early  on,  there  wasn't  a  burgeoning  business;  there  weren't  houses  in  New  York,  Palm  Beach,  or  the  south  of  France.  It  is  said  that  at  one  point  there  was  one  person  to  answer  the  telephones  who    her  voice  to  become  the  shipping  or  billing  department  as  needed.  You  more  or  less  know  the  Estee  Lauder  story  because  it'  s  a  chapter  from  the  book  of  American  business  folklore.  In  short,  Josephine  Esther  Mentzer,  daughter  of  immigrants,  lived  above  her  father's  hardware  store  in  Corona,  a  section  of  Queens  in  New  York  City.  She  started  her    by  selling  skin  creams  concocted  by  her  uncle,  a  chemist,  in  beauty  shops,  beach  clubs  and  resorts.  No  doubt  the  potions  were  good  -  Estee  Lauder  was  a  quality  fanatic  -  but  the  sales  lady  was  better.  Much  better.  And  she  simply  outworked  everyone  else  in  the  cosmetics  industry.  She    the  bosses  of  New  York  City  department  stores  until  she  got  some  counter  space  at  Saks  Fifth  Avenue  in  1948.  And  once  in  that  space,  she  utilized  a  personal  selling  approach  that  proved  as    as  the  promise  of  her  skin  regimens  and  perfumes  .

Result:

AI explanationShows the answer. Tap to open.
Correct answer: controls

Explanation: The word 'controls' fits grammatically as it indicates possession and authority over the 45% of the cosmetics market, aligning with the subject 'a little business' which is singular. It also conveys the idea of having a significant influence in the market.

Meaning: 'Controls' means to have power over something, in this case, the market share in cosmetics.

Wrong options:

  • has: 'Has' implies possession but lacks the nuance of authority or influence that 'controls' conveys in this context.
  • makes: 'Makes' suggests creation or production, which does not accurately reflect the relationship with the market share.
  • maintains: 'Maintains' implies keeping something in a certain state, which does not fit the context of market dominance.
Correct answer: changed

Explanation: The word 'changed' fits grammatically as it indicates a transformation of the voice, which is necessary for the person to adapt to different roles in the company. It aligns with the context of versatility in a small business.

Meaning: 'Changed' means to make something different, in this case, altering her voice to fit various departmental needs.

Wrong options:

  • switched: 'Switched' implies a change but is less formal and does not convey the same depth of transformation as 'changed.'
  • raised: 'Raised' typically refers to increasing something, which does not apply to altering a voice.
  • used: 'Used' suggests employing something but does not indicate any transformation, making it contextually inappropriate.
Correct answer: enterprise

Explanation: The word 'enterprise' fits grammatically as it refers to a business venture, which is appropriate in the context of starting a new business. It conveys a sense of initiative and ambition.

Meaning: 'Enterprise' means a project or venture, especially one that involves risk or effort, which aligns with starting a business.

Wrong options:

  • job: 'Job' refers to a specific position of employment and does not capture the entrepreneurial spirit of starting a business.
  • institute: 'Institute' refers to an organization or establishment, which does not fit the context of an individual starting a business.
  • companion: 'Companion' refers to a partner or friend, which is unrelated to the concept of starting a business.
Correct answer: stalked

Explanation: The word 'stalked' fits grammatically as it conveys a sense of persistence and determination in pursuing the bosses. It aligns with the context of her aggressive sales tactics.

Meaning: 'Stalked' means to pursue someone stealthily or persistently, indicating her relentless approach to securing sales space.

Wrong options:

  • stated: 'Stated' implies making a declaration, which does not fit the context of pursuing someone.
  • bridged: 'Bridged' suggests creating a connection, which is not relevant to the act of pursuing sales opportunities.
  • heaved: 'Heaved' typically refers to lifting something heavy, which does not apply to the context of pursuing business opportunities.
Correct answer: potent

Explanation: The word 'potent' fits grammatically as it describes the effectiveness of her selling approach, aligning with the context of strong results in sales. It conveys a sense of power and effectiveness.

Meaning: 'Potent' means having great power, influence, or effect, which is appropriate in describing her selling strategy.

Wrong options:

  • ruthless: 'Ruthless' implies a lack of compassion, which does not accurately describe the effectiveness of her approach in a positive light.
  • potential: 'Potential' refers to the capacity to develop into something in the future, which does not fit the context of describing an already effective approach.
  • expensive: 'Expensive' refers to high cost, which is unrelated to the effectiveness or strength of her selling method.

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