Read the following passage and answer the questions set on it:
** is a systematic effort to influence people’ opinions, to win them over. ***** is not concerned with what is good or bad, true or false. Propagandists simply want people to believe the messages.
The word ‘**’ may seem relevant only in political arena. But this can be applied to advertising too. Every day we see slogans, commercials, trademarks, etc., in newspapers, magazines and on television. Advertisers depend on ** to sell ‘products’ like a brand of toothpaste, a candidate in elections or any viewpoint. Studies tell us that on an average, each of us is exposed to over five hundred different advertisements in a day.
Card stacking is one method of **. Here propagandists may tell half-truths, distort evidence or divert attention from one issue to another. Advertisers use ‘weasel words’. These are small words. They usually slip right past us. But it takes a lot of difference between reality and illusion. The best example is of shampoos – ‘Helps control Dandruff’. But audience interprets this as ‘stops’ dandruff.
Another method is Bandwagon. Here propagandists try to pressurize. Like, “Everyone’ doing it, why don’t you?” Often propagandists succeed because many people have a deep ***** not to be different. The political ads tell us to vote for the ‘winning candidate’. Advertisers know we always feel comfortable in doing what others do. All of us wish to be in the winning team and vote for the candidate.
** is so effective that we need to detect and understand how it is used. Some ** sends truthful and worthy messages – ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’, ‘Contribute to Charity’. Yet we must be aware that we are surrendering ourselves, our independence of thoughts and actions to others.
What is **?
Where is the word ‘**’ relevant?
What are the ideas sold in advertising called?
Mention one of the forms of ** as given in the passage.
How does one advertise in card stacking?
What do advertisers use in card stacking?
Name the type of ** that pressurizes the people.
Why do the propagandists succeed in bandwagon?
(Choose the right word)
Some ** sends (truth / truthful) message.
Add a suitable prefix to the word ‘comfortable’ to form its antonym, ……………….. (in, un, re)
