Listening
Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- decorate / ˈdɛk əˌreɪt / (v.) – to make something look better or more attractive by adding something to it
Example:She decorates rooms by putting up colorful stickers on the walls.
- collectively / kəˈlɛk tɪv li / (adv.) – in a way that is done together as a group
Example:The team collectively agreed to work extra hours to finish the important project on time.
- up to date / ˈʌp tə ˈdeɪt / (adj.) – having the latest information
Example:He follows science news to stay up to date on health research.
- price point / praɪs pɔɪnt / (n.) – the price a company chooses to sell a product for, usually from a range of possible prices
Example:When she shops, she always buys the brand with the lower price point to save money.
- duplication / ˌdu plɪˈkeɪ ʃən / (n.) – a copy of something
Example:They found high-quality duplications of expensive bags at the market for a low price.
Article
Read the text below.
Inside a bakery at a New Jersey Walmart, Melissa Fernandez assembles and decorates cakes. “The Cupcake Bouquets are number one right now. It’s the biggest seller,” said Fernandez. “So it’s twelve cupcakes set up to look like a flower bouquet.”
Across the country, cake decorators at the nation’s largest retailer collectively decorated more than a million cakes during the May and June graduation season.
Fernandez promotes her skills on social media. A TikTok of her making the cupcake bouquet has almost half a million views. Fernandez said, “Well, TikTok helps me to stay up to date. A lot of trends that I see on there, within that week or within that month, customers will come asking about it.”
The 6,200 Walmart cake decorators in the U.S. are the highest-paid non-managerial hourly workers in a typical Walmart store. There’s no sugar-coating the importance Walmart places on this part of its business, which drives sales, excitement and repeat customers.
“That’s one of the most important things, and that’s price point. Walmart has the best price point out of everybody else in the business,” said Michael DeMarco, Walmart coach at the North Bergen store.
The company says its custom cake business is currently increasing at double-digit percentages year to date.
“What we are seeing is the consumer entering into an era of “dups”—duplications—less expensive versions of the original,” said Marshal Cohen, Circana Chief Retail Advisor. “Walmart offering up decorated cakes that would normally cost hundreds of dollars, offering them up for a fraction of the price. And in many cases, they may be almost as good, or in the consumer’s mind, just as good as the original upper-end product.”
This article was provided by The Associated Press.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
- Social media trends, especially on TikTok, influence what customers want, even in cake decorations. How much do you think social media trends affect what you buy? Do you usually like following the latest trends, or do you prefer choosing things based on your own taste? Why? Discuss.
- Some businesses try to follow every trend, while others keep their traditional styles. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of always following trends for small businesses and consumers? In your opinion, should businesses follow trends or stay with their original style? Why? Discuss.
Discussion B
- Cake orders in the U.S. rise during graduation season, showing how important this moment is for many families. How do people in your country usually celebrate graduation or other school achievements? Do people in your country usually make graduation a big event, or keep it more private? What kind of clothes, food, or activities are common? Discuss.
- Do you think graduation should always be a big celebration, or is it okay to keep it small? In your opinion, what makes a graduation truly special? Discuss.
