Cloze passage (Questions 16–20)
Gen Z's emergence as a dominant consumer base has increasingly aimed to reshape retail industries and enhance ethical consumption. During the early 2020s, this demographic allocated significant purchasing power to sustainable brands, (16). From 2022 to early 2026, they also championed secondhand marketplaces and boycotted unethical supply chains. These behavioral shifts have facilitated more transparent business practices and fostered eco-conscious retail environments. More ethical production can minimize carbon footprints, lower environmental degradation, and make sustainable products highly appealing, (17).
Yet, consumer pressure alone cannot guarantee a truly sustainable global economy. Retail corporations also need to ensure material traceability, strengthen supply chain auditing, and support fair labor practices. Recent retail strategies have therefore prioritized eco-friendly packaging, circular economy models, and corporate transparency, (18). In this context, sustainable marketing is not merely a public relations tool. It can elevate brand loyalty and broaden market share, but some corporate executives remain hesitant about adopting entirely green manufacturing processes. (19). There is evidence that this reluctance may stem partly from a lack of immediate financial returns and partly from anxieties regarding higher production costs. Even so, ethical business practices are likely to remain indispensable, (20)______. This is especially true in sectors striving to capture young consumer loyalty through authentic environmental solutions.
(Adapted from reports on Gen Z consumer behavior, 2024–2026)
Yet, consumer pressure alone cannot guarantee a truly sustainable global economy. Retail corporations also need to ensure material traceability, strengthen supply chain auditing, and support fair labor practices. Recent retail strategies have therefore prioritized eco-friendly packaging, circular economy models, and corporate transparency, (18). In this context, sustainable marketing is not merely a public relations tool. It can elevate brand loyalty and broaden market share, but some corporate executives remain hesitant about adopting entirely green manufacturing processes. (19). There is evidence that this reluctance may stem partly from a lack of immediate financial returns and partly from anxieties regarding higher production costs. Even so, ethical business practices are likely to remain indispensable, (20)______. This is especially true in sectors striving to capture young consumer loyalty through authentic environmental solutions.
(Adapted from reports on Gen Z consumer behavior, 2024–2026)
(16)
(16)
Chọn một phương án bên dưới để kiểm tra đáp án ngay:
Đáp án chính thức: B
Hướng dẫn giải chi tiết
Official answer key (page 7, ĐÁP ÁN THAM KHẢO): Question 16 = B. AI explanation: The blank follows 'this demographic allocated significant purchasing power to sustainable brands,' so the missing clause must describe a concrete, measurable buying behavior. Option B ('a measurable purchasing movement that has strengthened sustainable branding while exposing unresolved weaknesses in global retail structures') fits best: it refers directly to purchasing power and sets up the following sentences, which contrast the positive behavioral shifts with the fact that 'consumer pressure alone cannot guarantee a truly sustainable global economy' and that retail structures still have weaknesses (supply chain auditing, fair labor practices). Options A, C and D do not match as closely: A speaks of 'market adjustment' and scrutiny of long-term responsibility, C of a 'consumer transition' leaving production systems under pressure, and D claims 'clear environmental benefits,' which the passage does not yet establish at this point.