# PTE Reading MCS #4: Historical Retail Innovations

Reading: Multiple Choice, Single Answer #4 - Level 1 - Feeds Reading

> Read the text and answer the question by choosing one option. Only one answer is correct.

Many of today's most trusted sales techniques were invented over a century ago by a young merchant named Eaton in Toronto. When he was young, Eaton worked briefly with his brothers in small-town stores. In 1869, he set up his own shop in downtown Toronto. He had many competitors, but he was also ambitious and had a plan for success. He offered a unique style of trade, but as was expected, all the other shopkeepers laughed at him, believing he would eventually fail. However, Eaton was not a man to be easily defeated; he came up with a brand new notion of business - 'Goods satisfactory, or money refunded.' He sold all his goods at fixed prices and only for cash

The best description of Eaton is that, _____

- he was the richest merchant in Toronto
- he was a successful technical inventor
- he introduced new sales practices
- he changed people's ideas about businessmen

## Answer

he introduced new sales practices

## Explanation

The passage highlights how the merchant introduced a brand new notion of business, which directly corresponds to the implementation of novel sales methods.

What to watch: The answer rests on "a brand new notion of business" and his fixed prices and refund promise. These are sales practices. "Invented" refers to sales techniques, so "technical inventor" twists the word. Nothing says he was the richest or changed views of businessmen.

## Hints

- Focus on the final sentence of the passage where the merchant's specific business approach is described.
- Look for synonyms of 'sales practices' within the text to identify the correct choice.

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