Here’s something you may have observed about human behavior. We are all creatures of habit. One habit that humans __1__ is choosing the middle option. Numerous studies have shown that people naturally gravitate to the center and have a preference for what’s in that middle space. This has been proven to be accurate in numerous different __2__. It’s true for almost anything, from which number in a list people choose to the multiple-choiceanswer students select, and even to which bathroom stallpeople enter when the need __3__. There’s even a catchy name for it: the center stage effect.
option [ ˈɑpʃən ] n. 選擇 gravitate [ ˈgrævəˌtet ] vi. 被吸引 gravitate to / towards... 被⋯⋯吸引 accurate [ ˈækjərɪt ] a. 正確的，準確的 catchy [ ˈkætʃɪ ] a. 悅耳易記的 center stage 舞臺中心；焦點，令人矚目的位置 take center stage 成為焦點
Experiments by Paul Rodway, a psychologicalresearcher at the University of Chester in the United Kingdom, have __4__ this phenomenon. In his study, people were shown pictures that were __5__ up in a row and asked to select which one they preferred. Their biasin favor of the ones in the middle was clear.
phenomenon [ fəˈnɑməˌnɑn ] n. 現象（單數形） phenomena [ fəˈnɑmənə ] n. 現象（複數形）
Obviously, the center stage effect has __6__ for retailers. They exploit it by displaying goods that they wish to promote more __7__ in the center. Equally important for businesses, though, the tendency for shoppers to choose items right in the center of things also __8__ to sizes and prices. That is, if customers have a choice among prices or sizes—for instance, small, medium, and large—they will more often than not choose the medium. This is something that many coffee chain shops know well. Customers __9__ want the best value for the cost, so they tend to avoid the smallest size. Customers normally also __10__ the largest size, believing that they would be spending too much for their cup of java. Thus, by understanding human nature, shops and companies can more easily manipulate consumer behavior.
