① 203 Media operates in the niche of street interview ads, producing clips of real people reacting to a product or service that companies pay to insert into social media feeds. Founded in June of last year, this compelling but labor-intensive social-media ad format is growing in popularity. The company has successfully identified and capitalized on a market demand for authentic, unscripted content, positioning itself at the forefront of this advertising trend.
② Founder and CEO Josh Suggs is betting that demand for real, unscripted videos will increase as ads made with generative AI proliferate, and consumers grow weary of influencers’ typical paid-for posts. He emphasizes that the widening pool of media channels means advertisers must battle harder for consumer attention than ever before. “Your ads cannot look like ads anymore,” Suggs said. “Nobody wants scripted, inauthentic, staged commercials—people trust real opinions, real emotions.” This philosophy underpins the company’s entire operational approach.
③ Direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands looking to grow their consumer awareness have proven to be 203 Media’s best customers. Notable clients have included cereal company Magic Spoon, accessories brand Ridge Wallet, and soap-maker Dr. Squatch. These brands primarily use the videos produced by 203 Media as paid advertisements on platforms like TikTok and Meta Platforms’ Instagram. The company’s operational model involves clients sending various consumer products, which the team then uses for filming authentic street reactions to create the final ad content.
④ According to Suggs, 203 Media is profitable and hasn’t taken external investment. In a notable financial achievement, the company brought in revenue of $218,000 this August, a significant increase from $45,000 in August 2024. His plans for expansion are twofold: starting a live social shopping service for brands and setting up street interview teams in other cities to further scale the business and replicate its New York success.
⑤ This operational model is inherently demanding and requires a specific skillset. About half of the company’s 30-or-so hires work on the front-end, walking thousands of steps daily to gather raw footage. Suggs tapped New York City’s network of aspiring actors and comedians to find interviewers, noting that the role requires zero social anxiety and exceptional resilience, as not everyone persists in this high-rejection environment. Having initially fronted the ads himself for six months, Suggs has since built a team, allowing him to delegate most daily filming to staff and freelancers. The company’s focus remains on harnessing the power of genuine human reaction in an increasingly saturated and automated digital advertising landscape.
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1.1.What is the core business of 203 Media?
A Producing scripted commercials.
B Creating AI-generated advertisements.
C Filming genuine consumer reactions.
D Managing influencer campaigns.
解析：选C。1.C细节理解题。第一段明确指出203 Media专注于生产真实人物对产品或服务的反应视频片段（“producing clips of real people reacting to a product or service”）。选项C用“filming genuine consumer reactions”概括了这一核心业务，与原文意思一致。干扰项A和B与原文相反（原文强调“unscripted”和对抗AI广告），D则未提及。故选C。
2.2.What is Josh Suggs’ prediction about future advertising?
A AI ads will dominate the market.
B Real emotions will be more valued.
C Influencers will lose all credibility.
D Scripted commercials remain effective.
解析：选B。2.B观点态度题。第二段中Suggs认为，随着生成式AI广告增多，消费者对影响者帖子厌倦，真实未脚本视频的需求将增加（“demand for real, unscripted videos will increase”）。选项B用“real emotions will be more valued”准确反映了这一观点。干扰项A和D与Suggs的观点相反，C则过于绝对（原文只提到“weary”，并非完全失去可信度）。故选B。
3.3.Why does the author mention brands like Magic Spoon and Dr. Squatch?
A To showcase their social media success.
B To criticize traditional advertising.
C To emphasize their product quality.
D To illustrate 203 Media’s client types.
解析：选D。3.D例证题。第三段列举Magic Spoon等品牌作为203 Media的知名客户（“Notable clients have included...”），目的是说明公司的主要客户类型是直接面向消费者（DTC）品牌。选项D准确概括了这一例证作用，且表达与原文不同。干扰项A和C偏离重点（原文未讨论这些品牌自身的成功或质量），B在段落中未体现。故选D。
4.4.What can be inferred from the revenue figures in August?
A The company relies on external funding.
B Its revenue has increased substantially.
C It is struggling with profitability.
D Expansion plans are delayed.
解析：选B。4.B推理判断题。第四段提到203 Media今年8月收入为218,000美元，较去年8月的45,000美元显著增长（“a significant increase from $45,000 in August 2024”）。选项B推断出收入大幅增长，与原文逻辑一致。干扰项A和C与原文矛盾（原文明确公司盈利且无外部投资），D未从收入数据中推断出。故选B。
5.5.What is a crucial quality for 203 Media’s front-end staff?
A Professional filming skills.
B Extensive social connections.
C Strong mental endurance.
D A background in comedy.
解析：选C。5.C推理判断题。第五段指出，该角色需要“零社交焦虑和非凡的韧性”（“zero social anxiety and exceptional resilience”），以在“高拒绝环境”中坚持。选项B“Strong mental endurance”（强大的心理承受力）准确地概括了“exceptional resilience”这一核心品质。干扰项A（专业技能）和B（广泛社交）在文中未强调，D（喜剧背景）是招聘来源而非必需品质。故选C。
