In the spaces provided, add appropriate transitions to tie together the sentences and ideas in the following essay. Draw from the words given in the box below.

-Hooked on Buying
Every day, Americans head out in droves for our country's department stores, discount centers, and shopping malls. We all have to buy something we think we really need or we feel is an incredible bargain. In reality, though, we are just ready for another fix of our favorite drug: shopping. There are several reasons why we seem to have turned into a nation of consumer junkies.______________________ , Americans believe in competition, even when it comes
to acquiring possessions. We feel like losers if we don't own the cars, appliances, clothes,
and furniture our neighbors and friends own. _______________________ , the Browns'
four-year-old car will seem fine until the Smiths next door buy a brand-new model. Then
the competitive instinct to stay ahead in the game sends the Browns out scouting the new
car lots. The competitive urge tells us that people's success in life is measured by how much they own. So we admire those with the most material possessions, the ones who own three cars or enough shoes to fill a walk-in closet.
A _________________________ reason for our addiction to consumer goods is the
American belief that "new is better." It is possible to fix a broken toaster, mend torn
clothing, or make do with an outdated refrigerator. _____________________ we prefer to throw out the old and buy the new. _______________________, we have junkyards and dumps bursting with the still-usable items we no longer want. Instead of reusing or recycling, which would make more economic sense, we throw away.________________________, our buying habit is maintained and encouraged by
advertisers. We are bombarded by television and pop-up ads that carry seductive messages. ___________________ of these messages is that buying a particular product-a flat screen, a motorcycle, or a dishwasher-is all that is needed to make the purchaser happy. _____________________ message is that buying a certain product will make the user a better, more attractive person. Every shampoo, makeup, or cologne ad tries to convince us that a single item can transform us into the ideal self we fantasize about.
In this country, shopping satisfies our psychological needs. We are truly hooked
on the thrill that comes from passing cash or plastic over a store counter and receiving some new possession in return. ____________, this thrill is never lasting and only promotes the worst sides of our collective character. _____________ of submitting to consumerist impulses, Americans ought to focus their time, energy, and resources on initiatives that improve society, thus breaking this vicious cycle of buying and selling.

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