They like using the Internet. They have lots of pocket money to spend. And they

They like using the Internet. They have lots of pocketmoney to spend. And they spend a higher proportion of it online than the restof us. Teenagers are just the sort of people an online seller is interested in,and the things they want to buy----games, CDs and clothing----are easily soldon the Web.

But paying online is a tricky business for consumerswho are too young to own credit(信用) cards.Most have to use a parent’s card. They want a facility that allows them tospend money.

That may come sooner than they think: new ways to takepocket money into cyber (网络的) space are coming out rapidly on bothsides of the Atlantic. If successful, these products can stimulate(刺激) online sales.

In general, teenagers spend huge amounts: $153bn(billion) in the US last year and ￡20bn annuallyin the UK. Most teenagers have access to the Internet at home or at school－88 percent in the US, 69 percent in the UK. Accordingto the Jupiter Research, one in eight of those with Internet access has boughtsomething online－mainly CDs and books.

In most cases, parents pay for these purchases withcredit cards, an arrangement that is often unsatisfactory for them and theirchildren. Pressing parents to spend online is less productive than pressing onthe high street. They are more likely to ask “Why?” if you ask to spend somemoney online.

One way to help teenagers change notes and coins intocybercash is through prepaid cards such as InternetCash in the US and Smartcards in the UK. Similar to those for pay-as-you-go mobile telephones, they aresold in amounts such as￡20 or $50 with a hidden 14-digit numberthat can be used to load the cash into an online account.

1.What does the word “They” in paragraph 1 refer to?

A．Sellers.           B．Buyers.           C．Teenagers.         D．Parents.

2.According to the passage, which of the followingstatements is TRUE?

A．More thanhalf of the teenagers in the US and the UK have Internet access.

B．Teenagers payfor goods online with their own credit cards.

C．Mostteenagers in the US and the UK have bought something online.

D．Teenagersfound it easier to persuade parents to buy online than in a shop.

3.A new way to help teenagers shop online is to use______.

A．a new machine     B．prepaid cards      C．special coinsand notes    D．pay-as-you-gomobile phones

4.What is the passage mainly about?

A．Onlineshopping traps.                   B．Internetusers in the US and the UK.

C．New creditcards for parents.              D．The arrivalof cyber pocket money.

试题答案

【答案】

1.C

2.A

3.B

4.D

【解析】

试题