Question

Nowadays it is common that people are buying more products and services than ever before through the Internet, so do Americans. And experts say the popularity of online sales is likely to spread to other countries. Online sales now represent as much as 10% of all retail sales in the United States. This has led traditional stores to seek new ways to keep their customers loyal.

Taking Lynne for example, she made good use of the Internet. She used the Internet to buy everything she needed for her Wedding and holiday gifts for her husband and daughter. Other than food, 90% of her purchases were made on her home computer. “I find that, by being able to go online, choose the things that I need, and have them delivered to me right at my doorstep, I eliminate all the driving, all the crowds, all the noise of that, and I usually get a better selection.”

There are a lot of people like her. Experts say American online shopping hit records in both November and December.57% of Americans have bought something electronically. Store owners worry that this growing amount of online sales will hurt their business. Cornell University marketing professor Ed Melaughlin says they can keep their customers by selling goods like clothing, which buyers may want to see and try on before purchasing. The stores could also offer things that are difficult to ship. Besides, some stores can please customers by offering to repair electronic products.

Bill Martin is the founder of Shopper Trak. His business helps stores learn about their customers. He said, “There is still a lot of emotion in the buying decision, you know, that takes place. Often you need that last sense of “Boy, this is exactly what I want before you are ready to part with money, and you can't always get that online. It's a rather cold process.”

While e-commerce worries some business owners, the only worry for delivery services is keeping up with the number of packages. UPS manager Dana Kline says her company is very busy at this time of the year.

UPS is so busy that it has filled 55,000 temporary work positions during the holiday season.

1.The purpose of this passage is to tell us ________.

A. the challenge online owners are faced with

B. the challenge e－commerce causes to traditional sales

C. the difference between online sales and traditional sales

D. the trouble that customers often meet when purchasing online

2.The example of Lynne is mentioned in the passage to show________.

A. online sales will replace traditional sales sooner or later

B. traditional stores find new ways to keep their customers loyal

C. traditional stores can't offer enough food to their customers

D. online business has changed many Americans' life

3.The underlined word “eliminate” in Paragraph 2 can be replaced by “________”.

A. include B. avoid

C. increase D. discourage

Answer 1