Text3

　　Shopping has always been something of an impulse activity, in which objects that catch our fancy while strolling are immediately bought on a whim. Advertisers and sellers have taken advantage of this fact, carefully positioning inexpensive but attractive items on paths that we are most likely to cross, hoping that our human nature will lead to a greater profit for them. With the dawn of the Internet and its exploding use across the world, the same tactics apply.

　　Advertisers now place “banners”, links to commercial web sites decorated with attractive pictures designed to catch our eyes while browsing the webs, on key web sites with heavy traffic. They pay top dollar for the right, thus creating profits for the hosting web site as well. These actions are performed in the hopes that during the course of our casual and leisurely web surfing, we'll click on that banner that sparks our interest and thus, in theory, buy the products advertised.

　　Initial results have been positive. Web sites report a huge inflow of cash, both from the advertisers who tempt customers in with the banners and the hosting web sites, which are paid for allowing the banners to be put in place. As trust and confidence in Internet buying increases and information security is heightened with new technology, the volume of buying is increasing, leading to even greater profits.

　　The current situation, however, is not quite as optimistic. Just as magazine readers tend to unconsciously ignore advertisements in their favorite periodicals, web browsers are beginning to allow banners to slip their notice as well. Internet users respond to the flood of banners by viewing them as annoyances, a negative image that is hurting sales, since users are now less reluctant to click on those banners, preferring not to support the system that puts them in place. If Internet advertising is to continue to be a viable and profitable business practice, new methods will need to be considered to reinvigorate the industry.

　　With the recent depression in the technology sector and slowing economy, even new practices may not do the trick. As consumers are saving more and frequenting traditional real estate businesses over their Internet counterparts, the fate of Internet business is called into question. The coming years will be the only reliable indication of whether shopping on the world wide web is the wave of the future or simply an impulse activity whose whim has passed. (404 words)

　　Notes: on a whim 心血潮。surf v. 沖浪。in theory在理論上，順理成章。hosting訪問率高的。call...into question質疑，對…提出疑問。

　　31. It can be learned from the first paragraph that Internet advertising

　　[A] has taken the place of more traditional methods of advertising.

　　[B] is one of the most effective ways to make profits on the web.

　　[C] is paralleling advertising methods in traditional business settings.

　　[D] seeks to tempt customers through impulse shopping methods.

　　32. The second and third paragraphs are written in order to illustrate

　　[A] the policy Internet advertisers design to lure clientele and its outcome.

　　[B] the process and mixed consequences of Internet advertising and shopping.

　　[C] the biggest splash Internet advertisers have recently made in sales promotions.

　　[D] the banners Internet advertisers take advantage of to arouse customers'interest.

　　33. Analyzing the current state of the online advertising in paragraph 4, the author implies that

　　[A] it has to be modified over time to remain effective.

　　[B] for all its current profits, it will fade in the long run.

　　[C] banners are beginning to lose their advertising efficiency.

　　[D] Internet advertising methods will continue to decrease sales.

　　34.The expression “do the trick” in the last paragraph most probably means

　　[A] come to the point.

　　[B] fulfill their purpose.

　　[C] fail of their success.

　　[D] live up to their promise.

　　35. The author's attitude toward online advertising can be summarized as

　　[A] reserved consent but discontent.

　　[B] objective analysis void of opinions.

　　[C] enthusiastic support but slight contempt.

　　[D] approval so far but uncertainty in the future.

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