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　　熟悉四六級閱讀理解題型的同學應該都了解，英語四六級考試閱讀理解材料大多選自《時代》《衛報》《科學美國人》等外刊。要想閱讀理解這部分拿到高分，必須在平常多閱讀，掌握新詞匯，鍛煉閱讀速度。

　　【今日閱讀推薦】本篇閱讀材料“假期消費：免郵費對網上購物者有多大影響力？”選自《時代》（原文標題：Holiday Spending: Just How Important Is Free Shipping to Online Shoppers? ），如果大家覺得比較簡單，就當作泛讀材料了解了解，認識幾個新單詞或新表達方式也不錯。如果大家覺得這些材料理解上有難度，不妨當做挑戰自己的拔高訓練，希望大家都有進步^^

　　Increasingly, online shoppers won’t complete their orders unless free shipping is part of the deal. Nearly two-thirds of online purchases last week were shipped for free.

　　In November of last year, a New York Times story noted that 41% of online purchases came with free shipping—an impressive figure at the time, considering that free shipping was once a novelty, a rare unexpected bonus.

　　Since then, retailers such as L.L. Bean and Nordstrom have begun offering free shipping on all orders, no promotional code or minimum purchase required, while stores such as Best Buy and Walmart are shipping most or all items for free during the holiday season.

　　promotional adj. 推銷的，推銷廣告或宣傳的

　　Even before Halloween was here in 2011, it was clear that free shipping would be a huge trend for the winter shopping season. In a National Retail Federation survey published over a month ago, more than 9 out of 10 retailers said they’d offer free shipping at some point during the holiday season. E-merchants are well aware that free shipping is in their best interests—because without it, consumers are less likely to buy, and with it, consumers are not only more likely to buy, but to buy in bigger ways. According to NRF data:

　　More shoppers this year are also interested in shopping online as a direct result of free shipping offers – 36.3 percent will spend more online this year if shipping comes free.

　　Now, after an epic $52 billion shopping spree over Black Friday weekend, some of the effects of free shipping can be seen.

　　epic n. 1. [C,U] 史詩，敘事詩 2. [C] 壯舉，驚人之舉 adj. 1. 史詩的，敘事詩的 2. 漫長而艱難的 3. 壯麗的，給人深刻印象的

　　spree n. 狂歡；無節制的狂熱行為；歡鬧 vi. 狂歡；狂飲

　　Market research firm ComScore has announced that during Cyber Week (week ending December 2), online purchases totaled $6 billion; a highest-ever $1.25 billion was spent online on Cyber Monday alone. This is particularly remarkable because the online spend-a-thon took place right on the heels of a dramatic rise in spending in physical stores over Black Friday weekend.

　　What role did free shipping play in enticing shoppers to spend (and spend and spend) last week? Well, over the last two weeks, over 63% of all online purchases were accompanied by free shipping—that’s up roughly 10 percentage points over the same period one year ago. In the ComScore survey, 78% of consumers said that free shipping was either “very important” or “somewhat important” when it comes to decision time to make an online purchase.

　　entice v. 慫恿；誘使

　　accompany vt. 陪伴，伴隨；伴奏 vi. 伴奏，伴唱

　　Increasingly, if shipping costs extra, the online purchase just doesn’t happen. In a previous ComScore survey, nearly half of consumers (47%) said they’d abandon an online purchase if they discovered at checkout that shipping wasn’t included for free.

　　You can’t have a discussion about the free-shipping trend during the holiday season without mentioning Free Shipping Day, which has quickly become a tradition: This year, over 1,400 retailers will offer free shipping for orders placed on December 16.

　　Ironically, the trend toward more and more free shipping sorta makes Free Shipping Day unnecessary and obsolete: If shipping is available for free almost every day anyway, there’s really no need for a special day for getting free shipping.

　　Last year, FreeShipping Day founder Luke Knowles said in a Q&A that about 60% of participating retailers were offering free shipping with no minimum purchase requirements whatsoever. This year, consumers can expect not only that the number of participating retailers will rise, but that the percentage of retailers with no-minimum-purchase requirements will as well.

　　no-minimum-purchase 無最低消費限額

　　Question time:

　　1. What would be a huge trend for the winter shopping season?

　　2. Does the author think there should be a special day for getting free shipping?

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　　【答案】

　　1. Free shipping would be a huge trend for the winter shopping season.

　　2. NO, because If shipping is available for free almost every day anyway, there’s really no need for a special day for getting free shipping.

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