according to a new industry report. It will be the first time that card payments have outstripped cash for goods and services. There are 246 plastic card transactions made every second. Total plastic card use is expected to exceed ￡269 billion in 2004, just a whisker ahead of the predicted ￡268 billion for cash payments, said banking industry body-the Association for Payment Clearing Services.
The group, which represents the major banks, said credit cards had become “demonized” (魔鬼化) as one of the main causes of ballooning debts, but added: “Without plastic, our society would virtually come to a stop.”
Last year, the number of plastic cards in use in Britain grew by 13 million, or 9%, to 160 million — the equivalent of 3.5 cards per adult. Two-thirds of card transactions are now made using debit cards.
Plastic accounted for ￡244 billion of spending in 2003. “This year, total plastic card use, if business card usage is included, is expected to top ￡269 billion. In 2005 it is expected that personal plastic card usage alone will overtake cash payments,” said Apacs.
In terms of numbers of transactions, cash will remain much bigger than plastic for some time to come, it added. “Cash will always remain there for low-value payments.”
Meanwhile, 2003 was the year that e-commerce “came of age” in the UK. More than 18 million people bought goods or services online, up 50% on 2002. Credit cards accounted for 69% of the 200m transactions, with debit cards mopping up most of the remainder.
Last year was a landmark year for another reason—the first reduction in card fraud for eight years. Fraud losses on plastic cards fell by 5% to ￡402 million as measures to combat cheat started to take effect.
A new generation of cards containing computer chips is being introduced, and by the end of this year most people making face-to-face purchases will have to type their four-digit Pin number into keypads and will no longer have to sign receipts.
(Note: Answer the questions or complete the statements in NO MORE THAN TEN WORDS)
81. The phrase “a whisker ahead of” in paragraph one means ________________________________________. 82. Card fraud was reduced last year because _____________________________________________________. 83. According to the passage, what is the benefit brought about by credit cards?
__________________________________________________________________________________________. 84. What do people need to do now when they shop with their credit cards?
__________________________________________________________________________________________.
第II卷（共45分）
I． Translation
Directions: Translate the following sentences into English, using the words given in the brackets.
1.他碰巧以前做过类似的练习。（happen）
2. 市民的环保意识从来没像现在这么强。（Never）
3. 这个山区和外界隔绝是因为缺乏先进的交通运输手段。（isolate）
4. 对于那些乐于帮助他人摆脱困境的人，人们总是满怀感激之情。（grateful）
5. 你也老大不小了，究竟是追赶时尚还是穿出你自己的风格由你自己决定。（up to）
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