Directions:

Read the texts from a magazine section called "Letters" in which five people wrote about on- line shopping. For questions 36- 40, match the name of each person to one of the statements ( A-G) given below. Mark your answers on your ANSWER SHEET.

Jennifer:

In your article about online shopping being the newest and easiest way to shop, you said that computers will replace shopping malls sooner or. later because they make buying things faster and ,cheaper. But don't you think that the entire point of shopping is to spend leisure time with friends while doing something necessary. Shopping is not just a quick task. It is, in fact, an entire way of life.

Paul:

I am a great collector of all manner of hard-to-find items such as out-of-print books and antiques. Purchasing in physical stores would mean round-the-world travel and years of effort. I can get the same result in a few hours on eBay, and often at bargain prices. I am quite well-off, but buy very few consumer items available in regular shops. I have many friends and acquaintances with the same approach.

Mike:

My wife buys online often. I have not heard complaints or dissatisfaction. She can compare with different online vendors' prices after she has decided what she wants. It's delivered to the door, a big time savings and gas savings. If I need something, I check online fist and see what it costs and then decide where to buy, local stores or online. Online has the advantage most of the time.

Henry:

Virtually all online stores make you register. But, I don't need another username and password to remember. I will only buy online if I cannot find something locally. Even though shipping is fast, I'd rather drive across town and pay more to be able to bring home a new gadget the same day. And, most of the time, there is no difference in price between local stores and online stores.

Jeff:

If you think the prices are the same online as they ate locally, you're dealing with the wrong online retailers. I'm an online shopping veteran and I always save quite a bit on my large-dollar purchases. With a little research experience, I've easily saved thousands of dollars over the last several years. Besides, shipping on most items is reasonable and you don't even pay taxes 99.9% of the time.

Now match the name of each person (1- 5) to the appropriate statement.

Note: there are two extra statements.

Statements

1. Jennifer

2. Paul

3. Mike

4. Henry

5. Jeff

A. I'll buy online only when I have to.

B. You can enjoy steep discounts with most online sellers.

C. I shift between buying on or off line depending on what suits me.

D. Shopping is not only a necessary task but a sociable pleasure.

E. Online selling helps to satisfy my special needs in buying.

F. Buying online is far from being as good as it is boasted to be.

G. Buying online can save you a lot only if you find the right online sellers.