Question

    Since App Store was set up, it has been selling consumers one simple thing — choice. Whether you wanted to play games, read the news, or do a thousand other things, there was something for whatever you desired.

Then something funny happened. Logging into the App Store today is like going into a shopping mall with only a coupon (优惠券) for one thing: There's so much choice; it might be easier to give up than to choose.

It isn't consumers who are burdened, though. Too much content of all kinds also has economic effects. When countless choices are available, it causes pressure, pushing prices down and driving us a bit crazy.

So what is the way forward? It may well be to tum less choice itself to the marketing strategy. There are already signs that this is happening. Firstly content companies are looking to prevent their offerings from getting lost in the tons of stuff. Most obvious is Disney, which is planning to open its own streaming service next year. The point is to narrow the focus so that those seeking Disney cartoons will have one place to go, rather than being around various services.

Yet if that represents a careful first step, there are more extreme options too. Consider the idea of a wine club: from tens of thousands of bottles each year, subscribers (用户) pay someone to select the most interesting ones. Perhaps what comes next for digital content is similar — carefully selected offerings from trusted sources that put choices in the hands of someone else in order to get rid of the anxiety of choosing.

Up to now, too much choice in digital media has only one solution: the algorithm (运算法则). But we've seen the trouble with algorithms on You Tube. They feed you only what you've already said you like, not things you may not know you're into. Worse, they have a tendency to serve up disturbing content. The way forward can't simply be more or better algorithms.

Instead, it's time for digital companies to start thinking about how to put limits on things: on how much we can use a device, or what we are available to choose from.

As we move further into the digital revolution, what people ask for is clear: Less.

1.What will too much choice of content on the market result in?

A.The shutdown of companies. B.Anxiety of consumers.

C.Poor quality of products. D.Negative influence on economy.

2.Why is Disney planning to open its own streaming service?

A.To improve its marketing strategy.

B.To help people focus on less choice.

C.To encourage more people to visit Disney.

D.To provide consumers with various services

3.In what way may a wine club and digital content in the near future be similar?

A.Someone else will be employed to make a choice for consumers.

B.Both of them will offer only a few options.

C.Consumers will refuse to choose from too many options.

D.Both of them will make a change about their products.

4.What do we know about the algorithm?

A.It manages to offer what consumers will possibly like.

B.It helps to remove disturbing content from digital media.

C.it offers consumers things based on what they've said they like.

D.It'll solve the problem of having too much choice.

Answer

1.D

2.B

3.A

4.C

【解析】

本文是说明文。文章介绍了应用市场把过多的产品选择权都推到消费者身上，会给经济带来消极影响。迪斯尼等许多公司计划开设自己的流媒体服务，防止他们的产品迷失在成堆的东西中的同时，帮助消费者缩小选择范围，从而消除选择焦虑。

1.推理判断题。根据第三段中的It isn't consumers who are burdened, though. Too much content of all kinds also has economic effects. When countless choices are available, it causes pressure, pushing prices down and driving us a bit crazy.可知，不过，负担并不在消费者身上；各种内容过多也会产生经济影响；当有无数的选择时，它会带来压力，压低价格，让我们有点疯狂。由此推知，市场太多的目录选择对经济会导致消极的影响。故选D。

2.推理判断题。根据第四段中的Most obvious is Disney, which is planning to open its own streaming service next year. The point is to narrow the focus so that those seeking Disney cartoons will have one place to go, rather than being around various services.可知，最明显的是迪斯尼，它计划明年开放自己的流媒体服务，重点是缩小关注范围，让那些寻找迪斯尼卡通的人有一个去处，而不是围绕着各种服务。由此推知，迪斯尼的流媒体服务是帮助消费者缩小选择范围的。故选B。

3.细节理解题。根据第五段中的Perhaps what comes next for digital content is similar — carefully selected offerings from trusted sources that put choices in the hands of someone else in order to get rid of the anxiety of choosing.可知，也许接下来的数字内容也是类似的——精心挑选来自可信来源的内容，把选择交给其他人，以消除选择的焦虑。由此可知，一个葡萄酒俱乐部和数字内容将是相似的，因为其他人来为消费者做出选择。故选A。

4.推理判断题。根据倒数第三段They feed you only what you've already said you like, not things you may not know you're into.可知，它们只给你提供你已经说过的你喜欢的东西，而不是那些你可能不知道你喜欢的东西。由此可知，运算法则根据消费者自身所好来为他们提供他们喜欢的东西。故选C。