TheiPhone,theiPadandtheiPod.EachofApple'sproductssounds...

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The iPhone, the iPad and the iPod. Each of Apple's products sounds cool and has become a fashion. Apple has cleverly taken advantage of the power of the letter "i" and many other brands are following suit. The BBC's iPlayer, which allows Web users to watch TV programs on the Internet , adopted the title in 2008. A lovely bear (popular in the US and UK ) that plays music and video is called "iTeddy". A slimmed-down version of London's Independent newspaper came out last week under the name "i".

In general, single-letter prefixes have been popular since the 1990s, when terms such as e-mail and e-commerce first came into use.

Most "i" products are aimed at young people and considering the major readers of Independent’s "i", it is no surprise that they've chosen this fashionable name.

But it's hard to see what's so special about the letter "i". Why not use "a", "b" or "c" instead? According to Tony Thorne, head of the Language Center at King's College, London, "i" works because its meaning has become ambiguous. When Apple uses "i", no one knows whether it means Internet, information, individual or interactive, ne told BBC Magazines, “Even when Apple created the iPad, it seems it didn't have one clear definition.”

“However, thanks to Apple, the term is now associated with portability (輕便)," adds Thorne.

Clearly the letter "i" also agrees with the idea that the Western World is centered on the individual. Each person believes they have their own needs, and they love personalized products for this reason.

Along with "Google" and "Twitter", readers of BBC Magazines voted "i" as one of the top 20 words that have come to define the last decade.

But as history shows, fashions come and go. From the 1900s to 1990s, products with "2000" in their names became fashionable as the year was associated with all things advanced and modern. However, as we entered the new century, the trend inevitably disappeared.

12. People use the iPlayer to _________.

A. listen to music B. make a call C. read newspapers D. watch TV programs online

13. From the passage, we know that the Independent’s " i " is aimed at _________.

A. old readers B. young readers C. fashionable women D. engineers

14. Nowadays, the "i" term often reminds people of the products which are _________.

A. portable B. advanced C. recyclable D. environmentally friendly

15. The author of the passage would probably agree that __________.

A. "i" products are often of high quality

B. all "i" products have something to do with Internet

C. the popularity of "i" products may not last long

D. the iTeddy is a live bear

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