AgrowingnumberofChinesearekeepingtheircashinthei...

來源：國語幫 1.96W

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A growing number of Chinese are keeping their cash in their wallets this Lunar New Year as the traditional exchange of red packets of money is moving from the physical world into the digital space.

The tradition of giving cash gifts of “lucky money” (“hong bao” in Chinese) goes back centuries and can be particularly profitable for the young and the unmarried. As the country increasingly adopts online business and e-commerce models, tradition is taking a back seat to convenience as more and more lucky money receivers prefer to receive their money via electronic means. A recent study conducted by Shanghai-based Avanti Rhesearch Partner showed that 58% of respondents (調查對象) preferred their hong bao directly deposited into their accounts.

The country is becoming increasingly connected --- over 90% of 18 to 30 year olds in China own an Internet-connected smart phone, according to a Global Times survey published last year.

Of course, China’s Internet giants have not been slow to capitalize on this trend, with Shenzhen-based Tencent last week launching their “New Year Red Envelope” app (應用程序), an add-on to its popular WeChat messaging service. The company’s over 600 million WeChat users can send each other lucky money, provided both the sender and receiver have signed up to the company’s in-app payment service.

“I am really happy that I can use a new and fashionable way to send my holiday greetings to my family and friends, especially for people who have kids but live far away from us.” said Mr. Cheng, a user of the service.

The service reportedly banked 18 million RMB ($2.9 million) worth of transfers (轉賬) in its first 24 hours, according to a report in the Beijing Youth Daily newspaper.

While Tencent’s rival Alibaba also has a similar service, called Hong Bao, which launched last year, WeChat’s app allows users to randomly distribute up to 200 yuan ($33) within a group of friends, adding a fun element of unpredictability to the process.

Some analysts believe that linking the payments to WeChat’s in-app payment service could be a game-changer, as it simplifies the process of paying for micro dealings, potentially making users more likely to make in-app purchases in the future.

“The tradition of giving red packets is a symbolic gesture,” said Steve Wang, Chief Economist, Reorient Group. “It’s a new way to get people more comfortable dealing with money online, to expand their user base. It combines the old and the new, and is a great example of the kind of creative idea that we’re seeing come out of China these days.”

55. What is the main idea of the passage?

A. The competition for the online business is increasing.

B. New Year luck money goes online.

C. Electronic commerce has changed the way of trade.

D. The tradition of giving lucky money is out of fashion.

56. Compared to the Alibaba’s Hong Bao service, WeChat’s app _______.

A. can send lucky money to any friend of the users quickly

B. links the messaging service and payment service together

C. permits the users to distribute money in a friend circle randomly

D. is more unpredictable during the process of money transfer

57. Some analysts think _______.

A. WeChat’s app makes online payment easier