AppledesignstheiPhonetheiPadandtheiPod.EachofApple’sproductssoundscoolandhasbecomeafashion.Applehascleverlytakenadvantageofthepoweroftheletter“i”andmanyotherbrandsarefollowingsuit.TheBBC’siPlayer

Question

Apple designs 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 “i” it is no surprise that they’ve selected 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 (模糊的). When Apple uses “i” no one knows whether it means Internet information individual or interactive. Mr. Thorne 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 (轻便)” 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.

68. People use the iPlayer to ____________.

A. listen to music                              B. make a call

C. read newspapers                                  D. watch TV programs online

69. According to the passage he first single-letter prefix that became popular is _________.

A. i-              B. e-                                   C. a-                 D. b-

70. Nowadays the “i” term often reminds people of the products which are ______________.

A. portable                                               B. advanced

C. recyclable                                               D. environmentally friendly

Answer 1

DBA