Pre-reading questions:
- Do you use the Internet every day?
- Have you tried shopping online?
What started as a day to celebrate singlehood was turned into a shopping bonanza. The Chinese e-commerce company reported this year’s sales had reached 121 billion yuan ($18billion) on November 11, an upsurge of 32 percent compared against last year’s $14.3 billon. Reports said the highest number of purchases was made on mobile phones reaching 82 percent.
On the contrary, some have doubted the accuracy of Ali Baba’s sales data amid claims of excessive sales figures released by online retailers. Another setback the industry is facing is the existence of alleged online merchants selling unauthentic items. Despite all these, analysts said the progress of online shopping is still promising since the people in rural areas now own smartphones that allow them to buy goods online.
Vocabulary:
bonanza – a large amount of something valuable
e-commerce – activities that are related to buying and selling of goods and services over the internet
upsurge – a rapid or sudden increase
accuracy – freedom from mistake or error
alleged – questionably true
Comprehension Questions:
- When is Singles’ Day celebrated?
- How much was the company’s sales last November 11 this year?
- What was the most purchased item that day?
- Why did some still doubt the accuracy of Ali Baba’s sales data?
- What did the analysts say about online shopping?
Express Your Opinion:
- Singles’ Day is a popular event to young Chinese people to celebrate the fact that they are single.
- Why were smartphones the best-selling item last Singles’ Day?
- Do you ever think of living alone for the rest of your life?