買咖啡，給交通卡充值，你的日常生活還是用現金交易嗎？無接觸式付款已經不再新奇，手機支付也習以為常，甚至用你的手指支付技術也已進入大眾消費支付領域。本期BBC《隨身英語》討論當今流行的購物支付方式。
課文內容
詞彙: money 錢
How do you pay for your coffee? Is it with change? I use my tap-and-go card. I don't even need to enter my PIN number or a signature to authorise payment. It's quicker and everybody in the queue is happy.
Contactless payments are gaining popularity. Those concerned about security will be pleased to know that the amount of money you can spend in one go is limited – in the UK it's currently £30. But if the card is used a few times in a row, a PIN number will be needed. If a thief gets hold of your card and goes on a spending spree, your bank covers you against fraud. Whereas, if someone steals your banknotes, that's your bad luck!
For those who are always forgetting where they put their cards, there's a new solution: wearable tech: clothing and accessories that have integrated electronic technology. Kenneth Cukier, an economist and technology expert, says: "You can simply take any wireless card and the chip from it that your bank might issue you with, and you can put it in a coat. When you want to make a payment just wave your arm in front of the terminal and leave the coffee shop with your latte. This is intended for people who don't want to take their card out of their wallet, use their phone or their watch."
Good, isn't it? And new ways of spending money are not stopping there. The future is all about biometrics. Very convenient if you are at the beach or a festival – there's a new system in development which will make it possible to read the unique maps of veins under the surface of your finger, and use them to authenticate payments – or prove that it's you making the payments. You just need to remember which finger you registered with.
So spending money is becoming easier all the time. And the temptation to buy more stuff increases. But it's worth bearing in mind that earning the money in the first place will still require the same effort. Back to work then!
詞彙表
change 零錢
a tap-and-go card 一拍即付銀行卡
PIN number （銀行）密碼
signature 籤名
contactless payment 非接觸式支付
a spending spree 大採購，瘋狂購買
fraud 詐騙
a banknote 紙幣，鈔票
wearable tech 可穿戴技術
wireless 無線的
a chip 晶片
biometrics 生物識別技術，生物測定學
a vein 靜脈（血管）
to authenticate 鑑別，證明是有效的、真實的
測驗與練習
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. Why are people in the coffee shop queue happy when the author uses her tap-and-go card?
2. Why wouldn't a thief be able to buy much with a stolen wireless card?
3. How could you make a payment with a chip in your sleeve?
4.True or false?The method of payment using the map of the veins on the surface of your fingers is infallible.
5. If you don't have your bank card or smartphone with you, which two forms of payment mentioned in the text will you be able to use in the future?
2. 請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。
1. The bank will only authorise this payment with a __________. You may use this pen.
PIN number signature wearable tech banknote
2. No more counting pennies for me. I've just won the lottery. Let's go __________!
on a shopping spree against fraud wave our arms contactless payment
3. Do you have any __________? I'd like to buy a cup of tea.
wearable tech change banknote biometrics
4. Technology is amazing! Inside your smartphone you have __________ which holds your data.
veins a go-and-tap card a chip a terminal
5. My house was flooded yesterday. The insurance company is going to __________ the loss of my furniture.
register authenticate cover authorise
答案
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. Why are people in the coffee shop queue happy when the author uses her tap-and-go card?
Because the payment is quick and they don't have to wait long for their turn.
2. Why wouldn't a thief be able to buy much with a stolen wireless card?
Because there's a limit to how much can be spent at a time. And if the card is used several times in a row, a PIN number is required.
3. How could you make a payment with a chip in your sleeve?
You'd just wave your arm in front of the terminal and the payment would be made.
4. True or false?The method of payment using the map of the veins on the surface of your fingers is infallible.
False. It won't work if you forget which finger you registered with and use a different one when making a payment.
5. If you don't have your bank card or smartphone with you, which two forms of payment mentioned in the text will you be able to use in the future?
Wireless tech devices and biometric devices.
2. 請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。
1. The bank will only authorise this payment with a signature. You may use this pen.
2. No more counting pennies for me. I've just won the lottery. Let's go on a shopping spree!
3. Do you have any change? I'd like to buy a cup of tea.
4. Technology is amazing! Inside your smartphone you have a chip which holds your data.
5. My house was flooded yesterday. The insurance company is going to cover the loss of my furniture.