Over three million people will do their Christmas shopping entirely online this year without once visiting an actual shop, a poll (民意调查) has found. Overcrowding and long queues in shops are forcing people away from the high street as the hassle (烦扰) of Christmas shopping becomes too much.

The number of people turning their backs on the high street is almost one million higher than it was last year, according to the poll by YouGov. Last Christmas 2.4 million shoppers did not do any of their shopping in actual shops. The figure this year is predicted to be around 3.4 million, equal to around 7 percent of the adult population.

Over a third of people said that the main turn-off about shopping on the high street is 0ver-crow-ding. Meanwhile almost a quarter said that long queues at the cheek-out are the worst thing about it.

Of the 2.065 people pored, even those who are stir taking to the shops plan to spend less time in them this Christmas. Around 31 percent of shoppers who plan to spend at least some time on the high street will spend less than half of their shopping time in actual shops, using the rest of the time to shop remotely via the internet. This compares to 28 percent of people last year. Meanwhile the proportion of people spending over half of their shopping time in high street shops has dropped from 41 percent last year to 39 percent this year. Just 2 percent of people said that they are looking forward to dealing wi.th store staff this festival season.

Guy Boxall, senior product marketing manager at Casio Business Solutions Division, which commissioned the research from YouGov, said that despite the fall in people visiting the high street,humans are "social creatures" who actually like spending time together.

"Although the high street is facing a big challenge Christmas, retailers (零售商) should see this research as a challenge to improve the in-store shopping experience, rather than the nail in the coffin. We are social creatures, and the desire to spend time with each other, particularly at Christmas, is never going to go away," said Mr. Boxall.

1.According to the poll, in this year's Christmas       

A．about 7 % of the population will do both online and actual shopping

B．about 31% of shoppers will do half of their shopping in actual shops

C．about 39% of shoppers will do more than half of their shopping in actual shops

D．over three million shoppers will quit actual shopping just because of the long queues

2.What's the meaning of "turn-off" in Para.5?

A．Something that makes people lose heart

B．Something that makes people lose face

C．Something that makes people lose interest

D．Something that makes people lose courage

3.It can be inferred from Mr. Boxall's words that                                                                                                   

A．retailers should reduce their in-store goods.

B．retailers wiR be pessimistic about the result of this research.

C．retailers should focus on the advantage of in-store shopping.

D．retailers will make more profits this Christmas than last Christmas

4.Wheat's the writer's attitude towards Christmas online shopping?

A．Concerned.        B．Doubtful.          C．Approving.        D．Objective.

Over three million people will do their Christmas shopping entirely online this year without once visiting an actual shop, a poll (民意调查) has found. Overcrowding and long queues in shops are forcing people away from the high street as the hassle (烦扰) of Christmas shopping becomes too much.
The number of people turning their backs on the high street is almost one million higher than it was last year, according to the poll by YouGov. Last Christmas 2.4 million shoppers did not do any of their shopping in actual shops. The figure this year is predicted to be around 3.4 million, equal to around 7 percent of the adult population.
Over a third of people said that the main turn-off about shopping on the high street is 0ver-crow-ding. Meanwhile almost a quarter said that long queues at the cheek-out are the worst thing about it.
Of the 2.065 people pored, even those who are stir taking to the shops plan to spend less time in them this Christmas. Around 31 percent of shoppers who plan to spend at least some time on the high street will spend less than half of their shopping time in actual shops, using the rest of the time to shop remotely via the internet. This compares to 28 percent of people last year. Meanwhile the proportion of people spending over half of their shopping time in high street shops has dropped from 41 percent last year to 39 percent this year. Just 2 percent of people said that they are looking forward to dealing wi.th store staff this festival season.
Guy Boxall, senior product marketing manager at Casio Business Solutions Division, which commissioned the research from YouGov, said that despite the fall in people visiting the high street,humans are "social creatures" who actually like spending time together.
"Although the high street is facing a big challenge Christmas, retailers (零售商) should see this research as a challenge to improve the in-store shopping experience, rather than the nail in the coffin. We are social creatures, and the desire to spend time with each other, particularly at Christmas, is never going to go away," said Mr. Boxall.
【小题1】According to the poll, in this year's Christmas       

Bring the Family?

Port Regis is well situated for exploring the beautiful South and West of England and Wales.

The school has excellent hotels and guest houses nearby for parents who are dropping off or collecting their children from the school.

Please note:

All students attending English Country Schools must live in the appointed(指定的) place.

We do not recommend that parents live locally while their children are at school. Experience suggests that this often upsets the child and disturbs progress.

Howard’s House Country Hotel & Restaurant

About 15 minutes from Port Regis School, Howard’s House is set in large gardens hidden in the quietness of the lovely Nadder Vally.

Plumber Manor

Plumber Manor is a comfortable manor house built of local stones, situated about 20 minutes from Port Regis School. The 17 th century house is surrounded by lawns and is set in quiet Dorset countryside. The stream runs through the grounds.

Woodville Farm Bed & Self-catering

Woodville Farm is a family-run farm set in the Dorset countryside about 5 minutes from Port Regis School. Bed and breakfast accommodation: one double bedroom & one twin bedroom both with bathrooms, tea & coffee making facilities（设备）, color television & hairdryer. There is also a self-catering（自己做饭） 2-bedroom bungalow(平房) nearby.

Stock Hill Country House Hotel & Restaurant

Stock Hill Country Hotel & Restaurant is a late Victorian building set in eleven acres of mature, beautifully planned grounds on the borders of Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire. About 10 minutes from Port Regis School.

68.The passage is mainly written for ________.

A. students     B. general readers     C. parents      D.overseas travelers

69.Parents are advised not to live locally when children are having classes because________.

   A. children are not too excited to be with their parents

B.parents stay with their children for too long

C.their visit makes children uneasy about themselves

D.their stay there affects children’s studies

70. If you prefer to live in a stone house, which hotel would you choose?

   A.Plumber Manor               B.Woodville farm Bed & Self-catering.

   C.Howard’s House Country Hotel & Restaurant.

   D.Stock Hill Country house Hotel & Restaurant.

71.Woodville Farm is different from other hotels in that _________.

A.it is hidden in a large garden       B.guests can cook their own food           

C.it dates back to Victorian times     

D.it has a very beautiful country scenery