One hundred and thirteen million Americans have at least one bank-issued credit card. They give their owners automatic credit in stores, restaurants, and hotels, at home, across the country, and even abroad, and they make many banking services available as well. More and more of these credit cards can be read automatically, making it possible to withdraw (取出 ) or deposit money in scattered locations, whether or not the local branch bank is open. For many of us the “cashless society” is not on the horizon---- it is already here.

While computers offer these conveniences to consumers, they have many advantages for sellers too. Electronic cash registers can do much more than simply ring up sales. They can keep a wide range of records, including who sold what, when, and to whom. This information allows businessmen to keep track of their list of goods by showing which items are being sold and how fast they are moving. Decisions to recorder or return goods to suppliers can then be made. At the same time these computers record which hours are busiest and which employees are the most efficient, allowing personnel（职员）and staffing assignments to be made accordingly. And they also identify preferred customer for promotional campaigns. Computers are relied on by manufacturers for similar reasons. Computer-analyzed marketing reports can help to decide which products to emphasize now, which to develop for the future, and which to drop. Computers keep track of goods in stock, of raw materials on hand, and even of the production process itself.

     Numerous other commercial enterprises, from theaters to magazine publishers, from gas and electric utilities（功用）to milk processors, bring better and more efficient services to consumers through the use of computers.

1．According to the passage, the credit card enables its owner to _____.

A．withdraw as much money from the bank as he wishes

B．obtain more convenient services than other people do

C．enjoy greater trust from the storekeeper

D．cash money where he wishes to

2．From the last sentence of the first paragraph we learn that _______.

A．in the future all the Americans will use credit cards

B．credit cards are mainly used in the United States today

C．nowadays many Americans did not pay in cash

D．it is now more convenient to use credit cards than before

3．The phrase “ring up sales” (Lines 2-3, Para. 2) most probably means _______.

A．make an order of goods

B．record sales on a cash register

C．call the sales manager

D．keep track of the goods in stock

4．It can be inferred that _______.

A．computers will bring disaster

B．computer industry will not develop faster

C．computers will bring about more convenience to people’s life

D．computer can analyze marketing reports

5．What is this passage mainly about?

A．Approaches to the commercial use of computers.

B．Conveniences brought about by computers in business.

C．Significance of automation in commercial enterprises.

       D．Advantage of credit cards in business.