The iPad is an Apple tablet computer. The device sits somewhere between a laptop and a
smart phone, according to Apple's chief executive, Steven P. Jobs, and does certain things better
than both of them, like surfing the Web, reading e-books and playing videos. The iPad went on
sale on April 3, 2010, and Apple said it had shipped 500,000 units in the first week. The handheld
device puts Apple on a direct collision course with the Kindle from Amazon, which Mr. Jobs ever
considered as pioneering the category.
     It is common knowledge that media companies hope the iPad will finally lead to available way
for them to charge for news, books and other materials. The half-inch thick, 1.5-pound device
features a 9.7-inch multi-touch screen and is powered by a customized(订制的)Apple microchip,
which is called A4. It has been designed with an exposed screen and without a camera or separate
keyboard. The iPad has the same operating system as the iPhone and also has access to its 140,000
applications.
     The price of the device starts at $499 for the most basic model, with a Wi-Fi wireless connection.
More expensive models with more memory and with 3G wireless access will cost $629 to $829,
depending on storage size.
     Because Apple is attempting to popularize a new kind of computing device, acceptance among
consumers is expected to be slower than with previous Apple devices. Critics assume that some
buyers are waiting for future versions of the iPad to appear, perhaps with a camera or USB ports
(端口).
     On its first day on sale, iPad users downloaded more than one million applications from the
company's AppStore and more than 250,000 electronic books from its iBookstore. A new wave
of apps is expected in response to the iPad. For an application developer, having an application
accepted for a highly desired Apple product means reaching a passionate group of consumers.
The potential income is huge: the apps market for the iPhone and iPod Touch alone is already
worth a billion dollars a year in sales.

1. In Mr Job's opinion, the iPad              .

A. is a standard computer
B. is better than a laptop in any function
C. helps Apple to beat Amazon
D. is a "revolutionary" product between a laptop and a smart phone

2. Which of the following is NOT true of the iPad?

A. It is expected to benefit media companies.  
B. It has a lot of similar features to a laptop.
C. It has a virtual keyboard.                
D. It has the fastest Apple microchip.

3. The different prices of the iPad are determined by              .

A. the size of the screen
B. the size of the memory
C. the speed of the microchip
D. the Wi-Fi wireless connection

4. What do we know from the fourth paragraph?

A. Some consumers hope for an iPad with more functions.
B. Buyers can improve their iPads with USB devices.
C. The iPad is basically different from conventional computers.
D. The iPad is accepted faster than former Apple products.

5. It is implied in the passage that              .

A. people may download any application from the App Store
B. people would prefer to buy an iPad rather than an iPhone
C. owning an Apple product means that you will be respected
D. the Apple company will make more profit from the iPad