Passage 4
With the coming of the Internet, online communities have figured out a way to generate profit from the sharing of those underused property. Using websites and social media groups that facilitate the buying and selling of second-hand goods, it is now easier than ever for peer-to-peer sharing activities to take place. And this is known as the sharing economy.
These popular online platforms are providing a chance for people to make a quick fortune. To give an example, busy parents previously might not have bothered with setting up a stall at the local market to sell their children's old equipment, but with online market places, parents are now able to sell on those hardly worn baby clothes that their children have outgrown so as to put some cash back into their pockets.
Businesses have also caught on to the profitability of the sharing economy and are seeking to gain from making use of those underutilized resources. Companies like Airbnb act as a middleman for people to cash in on their unused rooms and houses and let them out as profitable accommodation. Another example is Uber, which encourages people to use their own personal cars as taxis to make some extra cash in their free time.
This move towards a sharing economy is not without criticisms. Unlike businesses, unregulated individuals do not have to follow certain regulations and this can lead to poorer and inconsistent quality of goods and services and a higher risk of fraud. Nevertheless, in the consumerist society we live in today, the increased opportunities to sell on our unwanted and underused goods can lead to a lesser impact on our environment.
Why can people now sell things more easily? ______
事实细节题 题干大意是：为什么人们现在卖东西更容易了?根据第一段第二句“Using websites and social media groups that facilitate the buying and selling of second-hand goods, it is now easier...”可知，利用网站和社交媒体，人们买卖东西更加便利了，即现在有做买卖的在线平台让人们卖东西更容易了。故选D。
Which of the following is something that we might underutilize? ______
事实细节题 题干大意是：下列选项中，哪个是我们有可能未充分利用的?根据第二段最后一句“...parents are now able to sell on those hardly worn baby clothes that their children have outgrown...”和第三段第一句“...making use of those underutilized resources. ”可知，现在父母可以转卖掉那些孩子们穿不下的或几乎不穿的婴儿衣服，而企业正在试图利用那些未充分利用的资源来获益，即婴儿不再穿、或不能再穿的衣服未被充分利用。A项(寒冷国家的一件厚大衣)、C项(最新款智能手机)和D项(家里的新橱柜)都是可被充分利用的东西，这三项均不符合题意。故选B。
Why do people get involved in the sharing economy? ______
事实细节题 题干大意是：为什么人们参与共享经济?根据第二段第一句“These popular online platforms are providing a chance for people to make a quick fortune. ”和第三段第一句“Businesses have also caught on to the profitability of the sharing economy and are seeking to gain from making use of those underutilized resources. ”可知，这些流行的在线平台正在为人们提供快速发财的机会，企业也已经抓住了共享经济的盈利能力，并正在试图利用那些未被充分利用的资源来获益。由此可知，人们参与共享经济是想发财。故选C。
It might cause problems when unregulated individuals sell things to others because ______.
事实细节题 题干大意是：当不受监管的个人卖东西给别人时，可能会引起问题，因为______。根据最后一段第二句“...unregulated individuals do not have to follow certain regulations and this can lead to poorer and inconsistent quality of goods and services and a higher risk of fraud. ”可知，不受监管的个人不必遵守某些规定，这可能会导致产品和服务的质量较差且不一致，还会增加欺诈风险。由此可知，不受监管的个人卖东西给他人时，可能会引起问题，因为他们销售的东西可能质量较差。故选A。
What might be a suitable title for this article? ______
主旨大意题 题干大意是：这篇文章合适的标题可能是什么?通读全文可知，第一段介绍了共享经济；第二、三段分别阐述了个人和公司如何参与共享经济；最后一段指出了共享经济可能存在的问题及其总体上对于环境的影响。由此可推知，C项(共享经济的兴起)最适合作本文的标题。A项(消费主义社会)、B项(需要钱的父母)和D项(我们为什么买不需要的东西)均不能概括文章内容。故选C。