专家们称，随着人们逐渐向数字支付过渡，新冠肺炎疫情将加速推进现金使用的衰落。英国的封锁政策已导致使用自动取款机取款的次数下降了 60% ，尽管人们提款的总额有所增加。

The dramatic drop in cash withdrawals is the obvious result of more people having to do their shopping online. When they do venture out, many are suspicious of handling cash, which others might have touched.

现金提款量的急剧下降是由于越来越多的人不得不在网上购物。当部分人冒险外出时，许多人对经手现金心有疑虑，因为现金可能被他人触摸过。

Traders who used to turn up their noses at plastic are bringing out their card readers. The figures come from the cash machine network LINK, which adds that in a survey of 2,000 shoppers, more than three quarters said the virus would affect their future use of cash. Once people change to buying over the internet or paying by card, they tend to carry on.

曾经对信用卡嗤之以鼻的商户们现在纷纷开始使用读卡器。这些数据来自自动取款机运营商 LINK，他们补充道，对2000名购物者的一项调查中，超过四分之三的购物者表示新冠病毒会影响他们未来对现金的使用。一旦人们转向通过网络购物或改用刷卡支付，这些人往往会继续下去。

The problem is the faster the switch away from cash happens, the bigger the danger that shops stop taking it and more cash machines are closed. That could make life more difficult for the millions who still rely on notes and coins to run their lives.

问题是人们改用非现金支付的进程越快，商店不再接受现金支付的可能性就越大，自动取款机被停用的数量也就越多。这可能会使数百万仍依赖纸币和硬币的人生活变得更加困难。

词汇

drop 减少的数量
withdrawals 取钱，提款
venture out 冒险外出
handling 触摸，拿
turn up their noses 嗤之以鼻
plastic 信用卡
card readers 读卡器
cash machine 自动取款机
notes 纸钞，纸币
coins 硬币

阅读理解：请在读完上文后，回答下列问题 。

1. True or false? Traders who didn’t like card payment are now  adapting to the changes.

2. According to the article, what caused the dramatic drop in cash withdrawals?

3. How many shoppers in the survey said the virus would affect their future use of cash?

4. According to the article, whose lives will be made more difficult if more cash machines are closed?

答案

1. True or false? Traders who didn’t like card payment are now  adapting to the changes.
True. (‘Traders who used to turn up their noses at plastic are bringing out their card readers.’)

2. According to the article, what caused the dramatic drop in cash withdrawals?
The article says that more people having to do their shopping online led to the dramatic drop in cash withdrawals.

3. How many shoppers in the survey said the virus would affect their future use of cash?
More than 1,500, which is three quarters of the 2,000 shoppers surveyed, said the virus would affect their future use of cash.

4. According to the article, whose lives will be made more difficult if more cash machines are closed?
Those who still rely on notes and coins to run their lives.