Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. long-term (adj.) [lawng-turm, long-] – covering a long period of time
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. long-term (adj.) [lawng-turm, long-] – covering a long period of time
Example: Laptops are generally not
made for long-term use.
2. feature (n.) [fee-cher] – a part or a characteristic of a product
Example: The iPhone 4s has a feature called Siri, a program that
responds to a person’s voice.
3. upgrade (v.) [uhp-greyd] – to improve or make better
Example: Apple decided to upgrade the iPhone 4’s camera so that
users can take better pictures.
4. plan (n.) [plan] – an agreement or contract between a company providing services and the
customer receiving these services
Example: Wireless companies
offer affordable plans for customers
who are on a budget and premier plans
for customers who want more service features.
5. trend (n.) [trend] – direction taken by a popular way of thinking or behaving
Example: Because of the weak economy,
the trend among consumers is towards
buying products that give more value for their money.
Article
Read the text below.
Seven major
wireless US companies lost more than 50,000 long-term contract subscribers in only the first quarter of this
year.
The rapid changes in
cell phone technology is said to be one reason for the drop in the number of
subscribers. Cell phones used to have
similar features to use for texting
and calling. Nowadays, however, cell phones have numerous features that can
be used to play music, take pictures, or surf the internet.
As
phone features get upgraded with
each release of new phone models, users develop an irresistible desire to
have the latest model, an attitude experts call “upgrade envy”.
Unfortunately,
being tied into a long-term contract prevents users to have the latest
models. As a result, many users find
it more practical to switch to No-Contract plans or Prepaid plans.
Boost Mobile is one
wireless company that offers Android smart phones under a no-contract plan. Under
this plan, users can enjoy unlimited voice calls, texts, and Internet use for
just $55 dollars a month, which is less than half of what someone on a long-term
contract would pay.
In response to this
shift in consumer trend, Verizon and AT&T, two
of the biggest wireless companies in the US, are talking about a plan in
which multiple devices, such as tablet computers and cell phones of other
family members can all share in one monthly plan.
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Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
·
Which do you
prefer, pre-pay plans, no-contract plans or long-term plans? Please explain the
reasons for your preference.
·
Which plan would
work best in your country? Why do you think so?
Discussion B
·
Do you approve
of the habit of always keeping in trend with latest gadget models? Why or why
not?
·
How can people
save money while keeping in trend with technology?