7 . Online grocery delivery has skyrocketed (飞涨) all over the world. Since COVID-19 cases have been declining, new companies such as Zapp, GoPuff, or Getir have entered the grocery delivery market with a mission to permanently change consumer habits. These rapid grocery delivery services make a novel promise: Groceries can be delivered within minutes to your door. This option sounds great to busy parents who cannot leave their children alone to pop into the store or people who have guests and urgently need a few extra beers without leaving the house. However, shoppers should watch out for the allure (诱惑) of rapid delivery whenever possible.
While a one-time rapid delivery is certainly harmless for the shopper and the whole market, repeatedly using such services will ultimately harm grocery shops and corner shops. So far, rapid delivery companies have been backed by capital fund (资金) to finance their costs，but they need to be profitable in the long run to survive. So they will push up prices and gradually cancel promotions once their capital funding has dried up. Last week, a delivery company was reported to have shut down after running out of cash, leaving its workers jobless. We should think about the serious outcome that may come up, such as much less lively cities that miss the small shops and delivery workers who face tight deadlines and little job security.
As consumers,we often think that our daily decisions are harmless. Just as one doughnut (甜甜圈) doesn’t compromise our healthy diet and one skipped workout doesn’t affect our fitness,one rapid delivery will not harm the little shops that make our neighborhood lively. Research shows that consumers who perform a behavior regularly for about six weeks have created a habit. So ordering rapid delivery every day will hurt our neighborhoods and make us poorer once prices increase.
Thus, approach the rapid delivery option as you would refuse to accept any other allure. Be careful not to create a habit that you might later come to regret.
1. What makes rapid grocery delivery appealing to consumers?
| A．Saving time and energy. | B．Avoiding disease exposure. |
| C．Following the global trend. | D．Buying highly desirable goods. |
2. What consequence may the massive growth of rapid delivery have?
| A．Job market will be less completive. |
| B．Delivery services will make more profits. |
| C．Local commercial business will be promoted. |
| D．Small shops and delivery workers will be hurt. |
3. What is the function of paragraph 3?
| A．To explain the harm of bad habits. | B．To make the argument more persuasive. |
| C．To add some background information. | D．To stress the value of decision-making. |
4. What’s the best title for the text?
| A．Delivery companies will change how we shop |
| B．How can we manage to avoid being cheated online? |
| C．Shoppers should try to resist the allure of rapid delivery |
| D．How do grocery delivery companies affect small stores? |
