Online shopping festivals in China attract consumers worldwide with their convenience and attractive deals. Kristen Hayden, an American working in Guangzhou, enjoys browsing Chinese e-commerce platforms like Taobao on her sofa. She finds the midyear “618” promotions exciting, allowing her to purchase desired items like an air conditioner and outdoor sporting goods at significant discounts, sometimes saving around 20% with coupons.
This year’s “618” shopping carnival, which started in mid-May and peaked on June 18, attracted a huge number of domestic and overseas consumers. Data from major platforms shows strong early results: within the first hour of this year’s event, sales for 43 brands surpassed 100 million yuan, and over 13,000 brands doubled their sales quickly. Sales of popular electronic devices like gaming laptops and high-end earphones increased dramatically. Home appliances, mobile phones, and digital products involved in the consumer goods trade-in program saw a huge rise in turnover compared to previous events. Appliances, home furnishings, and electronic gadgets all reported double-digit sales growth. Leading brands such as Huawei, Xiaomi, Midea, and Haier achieved very high sales volumes rapidly.
The Chinese government prioritizes boosting consumption and expanding domestic demand. Updated measures for the consumer goods trade-in program include increased funding and wider government subsidies for categories like smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches. Experts explain that this program reduces costs for consumers buying higher quality products and improves the service quality of e-commerce platforms. It also supports the development of related industries, including product recycling. Simplified promotional methods during “618” aim to enhance the shopping experience, as consumers value both product quality and value for money.
To attract global buyers, e-commerce platforms expanded their services internationally. Taobao offered free shipping to consumers in 12 countries and regions, including new additions like Kazakhstan and Mongolia, for orders reaching a set amount. Overseas shoppers enjoyed discounts similar to domestic buyers and convenient return services. JD also provided free shipping promotions across 17 markets, optimizing its logistics network covering 37 countries and regions, significantly reducing shipping costs in Southeast Asia. These efforts not only let overseas consumers enjoy high-quality and cost-effective China-made goods but also strengthen the influence of Chinese brands in the international market.
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1.1. What impressed Kristen Hayden most about shopping during “618”?
A Various products.
B Big discounts.
C User-friendly apps.
D Shopping with friends.
解析：选B。B 细节理解题。根据文章第一段内容：Kristen Hayden提到她自己通过及时抓住折扣和使用购物优惠券享受了约20%的优惠，相比其他选项，大幅折扣是她最看重的。故选B。
2.2. What can we learn from the sales data in the second paragraph?
A Sales grew slowly.
B Small brands dominated.
C Shopping trend rose.
D Only electronics sold well.
解析：选C。C 推理判断题。从第二段数据可知，活动开始一小时内43个品牌销售额超1亿元，13000多个品牌销售额翻倍，各类商品销售额都有大幅增长，由此可推断出“618”购物节购物热潮兴起，消费趋势上升。故选C。
3.3. What’s the purpose of the trade-in program?
A To help platforms.
B To benefit consumers.
C To develop recycling.
D All of the above.
解析：选D。D 细节理解题。根据第三段中的内容可知，以旧换新计划既能降低消费者购买高质量产品的成本（对应B选项使消费者受益），又能提高电商平台服务质量（对应A选项帮助平台），还能促进包括产品回收在内的相关产业发展（对应C选项发展回收业）。故选D。
4.4. What do Chinese e-commerce platforms do to attract global buyers?
A Offer free shipping.
B Reduce product prices.
C Open overseas stores.
D Provide more products.
解析：选A。A 细节理解题。从第四段内容可知，淘宝为12个国家和地区提供满额免运费服务，京东也在17个市场推出免运费促销活动，所以中国电商平台通过提供免运费服务吸引全球买家。故选A。
