Collective Buying Power Groupon:大家揪團來撿便






by Marcus Maurice
Groupon is what the dot-com boom was supposed to be about.

  In the past, if singles or small families wanted to get lower prices on items, they had to buy them in bulk. Times have changed, and now a new service has _(1)_ bulk buying with the lightning-fast technology of the Internet. Groupon, a combination of the words group and coupon, is a deal-of-the-day website that _(2)_ discounted gift certificates and has become one of the biggest success stories the Internet has ever seen.
  Like most people in Internet businesses, Groupon founder and CEO Andrew Mason had to fail first to succeed. His first Internet start-up, The Point, was well-intentioned but _(3)_ being used for pranks. However, Mason found that customers liked banding together to buy things, so he started a blog that _(4)_ turned into Groupon. The premise of Groupon is that a deal on a product becomes _(5)_ if a certain number of people buy it. For example, yoga lessons will be half their regular price if 100 customers _(6)_. Once the magic number is hit, Groupon gets _(7)_ half the money the customers pay for the coupons. If the targeted number is not reached, no one gets the deal that day.
  Each day, Mason would _(8)_ emails to everyone on his list, and things grew rapidly from there. Small businesses understood that even if they didn't make much money, it was still a great way to _(9)_ their products or services. Now, Groupon is in more than 500 markets and 44 countries. One of Groupon's biggest problems is that because it's so internationally successful, imitators have _(10)_ everywhere. For Mason, competition is the least of his worries as he is focused on expanding and becoming the fastest company ever to bring in US$1 billion.

(A) ended up (B) available (C) popped up (D) send out (E) combined (F) approximately (G) sign up (H) features (I) eventually (J) publicize
原來如此 


1. Times have changed, and now a new service has combined bulk buying with the lightning-fast technology of the Internet.
理由:
a. 空格前有完成式助動詞 has,其後則有名詞詞組 bulk buying(大量購買),可知空格內應置入過去分詞形態的及物動詞或片語及物動詞。
b. 符合上述的選項僅有 (E) combined(結合),且置入後與介詞 with 形成以下用法:
combine A with/and B  結合 A 和 B
例: If you combine yellow with blue paint, it will turn green.
(把黃色和藍色 2 種顏料混在一起就會變成綠色。)
c. 根據上述,可知 (E) 為正選。

2. Groupon...is a deal-of-the-day website that features discounted gift certificates and has become one of the biggest success stories...
理由:
a. 空格前有作主詞的關係代名詞 that(= a deal-of-the-day website),而空格後有名詞詞組 discounted gift certificates(折價禮券),且根據本句時態,可知空格內應置入第三人稱單數形的及物動詞或片語及物動詞。
b. 符合上述的選項僅有 (H) features(以……為特色),置入後亦符合語意,故選之。
c. feature vt. 以……為特色
例: The new restaurant features my favorite kind of steak.
(這家新餐廳的招牌菜是我最喜歡的牛排。)

3. His first Internet start-up, The Point, was well-intentioned but ended up being used for pranks.
理由:
a. 空格前有主詞 His first Internet start-up(他最初創辦的網路公司)、過去式 be 動詞 was 及對等連接詞 but,空格後則有現在分詞片語 being used for pranks(被用來當作惡作劇),可知空格內應置入可接現在分詞片語作補語的不完全不及物動詞片語。
b. 符合上述的選項僅有 (A) ended up(結果∕最後……),置入後亦符合語意,故選之。
c. end up + 現在分詞  結果∕最後……
例: Larry ended up divorcing his wife because she was driving him crazy.
(賴瑞最後跟他太太離婚,因為她快把他逼瘋了。)

4. However, Mason found that..., so he started a blog that eventually turned into Groupon.
理由:
a. 空格所在的句子為一完整句構,可知空格內應置入副詞,以修飾動詞片語 turned into(轉變成……)。
b. 選項中為副詞的有 (F) approximately(大約)和 (I) eventually(最後,終於),惟 eventually 置入後符合語意,可知應選 (I)。
c. eventually adv. 最後,終於
例: Thanks to Gina's advice, we eventually worked out the problem.
(多虧吉娜的建議,我們終於解決了那個問題。)

5. The premise of Groupon is that a deal on a product becomes available if a certain number of people buy it.
理由:
a. 空格前有不完全不及物動詞 becomes(變得),可知空格應置入名詞或形容詞作主詞補語。
b. 選項中僅 (B) available(可得到的;可利用的)為形容詞,置入後亦符合語意,故選之。
c. available a. 可得到的;可利用的
例: Are there any seats available on the afternoon flight?
(下午的班機還有沒有空位?)

6. For example, yoga lessons will be half their regular price if 100 customers sign up.
理由:
a. 空格位於句尾,前有主詞 customers(顧客),可知空格內應置入不及物動詞或不及物動詞片語。
b. 符合上述的選項僅有 (G) sign up(報名),置入後亦符合語意,故選之。
c. sign up (for...)  報名(上……課程)
例: Nick signed up for an English class to improve his language skills.
(尼克報名上英文課來增進自己的語言技巧。)

7. Once the magic number is hit, Groupon gets approximately half the money the customers pay for the coupons.
理由:
a. 空格所在的句子為一完整句構,而空格後又有表數量的形容詞 half(一半的),可知空格內應置入可用來修飾數量的副詞。
b. 符合上述選項的僅有 (F) approximately(大約),置入後亦符合語意,故選之。
c. approximately adv. 大約
例: Approximately 100 people showed up for the meeting.
(大約有 100 人出席了那場會議。)

8. Each day, Mason would send out emails to everyone on his list, ...
理由:
a. 空格前有助動詞 would,後有名詞 emails(電子郵件),可知空格內應置入原形及物動詞或片語及物動詞。
b. 符合上述的選項有 (D) send out(發送∕發射……)和 (J) publicize(宣傳),惟 send out 置入後符合語意 ,故選 (D)。
c. send out...  發送∕發射……
例: The sinking ship sent out an SOS signal.
(這艘就快沈沒的船隻發送出求救訊號。)

9. Small businesses understood that..., it was still a great way to publicize their products or services.
理由:
a. 空格前有不定詞 to,其後則有受詞 their products(他們的產品),可知空格內應置入原形及物動詞或片語及物動詞。
b. 符合上述的選項僅有 (J) publicize(宣傳),置入後亦符合語意,故選之。
c. publicize vt. 宣傳
例: The company was publicizing their latest products on the Internet.
(這家公司在網路上為他們最新的產品做宣傳。)

10. One of Groupon's biggest problems is that because..., imitators have popped up everywhere.
理由:
a. 空格前有名詞 imitators(模仿者)和完成式助動詞 have,後無受詞,可知空格內應置入過去分詞形態的不及物動詞或不及物動詞片語。
b. 符合上述的選項僅有 (C) popped up(突然出現;突然發生),置入後亦符合語意,故選之。
c. pop up  突然出現;突然發生(= spring up)
例: Many cafés have popped up around my university recently.
(最近我的大學校園四周突然冒出許多咖啡店。)
精解字詞片語 


1. price n. 價格,價錢
注意:a. 價錢的昂貴或便宜要用 high 或 low 來修飾。
例: David charged a high price for his work because his paintings were in demand.
(大衛高價出售他的作品,因為他的畫作炙手可熱。)
b. cheap 和 expensive 是形容詞,表示『(價格)便宜的∕昂貴的』,多用來修飾物品,而不可以用來修飾價錢(price)。
例: The price of the apartment is expensive. (╳)
→ The apartment is expensive. (○)
(這棟公寓很貴。)

2. in bulk  大量地
bulk n. 大量 & a. 大量的
bulk buying  大量購買,大批購買
例: It's cheaper to buy food in bulk.
(一次購買大量食物會比較便宜。)

3. discount vt. 將……打折扣 & n. 折扣
give sb a discount on sth  在……上給某人折扣
例: The vendor gave Jenny a discount on the clothing because she always shops there.
(這位小販給珍妮買的衣服打折,因為她常在那裡消費。)

4. well-intentioned a. 出於好意的
例: Although the manager's remarks were well-intentioned, they offended quite a few people.
(雖然經理的言論出自善意,但卻得罪不少人。)

5. prank n. 惡作劇
= a practical joke
play a prank on sb  對某人惡作劇
= play a practical joke on sb
例: Jake loves to play pranks on his friends.
(傑克喜歡對朋友惡作劇。)

6. band together  聯手;團結一致
band vi. 聯合;團結
例: We can get through this if we band together.
(我們團結一致就能度過難關。)

7. rapidly adv. 迅速地
例: The country's birth rate has dropped rapidly over the last 20 years.
(過去 20 年來,該國的出生率快速下滑。)

8. be focused on...  把重心放在……
focus on...  專注於……
例: Sam is focused on getting his thesis finished right now.
(山姆目前把重心放在完成論文上。)
例: I can't focus on my work because it's too noisy in the office.
(我無法專心工作,因為辦公室太吵了。)

9. expand vi. 擴張
例: Our business expanded by buying out our competitors.
(我們公司藉由收購對手公司來擴張事業。)

10. bring in...  賺進……
例: How much revenue did the sale bring in?
(這項買賣賺進多少收入?)
單字小舖 


1. collective a. 集體的,共同的
2. single n. 單身者
3. lightning-fast a. 如閃電般快的
lightning n. 閃電
4. combination n. 結合
5. coupon n. 折價券;優待券
6. certificate n. 憑證,單據
a gift certificate  禮券
7. founder n. 創立者
8. start-up n. 新成立的公司
9. customer n. 顧客
10. premise n. 前提
11. deal n. 交易
12. yoga n. 瑜珈
13. target vt. 規定……的目標
14. internationally adv. 國際性地
15. imitator n. 模仿者
16. competition n. 競爭
中文翻譯&標準答案 


Groupon:大家揪團來撿便宜
Groupon 就是新興網路生意的最佳寫照。
  以前,如果單身者或是小家庭想要以低價購買物品,就必須大量買進才行。但時代已經不同了,現在有一種新興的服務,結合大量購買與迅速的網路科技。 Groupon 結合 group(團體)和 coupon(折價券)這 2 個字,是 1 個有每日好康的交易網站,主打折價禮券,近期在網路世界異軍突起,成為最成功的案例之一。
  如同大多數經營網路生意的業者一樣,Groupon 的創辦人兼執行長安德魯‧梅森也是先歷經失敗才有今天的成功。他最初創辦的 The Point 網站本抱持善意為出發點,但最後卻被人當成惡作劇的工具。然而,梅森發現顧客喜歡一群人一起買東西,所以他成立了 1 個部落格,最後演變成 Groupon。Groupon 的運作前提是 1 樣商品有一定數量的顧客購買,這項交易才會成立。舉例來說,如果某瑜珈課程有 100 名顧客報名購買的話就會打對折。一旦達成預設的人數,Groupon 就可以獲得顧客購買折價券大約一半的金額。但如果沒有達到目標人數,當天就沒有人獲得那項交易。
  起初梅森每天都會寄電子郵件給他名單上的每個人,之後生意迅速擴張。小型企業了解即使他們無法因此賺進大把鈔票,但這還是不失為宣傳商品或服務的好方 法。現在 Groupon 跨足 500 多個生意市場、事業版圖跨越 44 個國家。Groupon 最大的問題之一是,由於它在全球市場上的成功,模仿者因此紛紛冒出頭。對梅森來說,目前他專注於擴張事業,並成為有史以來最快賺進 10 億美元的公司,所以同業競爭不是他眼前最擔心的問題。
答案:1. (E)2. (H)3. (A)4. (I)5. (B)
6. (G)7. (F)8. (D)9. (J)10. (C)
For Your Information 


  有『網路界奧斯卡』之稱的威比獎(Webby Awards)今年 6 月舉行第 15 屆頒獎典禮,Groupon 團購網被評選為今年最異軍突起的網路現象(Webby Breakout of the Year)。
IBM 的超級電腦 Watson(華森),因為在美國益智問答節目 Jeopardy! 中擊敗群雄而被選為年度風雲人物(Webby Person of the Year)。特別終身成就獎(Lifetime Achievement Award)則頒給了行動電話的發明者 Martin Cooper。而橫掃各手機平台的小遊戲 Angry Birds(憤怒鳥)則拿下年度手機遊戲獎項(Best Mobile Game)。
威比獎以考驗贏家的創意著稱,每位得獎人必須經歷艱難挑戰:領獎時致詞不准超過 5 個字。(資料來源:Yahoo!奇摩新聞、蘋果日報)



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