Apple is preparing to launch an “iWallet” app allowing customers to pay easily for with their mobile phone. The project is believed the already have Visa on board, and is expected to use the firm’s Touch ID fingerprint sensor to confirm a customer’s identity. The app could launch in the Autumn alongside Apple’s new iPhone 6.

Apple will unveil the iPhone 6 in mid-September. The handset will be available in two sizes - a 4.7inch and 5.5inch version. According to tech blog The Information, “Apple executives have discussed launching a mobile ‘wallet’ as soon as this fall for people to use their iPhones to pay for goods in physical stores.”

Apple has told some partners its system would involve a so-called secured element in the phones—a piece of hardware where sensitive information such as a phone owner’s financial credentials can be stored. This expected to be the same secure system currently used to store fingerprint information, which is also set to store health data.

Earlier this month Visa launched a new service called Visa Checkout that gets rid of a few steps in online payment. The company and its retailing partners, including Neiman Marcus, Pizza Hut, Staples and others, hope a quicker payout will lead to sales rise online. 

As more customers shop on smaller screens like smartphones and tablets, the trouble of entering in credit card numbers and billing addresses is becoming a tough problem and payment processors have been working to find ways to simplify the process.

Visa Checkout joins similar services like eBay’s PayPal, MasterCard’s MasterPass, Amazon’s one-click checkout and others. Visa has been working to expand its reach into the payments processing business with new products like Visa Checkout. 

The company is also opening a technology center in San Francisco in an effort to court mobile developers in the Bay Area tech community. It plans to hire 100 new technology workers for the center.

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1.What is an “iWallet” that will be launched by Apple?

A It is a secured element.

B It is a mobile phone app.

C It is a mobile phone.

D It is a fingerprint sensor.

解析：选B。B。细节理解题。根据文章第一段an “iWallet” app allowing customers to pay easily for with their mobile phone可知，iWallet即移动钱包是一款应用软件，有助于用手机支付。故选B。

2.What convenience will the “iWallet” bring to the users?

A It helps the customer confirm his identity.

B It helps the customer oversee his health problems.

C It helps the customer with his online payment.

D It helps the customer pay for goods in physical stores.

解析：选D。D。细节理解题。根据文章第二段for people to use their iPhones to pay for goods in physical stores可知，移动钱包的好处在于使用户在实体店消费时方便支付。故选D。

3.What is suggested in the passage?

A It is complex to enter credit card numbers and addresses.

B It takes much effort to shop on smartphones or tablets.

C It takes much time to confirm the shopper’s fingerprint information.

D It is difficult to keep safe the shopper’s financial data.

解析：选A。A。推理判断题。根据文章第五段…the trouble of entering in credit card numbers and billing addresses is becoming a tough problem可以判断，用户认为输入信用卡号和账单地址太过复杂，这是支付服务技术目前需要解决的棘手问题。

4.Which of the following does Visa Checkout work with in the field of payment processing business?

A Neiman Marcus.

B Amazon’s one-click checkout

C Pizza Hut.

D Staples

解析：选B。B。细节理解题。根据文章第六段Visa Checkout joins similar services like …Amazon’s one-click checkout and others可知，“亚马逊一点通”是一个支付服务公司，故选B。

5.What does the underlined word most probably mean in the last paragraph?

A Charge.

B Question.

C Employ.

D Serve.

解析：选C。C。猜测词义题。根据前文的opening，结合下文的hire可知，此处的court意为“雇佣，征用”。