四、閱讀測驗【請依照段落上下文意,選出最適當的答案】
Early in 2021, a little-known app called Clubhouse exploded in popularity. The app had been around since the
previous summer, but was only being used by a small handful of wealthy employees at American technology
companies. Today, it has millions of users around the world. Clubhouse is unlike any other app on the market. It allows users to create a room where they can invite others to
participate in discussions. The chats are not done through text, but through audio. This way, everyone in the room can
literally have a voice and participate in conversations with strangers. Clubhouse differs from other platforms in that
the chat rooms are created with certain topics. These can range from the stock market to cooking to politics to…well,
there is no limit. One difference, and major benefit, of Clubhouse is that the audio isn’t saved after it’s heard. People
can chat without much fear of their opinions being recorded, shared, and saved on the Internet.
People in China and Taiwan took advantage of that feature early in the app’s emerging popularity. It provided an
opportunity for people in both countries to talk honestly and peacefully with each other. Some Chinese citizens
seemed to express support for Taiwan, mentioning that their schools had forced them to learn only the Chinese side of
Taiwan’s history. Many users wanted to know more about Taiwan, and people on both sides had a civil dialogue about
their cultures and governments. The heartwarming chats ended soon after, though, when the Chinese authorities
blocked the app.
Elsewhere, politicians, such as South Korea’s prime minister, are beginning to use Clubhouse, believing it might
one day become essential for keeping in touch with voters. If you’re interested in joining, be aware that you must be
invited into the service by an existing user. The same was true for Facebook in its early days, so there is a chance that
the invitation-only feature could be dropped in the future.
【題組】32. According to the article, how is Clubhouse different from other apps?
(A) You can discuss in groups.
(B) You can communicate either by sending messages or talking to others.
(C) Everyone can use it for free.
(D) It provides topics for each chat room to talk about.