MydaughterrecentlyaskedmewhataTravelAgencydoes.Thereisonelocatedonourstreetandithasjustbeencompletelyrebuilt.Itoldherthattheyhelpedpeoplebooktheirtripsandvacations.“Whyhaven’tweeverbeeninthere?”shewantedtoknow.“Becausewedoeverythingourselvesonlinethesedays”Iexplained.“Butwhydoityourselfifotherpeoplewanttodoitforyou?”shewonderedoutloud.

Theansweristhatthetravelagencymakesalittlebitofmoneyoneachticketyoubookthroughthem.Ifyoubookyourticketyourselfonlineyousavethatmoney.Savingmoneysoundsgreatexceptthatwhenyouthinkaboutityoutypicallyspendthreeeveningscomparingpricestoendupsaving$30ona$300trip.Allthose$30discountsaddupofcoursesoIguessweshouldbehappywiththat.

Stillhowbadisitreallytopaysomeone$30andtrustthemtobuyyousomethingdecent?Wouldn’tyousayyourfreeeveningsareworthmorethan$10apiece?

Considerbooksforamoment.BuyingyourbookatAmazonsavesyoumaybe30%to40%oneachbook.Addtothattheconvenienceofshoppingfromhomeandgettingthepackagedeliveredtoyourhomeaddress.Sofarsogood.

UnfortunatelythatdoesmeanyouspendwaytoomuchtimebrowsingAmazon.comwhileyoucoulddosomethingfuninstead.Likemaybereadinganactualbook?

Thenthepackagearrivesandyouaren’thomeandenduphavingtopickitupatthelocalpost-office.AllinallIwonderhowmuchtimeIendupinvestinginthewholeprocess.

Timesoundsfreebuttomostofusitismorevaluablethanmoney.

TheInternetEconomypromisedtogetridofthemiddle-menandwelovedit.SomehowI’mstartingtogetthefeelingthatweourselvesendedupdoingthe workofthatmiddle-menweweresoeagertogetridof.

Inanyprojectyoucanalwayspicktwoofthese:fastcheaporgood.Weseemtohavefocusedaloton‘cheap’and‘good’buttheextratimeweneedtoinvesttokeepit‘fast’comesoutofourownpockets.

Youcanalwaysmakemoremoneybutyoucannevermakemoretime.

小题1:Whatisthepurposeofthefirstparagraph?A．Itmainlyshowsthecuriosityoftheauthor’sdaughter.B．ItindicatesthattheInternethasinfluencedourdailylife.C．Ittellsustheimportanceofa