DVD for Rent

　　1 A pay-for-play system for video DVD will emerge by summer as an alternative, and possibly a competitor, to the DVD format currently available.

　　2 The new system, called Digital Video Express (Divx), operates like a DVD player, except for the specially coded discs. These will cost $5 for initial viewing over a 48-hour period and can be viewed again for additional fees and even purchased for unlimited viewing.

　　3 Divx combines the service of a video rental (出租的) store with the operation of a pay-per-view "IV channel. Unlike a rented videotape, though, the Divx disc needn't be returned. Customers can retain the disc for replay in the future at an additional fee, or simply throw it away.

　　4 Subsequent plays, or the purchase of unlimited-viewing rights, are billed to the customer's Divx account and charged to a credit card. The player's built-in memory keeps track of all Divx plays, and sends this information by toll-free phone modem (调制解调器) to the Divx record-keeping centre. Each Divx disc and player has a unique identification code, so the system knows which discs have been played and where.

　　5 Some Divx discs could be converted for unlimited play at a price likely to be lower than buying a conventional DVD. Others, called Divx Gold, would be sold from the beginning for unlimited play without further charge. Although conventional DVDs will run in a Divx player, conventional DVD players will lack the decoding (解码) and communications ability to play Divx discs. Divx players will be offered by Panasonic, RCA, and Zenith.

　　6 About 100 discs will be available initially from Disney, Dreamworks, Paramount, and Universal, growing to 500 titles within a year. Other film makers have yet to adopt the Divx system, which is owned by retailer Circuit City, the 350-store electronics chain that bankrolled (提供资金)its development.

　　1 Paragraph 2_________.

　　2 Paragraph 3_________.

　　3 Paragraph 4_________.

　　4 Paragraph 5_________.

　　A Booming Business of Circuit City

　　B Superior Quality of Conventional DVD Discs

　　C The New System Called Divx

　　D Unlimited Play of Divx Discs

　　E Disc-play Tracking and Billing Systems

　　F Two Functions Combined

　　5 The Divx disc is different from the rented videotape in that once offered, the Divx disc　　　　　　 .

　　6 Every Divx disc has a special code so that the rental shop can identify which disc　　　　　　 .

　　7 If converted for unlimited use, the Divx disc　　　　　　 .

　　8 The conventional DVD player cannot play any Divx disc because the disc　　　　　　 .

　　A will not be taken back by the shop

　　B is specially coded

　　C is bankrolled by Panasonic, etc

　　D is likely to be cheaper than the conventional DVD disc

　　E has been played and where

　　F is owned by retailer Circuit City

　　【参考答案】

　　1. C　　2. F　　3. E　　4. D

　　5. A　　6. E　　7. D　　8. B