A Quick Way to Pay

一种快捷的支付方式

Of all the advances of the 21st century, one comes immediately to mind: the smartphone. This hand-held computer has grown in popularity since iPhones hit the market about 12 years ago. Now, smartphones can be found almost everywhere.

提及21世纪的所有进步，有一项会立即出现在脑海中：智能手机。自12年前 iPhone 面市以来，手持计算机越来越受欢迎。现在，智能手机几乎无处不在。

According to Common Sense Media, teens spend an average of nine hours on their screens each day. Kids may be texting friends, scrolling through social media posts, or watching videos.

根据常识媒体报道，青少年平均每天花在屏幕上的时间为9个小时。他们可能在给朋友发短信、浏览社交媒体的帖子、或者观看视频。

Companies are taking advantage of all of this screen time with apps and other tools that allow purchases to be made with a click or a scan.

企业正在利用这些屏幕时间，通过应用程序和其它工具，用户只需点击或扫描就能完成购买。

Alipay is one example. The online payment platform was established in China in 2004 by Alibaba. In 2013, Alipay overtook PayPal as the largest payment platform in the world.

支付宝就是一个例子。这个在线支付平台，由阿里巴巴于2004年在中国建立。2013年，支付宝超过 PayPal 成为全球最大的支付平台。

Nearly 1 billion people use the app. The process is simple: Scan the QR code in the storefront window, press pay on your phone, and type in a passcode.

近10亿人在使用这款应用程序。使用过程很简单：扫描店面橱窗里的二维码，在手机上按下支付，然后输入密码。

Everyone is assigned an electronic "wallet" which links to an individual’s bank account, allowing all types of funds to enter or exit.

每个人都有一个电子“钱包”，它与个人银行账户相关联，允许各种类型资金的流入或流出。

A PHONE AND A FINGERPRINT

Wang Fang has been a vendor at a farmers’ market in Shanghai, China, for 20 years.

王芳在中国上海的一个农贸市场，做了20年的小贩。

"In the past three years," Fang observed, "more and more people have been choosing electronic payments. All you need is your phone and your fingerprint."

“在过去的三年里，”王方说，“越来越多的人选择了电子支付。你只需要手机和指纹。”

Fang said that it's impossible to have a business these days without a sign out front that says, "Electronic payments accepted." An estimated 50% of customers in China now pay for their items electronically.

王方说，如今，如果店面没有一个写着“支持电子支付”的牌子，就不可能做生意。据估计，目前中国有50%的消费者，使用电子支付的方式购物。

Young people are using the platform the most. Having grown up with smartphones and laptops, they tend to be more technologically advanced than their elders.

年轻人使用这个平台最多。由智能手机和笔记本电脑伴随长大的他们，往往比他们的长辈在技术上更先进。

SPENDING MONEY WISELY

As payment platforms became increasingly accessible across China, teens are learning how to spend their money wisely.

随着支付平台在中国越来越普及，青少年正在学习如何明智地花钱。

"Electronic payments have given me new responsibilities, both positive and negative," said Andrew Huang, an eighth-grade classmate and friend who has a thriving YouTube presence.

"With the convenience of these apps, I'm given more opportunities to run errands, but also to spend my allowance. I find myself spending a lot more of my own money."

“电子支付给了我新的责任，既有积极的，也有消极的，”八年级的同学兼朋友安德鲁黄说，他在YouTube上人气很高。“有了这些应用程序的便利性，我有更多的机会去跑腿，但也有更多的机会去花钱。我发现自己花了更多的钱。”

Many teens have the same issue—how to spend one’s money conscientiously amid all of the conveniences.

许多青少年都有同样的问题——如何在各种便利条件下谨慎花钱。

"Walking down the street, I may be tempted to buy a snack,"Andrew added, "because I have easy access to my electronic wallet."

“走在街上，我可能会忍不住买零食，”安德鲁补充说，“因为我很容易就可以接触到我的电子钱包。”

According to Fang, the switch from cash to apps is worth it. "Electronic payments have changed our way of paying,"she said, "making everything more efficient."

王方表示，从现金到应用程序的转变是值得的。“电子支付改变了我们的支付方式，”她说，“让一切变得更有效率。”

· electronic payment

a way of paying for a goods or services electronically, instead of using cash or a check, in person or by mail.

稿件记者: Zoe Jen Chao

Annika Petras 2005年出生，现居于中国。她是女童子军成员，也是学校篮球队和辩论队的成员；喜欢阅读、运动、唱歌。

图片 | Scholastic

编译 | Scholastic

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