Directions: There are 20 blanks in the following passage. For each blank there are four choices marked A, B, C and D on the right side of the paper. You should choose the ONE that best fits into the passage. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. The term e-commerce refers to all commercial transactions conducted over the Internet, including transactions by consumers and business-to-business transactions. Conceptually, e-commerce does not 1 from well-known commercial offerings such as banking by phone, "mail order" catalogs, or sending a purchase order to supplier 2 fax. E-commerce follows the same model 3 in other business transactions; the difference 4 in the details. To a consumer, the most visible form of e-commerce consists 5 online ordering. A customer begins with a catalog of possible items, 6 an item, arranges a form of payment, and 7 an order. Instead of a physical catalog, e-commerce arranges for catalogs to be 8 on the Internet. Instead of sending an order on paper or by telephone, e-commerce arranges for orders to be sent 9 a computer network. Finally, instead of sending a paper representation of payment such as a check, e-commerce 10 one to send payment information electronically. In the decade 11 1993, e-commerce grew from an 12 novelty (新奇事物) to a mainstream business influence. In 1993, few 13 had a web page, and 14 a handful allowed one to order products or services online. Ten years 15 , both large and small businesses had web pages, and most 16 users with the opportunity to place an order. 17 , many banks added online access, 18 online banking and bill paying became 19 . More importantly, the value of goods and services 20 over the Internet grew dramatically after 1997.

A. Instead
B. Nevertheless
C. However
D. Besides