Part A: Reading Comprehension

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We have all encountered them, in both our personal and professional lives. Think about the times you felt tricked or frustrated by a membership or subscription that had a seamless sign-up process but was later difficult to cancel. Something that should be simple and transparent can be complicated, intentionally or unintentionally, in ways that impair consumer choice. These are examples of dark patterns.

First coined in 2010 by user experience expert Harry Brignull, “dark patterns” is a catch-all term for practices that manipulate user interfaces to influence the decision-making ability of users. Brignull identifies 12 types of common dark patterns, ranging from misdirection and hidden costs to “roach motel,” where a user experience seems easy and intuitive at the start, but turns difficult when the user tries to get out.

In a 2019 study of 53,000 product pages and 11,000 websites, researchers found that about one in 10 employs these design practices. Though widely prevalent, the concept of dark patterns is still not well understood. Business and nonprofit leaders should be aware of dark patterns and try to avoid the gray areas they engender.

Where is the line between ethical, persuasive design and dark patterns? Businesses should engage in conversations with IT, compliance, risk, and legal teams to review their privacy policy, and include in the discussion the customer/user experience designers and coders responsible for the company’s user interface, as well as the marketers and advertisers responsible for sign-ups, checkout baskets, pricing, and promotions. Any or all these teams can play a role in creating or avoiding “digital deception.”

Lawmakers and regulators are slowly starting to address the ambiguity around dark patterns, most recently at the state level. In March, the California Attorney General announced the approval of additional regulations under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) that “ensure that consumers will not be confused or misled when seeking to exercise their data privacy rights.” The regulations aim to ban dark patterns—this means prohibiting companies from using “confusing language or unnecessary steps such as forcing them to click through multiple screens or listen to reasons why they shouldn’t opt out.”

As more states consider promulgating additional regulations, there is a need for greater accountability from within the business community. Dark patterns also can be addressed on a self-regulatory basis, but only if organizations hold themselves accountable, not just to legal requirements but also to industry best practices and standards.

31. It can be learned from the first two paragraphs that dark patterns

[A]

improve user experiences. 

[B]

leak user information for profit. 

[C]

undermine users’ decision-making. 

[D]

remind users of hidden costs. 

32. The 2019 study on dark patterns is mentioned to show

[A]

their major flaws. 

[B]

their complex designs. 

[C]

their severe damage. 

[D]

their strong presence. 

33. To handle digital deception, businesses should

[A]

listen to customer feedback. 

[B]

talk with relevant teams. 

[C]

turn to independent agencies. 

[D]

rely on professional training. 

34. The additional regulations under the CCPA are intended to

[A]

guide users through opt-out processes. 

[B]

protect consumers from being tricked. 

[C]

grant companies data privacy rights. 

[D]

restrict access to problematic content. 

35. According to the last paragraph, a key to coping with dark patterns is

[A]

new legal requirements. 

[B]

businesses’ self-discipline. 

[C]

strict regulatory standards. 

[D]

consumers’ safety awareness. 

答案解析 (Answers & Explanations)

31. [C] undermine users’ decision-making.
解析：细节推理题。第一段指出，暗黑模式以“损害消费者选择（impair consumer choice）”的方式存在。第二段进一步明确定义：“暗黑模式”是那些操纵用户界面以“影响用户的决策能力（influence the decision-making ability of users）”的做法的统称。选项[C]中的“破坏/削弱用户的决策（undermine users' decision-making）”正是对其同义替换。

32. [D] their strong presence.
解析：例证题。第三段引用2019年的研究数据：在53000个产品页面和11000个网站中，大约十分之一采用了这种设计。紧接着作者总结道：“尽管广泛存在/非常普遍（Though widely prevalent）……”。引用这些庞大的数据就是为了证明它“强烈的存在感（strong presence）”，选D。

33. [B] talk with relevant teams.
解析：细节题。第四段针对如何区分合乎道德的设计和暗黑模式提出建议：“企业应该与IT、合规、风险和法律团队进行对话（engage in conversations with IT, compliance, risk, and legal teams），并在讨论中包括……设计师、程序员、营销人员等”。因为这些团队都会在“制造或避免数字欺骗（digital deception）”中发挥作用。“进行对话/交谈”同义替换为选项[B]“talk with relevant teams”。

34. [B] protect consumers from being tricked.
解析：细节题。第五段指出加州出台 CCPA 附加法规的目的：“确保消费者在寻求行使他们的数据隐私权时不会被困惑或误导（will not be confused or misled）”。法规还禁止公司使用令人困惑的语言或不必要的步骤强迫用户。不被误导即“保护消费者免受欺骗（protect consumers from being tricked）”，选B。

35. [B] businesses’ self-discipline.
解析：段落主旨题。最后一段指出：“企业界内部需要有更大的问责制。暗黑模式也可以在自律的基础上（on a self-regulatory basis）得到解决，但前提是组织对自己负责（organizations hold themselves accountable）”。选项[B]的“businesses' self-discipline（企业的自律）”精准概括了“self-regulatory basis”和“hold themselves accountable”，为正确答案。

核心长难句精解 (High-Light)

1. 关系代词引导的定语从句与条件转折：
"Think about the times you felt tricked or frustrated by a membership or subscription that had a seamless sign-up process but was later difficult to cancel."
【解析】`Think about...` 是祈使句。`you felt tricked...` 是省略了关系副词 `when/that` 的定语从句，修饰 `the times`（回想那些时刻）。而在 `membership or subscription` 后面，又跟了一个由 `that` 引导的定语从句，并在定语从句内部使用了 `but` 连接两个转折状态（注册无缝衔接，但后来很难取消），生动刻画了流氓软件的特征。

2. 过去分词作状语与同位语从句：
"First coined in 2010 by user experience expert Harry Brignull, “dark patterns” is a catch-all term for practices that manipulate user interfaces to influence the decision-making ability of users."
【解析】句首的 `First coined in 2010...` 是过去分词短语作背景状语，修饰主语 `dark patterns`，说明这个词的由来。主句中 `for practices` 后面跟着 `that` 引导的定语从句，解释了这些做法的具体手段（操纵用户界面）和目的（影响决策能力）。

3. 破折号解释说明与动名词复合结构：
"The regulations aim to ban dark patterns—this means prohibiting companies from using “confusing language or unnecessary steps such as forcing them to click through multiple screens or listen to reasons why they shouldn’t opt out.”"
【解析】破折号后解释法规的具体禁令。`prohibiting... from doing...` 是固定搭配（禁止某人做某事）。在 `using` 动名词后面跟着冗长的宾语，其中 `such as` 后面的 `forcing` 进一步举例。在 `forcing` 结构里，包含 `click` 和 `listen` 两个并列的不定式。最后 `reasons` 后面还有一个 `why` 引导的定语从句，结构环环相扣。