？Read the following article about investing in shares and the questions below the passage.

？For each question (13-18), mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet for the answer you choose.

Tips for Buying Shares

Investing in the stock market has always been more profitable than putting money info a traditional savings account. However, it is only in the last few years that private share ownership has become accepted as a reliable form. of investment. There are many reasons why more and more people are now buying shares. To begin with. the whole process is now far more flexible and user-friendly and public awareness of investment products and their tax implications is a lot higher. Even more importantly, this awareness means people now realise that the medium to long term shares are far more profitable than deposit accounts. Today, people are also more likely to invest m a company for ethical reasons or as a show of support for that company.

When deciding to invest in shares, it is essential to think about your objectives. In order to avoid an expensive mistake, you need to consider your existing short and long-term financial commitments and how quickly you expect to see a return on your investment. Most importantly, you need to decide the extent to which you are prepared to speculate and then select the investment products which best reflect your attitude towards the perils inherent in any stock market investment

Recently, newspapers have been full of stories of investors realising massive profits. usually in connection with the flood of Internet companies that have issued shares in the last twelve months. Such companies, however, are anything but a safe investment. Although people have been attracted by' phenomenal rate at which these companies are expanding, many investors have seen their shares fall well below the issue price within months of buying them.

Private investors unwilling to tolerate high levels of risk can buy shares in blue chip companies, which are established organisations such as banks or large international corporations. Although such an investment may minimise risks, it also limits the potential profits. Some investors try to remove the element of risk by closely monitoring stock market movements on a daily basis or by paying a regular sum into a managed fund over a long period of time. However. no matter how carefully people follow the markets or what expert advice they receive, statistics show that the safest option is to spread risk by investing in a wide range of different companies across different sectors.

As a first-time investor, it is vital to seek professional advice. Consultants can provide information on how to invest in the most attractive companies. They can explain how stocks. shares and bonds actually work. how much each type of investment costs and. most importantly, which products best match their clients' requirements.

One reliable way of managing investments is through a broker. An alternative method is to deal in shares on the Internet. This incurs none of the regular broker's commission and investors can therefore easily afford to buy and sell shares more regularly. However, although some potential investors may find on-line trading exciting, they should be aware that direct trading is perhaps the least secure way of approaching the stock market, with few investors having the necessary skills and knowledge to make any profit whatsoever, never mind the fortunes popularised by the media.

According to the text, more people are now buying shares because

A．more ethical investments are available.

B．investors get a better rate of return.

C．investment periods arc more flexible.

D．investors pay less tax on earnings.