Applicant vs. subscriber

[Hassan]

Test No. incompl/advan-1 "Code of Practice", question 4

Thousands of ......... are already signing up for this new telephone service.

(a) individuals
(b) subscribers
(c) applicants
(d) interviewees

Test No. incompl/advan-1 "Code of Practice", answer 4

Thousands of subscribers are already signing up for this new telephone service.

Correct answer: (b) subscribers

Your answer was: incorrect
Thousands of applicants are already signing up for this new telephone service.
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Why not applicants?
Many thanks in advance.

[Torsten]

Hi Hassan,

An applicant is a person who applies for job or another position. A subscriber is a customer, a person who purchases a service or a newspaper or magazine.
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Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary

[anon_anon]

'Thousands of individuals' is definitely a commonly used English phrase. 'Subscribers' is possibly also correct, but if they are in the process of signing up, can they be called subscribers yet?

Also, 'simple example' is just as legitimate as 'prime example', important 'code of practice' be damned. Both are commonly used English phrases. Why is a simple example not possible in relation to a set of important rules? That just doesn't make sense.

[norwin mark]

Your explanation and answer may be well and good BUT a SUBSCRIBER is ALSO someone who IS already SUBSCRIBING TO A SERVICE ... hence, shouldn't INDIVIDUALS also be acceptable since it mainly describes an OPEN MARKET wherein new consumers have yet to be referred to as SUBSCRIBERS?

The English language is vibrant and alive, hence, various nuances continually shatter age-old rigid standards. I think the most important aspect is that relevant meaning is properly presented. I took the test and received 8 out of 10, however, I feel that had INDIVIDUALS likewise be accepted, then it would have been 9/10.

Please enlighten.

[cpmallet]

subscriber...are signing up: seems redundant.

Whould not a subcriber have signed up in the past?

An individual signing up now, may become a subcriber with persistant renewal, or with a history of service purchsed.

[Heike]

To me a 'subscriber" is a person who has already signed up for something. In the context of this sentence "individuals" seems to make much more sense.
It's just a subjective point view.
Best regards,
Heike

[Jason]

[Alan]

Hi,

I'm intrigued at how much interest my test has engendered and in particular the sentence: Thousands of subscribers ... As I intended it, the people who are signing up for the new service are already subscribers and are signing up for a new service within the service they are already subscribing to. It folllows that they are not just individuals/applicants/interviewees.

In my experience if you are already a subscriber to a telephone service, you are constantly receiving information on extra facilities/services.

Can we leave it there?

Alan
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English as a Second Language
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