2015年同等学力英语专项练习(15)

　　Successful business tend to continue implementing the ideas that made them successful. But in a rapidly changing world, ideas often become obsolete overnight. What worked in the past won't necessarily work in the future. In order to thrive in the future, you must constantly create new ideas for every aspect of your business. In fact, you must continually generate new ideas just to keep your head above water. Businesses that aren't creative about their future may not survive.

　　Although Bill Gates is the richest, most successful man on the planet, he did not anticipate the Internet. Now he's scrambling to catch up. If Bill Gates can miss a major aspect of his industry, it can happen to you in your industry. Your business needs to continually innovate and create its future. Gates is now constantly worried about the future of Microsoft. Here's what he said in a recent interview in U.S. news world report: "Will we be replaced tomorrow? No. In a very short time frame, Microsoft is an incredibly strong company. But when you look to the two-to-three-year time frame, I don't think anyone can say with a straight face that any technology company has a guaranteed position. Not Intel, not Microsoft, not Compaq, not Dell, take any of your favorites. And that's totally honest."

　　You may remember that in 1985 the cabbage patch kids dolls were the best selling toy on the market. But after Coleco industries introduced their sensational line of dolls they became complacent and didn't create any new toys worth mentioning. As a result, Coleco went bankrupt in 1988.

　　The most successful businesses survive in the long term because they constantly reassess their situations and reinvest themselves accordingly. The 3M company has a 15 % rule: employees are encouraged to spend 15% of their time developing new ideas on any project they desire. It's no surprise, then, that 3M has been around since 1902.

　　Most businesses are not willing to tear apart last year's model of success and build a new one. Here's a familiar analogy to explain why they are lulled into complacency, imagine that your business is like a pot of lobsters. To cook lobsters, you put them into a pot of warm water and gradually turn up the heat. The lobsters don't realize they're being cooked because the process is so gradual. As a result, they become complacent and die without a struggle. However, if you throw a lobster into the pot when the water is boiling, it will desperately try to escape. This lobster is not lulled by a slowly changing environment. It realizes instantly that it's ill a bad environment and takes immediate action to change its status.

　　1.Judging from the context, "to keep your head above water"(paragraph 1) probably means .

　　a.to be drown

　　b.to keep out of financial difficulty

　　c.to keep away from danger

　　d.to protect you from water

　　2.Why is gates now constantly worried about the future of Microsoft?

　　a.because he is the richest, most successful man on the planet.

　　b.because his company will be replaced tomorrow.

　　c.because in a very short time frame, Microsoft is an incredibly strong company.

　　d.because he doesn't think that any technology company has a guaranteed position.

　　3.Coleco industries' case suggests that .

　　a.the cabbage patch kids dolls were the best-selling toy on the market

　　b.the cabbage patch kids dolls are sensational line of dolls

　　c.complacency and lack of creation will ultimately ruin a business

　　d.the most successful businesses survive in the long term

　　4.According to this passage, the 3M company's success lies in its .

　　a.constant reassessment of their situations

　　b.reinvention

　　c.15% rule

　　d.being around since 1902

　　5.By using the analogy of "throwing a lobster into a pot", the author tries to imply that .

　　a.some managers are really foolish people

　　b.it's cruel to cook lobsters

　　c.people are tend to become complacent

　　d.bad environment calls for immediate action

　　参考答案：

　　1.B 英语成语to keep one's head above water意为“使自己免遭灭顶之灾”，结合本文的的意境为“免于负债”之意，即to keep out of financial difficulty.

　　2.D 见原文第三段最后两句，“I don't think anyone can say with a straight face that any technology company has a guaranteed position. Not Intel, not Microsoft, not Compaq, not Dell, take any of your favorites. And that's totally honest.”盖茨认为任何一个技术公司，包括英特尔、康柏、戴尔都在努力维持和确保自身的地位。而微软的市场地位将来势必受到威胁和冲击。

　　3.C 见原文第四段：“they became complacent and didn't create any new toys worth mentioning. As a result, Coleco went bankrupt in 1998.”作者以Coleco公司为例，指出“故步自封和因循守旧必将使一个企业走向毁灭”。

　　4.C 见原文第五段：The 3M company has a 15% rule: Employees are encouraged to spend 15% of their time developing new ideas on any project they desire.作者认为3M公司的成功在于它的“15%原则”，即“创新意识”。

　　5.D 见原文末句：It realizes instantly that it's in a bad environment and takes immediate action to change its status.

本文选自新东方在线论坛。