题目内容

Conventional wisdom is a major barrier to innovation(创新)that threatens the survival of companies everywhere. It’s based on the assumption that old ideas will always work, so they shouldn’t be challenged. While this may be a valid assumption in situations that don’t change, it’s unlikely to hold true in a changing situation. In today’s rapid changing global environment, old methods often don’t work, and stubbornly using them can lead to major problems.

Most people seem to agree with conventional wisdom because it gives one a false sense of security. If everyone else believes it, then it must be tree. Individuals who use conventional wisdom are certain that they are right, and being fight is good. They want to continue using old ideas rather than take risks with changes that might not work. In 1977, Ken Olsen, co-founder and CEO of Digital Equipment Corporation(DEC), stated “There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in his home.” Despite being a dominant leader in the computer industry, DEC no longer exists.

People seem to forget that since innovation is a change, there can be no innovation without change. Unfortunately, conventional wisdom prevents leaders, followers and companies from changing and therefore innovating. If companies don’t innovate, but their competitors do, the future is likely to be problematic(成问题的). Breaking from conventional wisdom has led to many of the most innovative companies and products in history across many industries, so it has a powerful effect on business success.

Ted Turner(founder of CNN) knew little, if anything, about the news business, but he knew it was inconvenient to watch news only at the dinner hour, as was common before CNN. Turner’s solution was to create a cable (有线的)channel devoted to news 24 hours a day. The news establishment reflected conventional wisdom at the time, and predicted his idea would fail because no one wanted to watch the news all day. However, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that viewers don’t have to watch the news all day for the CNN to work. Viewers just have to watch when they want to get information. Due to conventional thinking, the critics failed to recognize the opportunity that was clear to Ted. They assumed that only what was familiar to them could work in the future.

Conventional wisdom prevents creativity, flexibility and risk-taking, so unconventional leaders enthusiastically break from it. To survive, boom and maintain competitive advantage, companies must be flexible when reacting to change.

1.DEC has disappeared probably because ________.

A. the CEO stuck to the conventional ideas

B. the consumers didn’t like its products

C. the leaders lacked the sense of security

D. the employees took many risks with changes

2.The founding of CNN is used as an example to prove ________.

A. missing opportunities could lead to failure

B. watching news at the dinner hour is convenient

C. changing could contribute to business success

D. conventional wisdom influences business success

3.What does the underlined part probably mean?

A. Rocket scientists can ensure the CNN works properly.

B. It’s easy to know people needn’t watch the news all the time.

C. It’s necessary to understand when people watch the news.

D. Most of the viewers don’t like to watch the news at work.

4.The passage is mainly written to tell us that ________.

A. old methods are changing with time

B. opportunities lead to business success

C. successful companies need wise leaders

D. conventional wisdom limits innovation

练习册系列答案
相关题目

完形填空

阅读下面短文,从短文后各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

I’m sitting at my mother’s desk, a mahogany (红木) one with rows of tiny drawers — even a sliding secret compartment (隔间). I’ve _________ it since I was just tall enough to see things _________ it as Mother sat doing letters. Standing by her chair, staring at the ink bottle, pens, and smooth white paper, I _________ that the act of writing must be the most _________ thing in the world.

Years later, during her final illness, Mother_________ various items for my sister and brother. “But the desk,” she’d repeat, “is for Elizabeth.” I sensed Mother communicating with this gift, a communication I’d craved(渴望) for 50 years.

My mother was _________ in the Victorian belief that emotions were _________. I never saw her angry, never saw her cry. I knew she loved me;she expressed it in _________ . But as a teenager I _________ heart-to-heart talks between mother and daughter. They never happened. And a gulf(鸿沟) opened between us.

As_________ passed and I raised my own family, I began to understand her. Forgive me, I wrote, for having been critical. In _________ words, I asked her to let me know in any way she chose that she did forgive me.

I mailed the letter and waited _________ for her reply. None came. Eagerness turned to disappointment, then acceptance and, finally, _________ . I couldn’t be sure that the letter had even got to mother. I only knew that I had written it. I could stop trying to make her into _________ she was not. For the last 15 years of her life we enjoyed a relationship on her light, caring, cheerful.

Now the _________ of her desk told me, as she’d never been able to, that she was pleased that _________ was my chosen work.

The desk stayed in our attic (阁楼) for nearly a year before we turned a bedroom into a study. _________ at last I brought the desk down, it was dusty from months of storage. _________ , I polished the drawers. Pulling out the secret compartment, I found papers inside. And a one-page letter, _________ and refolded many times.

Send me a reply, my letter asks, in any way you choose. Mother, you _________ chose the act that speaks louder than words.

1.A. envied B. loved C. made D. studied

2.A. below B. behind C. above D. inside

3.A. decided B. doubted C. denied D. hoped

4.A. reliable B. clever C. special D. delightful

5.A. bought B. received C. reserved D. ordered

6.A. brought up B. picked up C. dressed up D. given up

7.A. true B. strong C. important D. private

8.A. words B. action C. tears D. secret

9.A. turned down B. sank into C. stuck to D. longed for

10.A. mornings B. centuries C. years D. times

11.A. careful B. direct C. humorous D. rude

12.A. patiently B. eagerly C. quietly D. calmly

13.A. sadness B. curiosity C. peace D. anger

14.A. someone B. anyone C. everybody D. anybody

15.A. story B. gift C. color D. act

16.A. singing B. designing C. painting D. writing

17.A. While B. When C. After D. Since

18.A. Lovingly B. Luckily C. Excitedly D. Carelessly

19.A. read B. hidden C. folded D. enjoyed

20.A. seldom B. usually C. often D. always

完形填空。

There is a workman in America who earns as much as a company director. He is Max Quarterman, a thirty-year-old plasterer (泥瓦匠).

Max lives in an upper middle-class housing estate. His______are mostly bank managers, business executives, airline pilots and the______, but Max’s seven-bedroom house —______$ 80,000 — is the largest in the area. ______ outside the house are Max’s $ 7000 sports car and his wife’s Morris Mini. Indoors is a 150 colour TV set and the family’s ______ — a circular bath with gold-plated taps. There are also many labour-saving ______ and luxury furniture.

How can a plasterer ______ all this? The answer, says Max, is hard work. In ______ with another plasterer, Max______ contract plastering jobs for a firm. The owner of the firm ______ them as human machines, the best and quickest in the ______ , who can do as much in two days as ______two-man team can in two weeks.

How do they manage it? Not by working overtime. They work a(n) ______ eight-hour day, five days a week. The secret ______ in Max’s hod (桶) in which he carries the plaster to the site of the job. Max’s is a superhod — it contains double the usual ______of plaster, and Max, a strong fellow, runs when he carries it. More time is thus ______ to get on with the plastering. Besides, ______ man wastes time smoking, and they ______ their lunch break to a ______ of an hour a day. Now Max earns over $ 800 a week which is four times the average weekly pay in Britain today, and if he gets as ______ as $ 15, it’s a disaster.

1.A. colleagues B. neighbours C. relatives D. friends

2.A. like B. kind C. class D. same

3.A. worthy B. spending C. costing D. worth

4.A. Stopped B. Stopping C. Parked D. Parking

5.A. property B. honour C. facility D. pride

6.A. objects B. devices C. articles D. materials

7.A. acquire B. use C. afford D. provide

8.A. harmony B. correspondence C. partnership D. terms

9.A. makes B. does C. takes D. gets

10.A. tells B. treats C. compares D. describes

11.A. trade B. job C. area D. walk

12.A. no B. few C. any D. all

13.A. unusual B. extra C. ordinary D. normal

14.A. relies B. lies C. hides D. falls

15.A. quality B. size C. quantity D. weight

16.A. left B. needed C. spent D. kept

17.A. both B. either C. neither D. each

18.A. have B. cut C. miss D. spend

19.A. time B. period C. limitation D. total

20.A. much B. little C. more D. less

违法和不良信息举报电话:027-86699610 举报邮箱:58377363@163.com

精英家教网