18．New research offers fresh insight on when to launch a product or service，and shows that being first to market isn't always a competitive advantage．
In 2004，David Cohen had an idea for a social network for mobile phones that would connect users in the real world．His company，called iContact，launched a beta version （ 测试版 ），and seemed ready to tap the muchpublicized mobile software market．Cohen，then 36，had already founded a successful software company． （51）C，after 18 months，he was unable to get phone carriersto distribute his software，and he closed the company．
Bets on mobile applications didn't begin to （52）D until Apple's iPhone app storeopened the market in 2008．
Conventional （53）B says being first to market creates a competitive advantage．Reality is more complicated．Market opportunities are （54）C opening and closing，and a hit idea at one point could be a failure a year earlier or a yawning"me too"business a year later．It's tough---likely （55）A---to identify the best moment to enter a market，but common sense dictates new entrepreneurs （ 创业人 ） can improve their odds （ 机会 ） if they （56）C how much they bearto gain or lose by waiting．
New academic research suggests one way entrepreneurs can （57）Bwhether they should enter a market first or wait on the sidelines．The decision depends on how hostile （ 不利的 ） the learning environment is； （58）C，how much entrepreneurs can learn by observing other players before they （59）A，compared to what they learn from participating after they enter，according to Moren Levesque，an entrepreneurship researcher at the University of Waterloo．Levesque，along with professors Maria Minniti of Southern Methodist University and Dean Shepherd of Indiana University，used a mathematical （60）D to weigh the risks and benefits of entering the market early．Their research is among the first to explore"how different learning environments may influence the entry behavior of entrepreneurs．"
The key to the academics'findings on timing is this：In a hostile learning environment，entrepreneurs gain relatively （61）C benefit by watching others．For example，if the relevant knowledge is （62）Bintellectual property，studying the market before entering wouldn't yield much advantage．In these situations，the trade-off （ 权衡利弊 ） （63）A entering early．But in less hostile learning environments，where entrepreneurs gain valuable information （64）Bto increase their success just by watching other companies，companies benefit from waiting and learning lessons from earlier players．IContact's successors，for example，may have learned from watching the company's trouble in getting mobile networks to distribute their software，a barrier that was （65）D by the iPhone's app store．
In 2004，David Cohen had an idea for a social network for mobile phones that would connect users in the real world．His company，called iContact，launched a beta version （ 测试版 ），and seemed ready to tap the muchpublicized mobile software market．Cohen，then 36，had already founded a successful software company． （51）C，after 18 months，he was unable to get phone carriersto distribute his software，and he closed the company．
Bets on mobile applications didn't begin to （52）D until Apple's iPhone app storeopened the market in 2008．
Conventional （53）B says being first to market creates a competitive advantage．Reality is more complicated．Market opportunities are （54）C opening and closing，and a hit idea at one point could be a failure a year earlier or a yawning"me too"business a year later．It's tough---likely （55）A---to identify the best moment to enter a market，but common sense dictates new entrepreneurs （ 创业人 ） can improve their odds （ 机会 ） if they （56）C how much they bearto gain or lose by waiting．
New academic research suggests one way entrepreneurs can （57）Bwhether they should enter a market first or wait on the sidelines．The decision depends on how hostile （ 不利的 ） the learning environment is； （58）C，how much entrepreneurs can learn by observing other players before they （59）A，compared to what they learn from participating after they enter，according to Moren Levesque，an entrepreneurship researcher at the University of Waterloo．Levesque，along with professors Maria Minniti of Southern Methodist University and Dean Shepherd of Indiana University，used a mathematical （60）D to weigh the risks and benefits of entering the market early．Their research is among the first to explore"how different learning environments may influence the entry behavior of entrepreneurs．"
The key to the academics'findings on timing is this：In a hostile learning environment，entrepreneurs gain relatively （61）C benefit by watching others．For example，if the relevant knowledge is （62）Bintellectual property，studying the market before entering wouldn't yield much advantage．In these situations，the trade-off （ 权衡利弊 ） （63）A entering early．But in less hostile learning environments，where entrepreneurs gain valuable information （64）Bto increase their success just by watching other companies，companies benefit from waiting and learning lessons from earlier players．IContact's successors，for example，may have learned from watching the company's trouble in getting mobile networks to distribute their software，a barrier that was （65）D by the iPhone's app store．
| 51．A．Otherwise | B．Moreover | C．However | D．Therefore |
| 52．A．pay in | B．pay back | C．pay for | D．pay off |
| 53．A．custom | B．wisdom | C．habit | D．experience |
| 54．A．completely | B．confusingly | C．constantly | D．increasingly |
| 55．A．impossible | B．possible | C．potential | D．manageable |
| 56．A．imagine | B．interpret | C．weigh | D．measure |
| 57．A．value | B．evaluate | C．ensure | D．convince |
| 58．A．after all | B．as a result | C．in other words | D．in addition |
| 59．A．launch | B．campaign | C．strike | D．function |
| 60．A．version | B．pattern | C．example | D．model |
| 61．A．few | B．many | C．little | D．much |
| 62．A．provided | B．protected | C．shared | D．improved |
| 63．A．favors | B．dislikes | C．opposes | D．concerns |
| 64．A．unlikely | B．likely | C．unbelievable | D．questionable |
| 65．A．lowered | B．created | C．resolved | D．removed |
17．Corporate scandals （丑闻），like political scandals，start with shocking revelation and then move inevitably into who-knew-what stage．This is where executives can start reestablishing their （51）A--or deepen the damage．
Since they were forced to （52）C one of the biggest frauds （欺诈行为） in auto industry history last month，the executives at Volkswagen have offered （53）B and promised to fix the cheating devices wired into eleven millions of their diesel cars （柴油车）．But they haven't explained who ordered，（54）A and designed the software that enabled the cars to cheat on emissions tests while emitting （55）D on the road．Nor has Volkswagen said how and when it plans to fix the cars，which many customers bought in the belief that they were fuel （56）B and clean．
On October 8，German prosecutors （检察官） broke into the corporate offices as part of their investigation．Meanwhile，Matthias Muller，the （57）D appointed chief executive，continued to insist that the former executive，Martin Winterkorn，who resigned shortly after the scandal，knew （58）C．"Do you really think that a chief executive had time for the inner functioning of engine software？"he said in a recent interview，as if the problem was some
（59）A shortcoming and not an elaborate effort to （60）D regulators and customers around the world．
If Mr．Winterkorn was not responsible，who was？Nobody believes that the handful of senior managers could have （61）C this scheme without any support．Hans-Dieter Potsch，a supervisory board chairman，issued a statement earlier this month，saying it would take time before Volkswagen could make （62）B the findings of its internal investigations．"We must overcome the crisis，"he explained，"but we must also ensure that Volkswagen continues to grow．"That seems to miss the point that Volkswagen will neither overcome the crisis nor grow unless it can instantly produce some （63）A answers and explanations．
Even if they manage to fix millions of cars，Volkswagen executives will still face an enormous （64）D from lawsuits，lost sales and the （65）B to Volkswagen's reputation．There is no device to block the angry and urgent questions that they face．Apologizing is just the easy part．
Since they were forced to （52）C one of the biggest frauds （欺诈行为） in auto industry history last month，the executives at Volkswagen have offered （53）B and promised to fix the cheating devices wired into eleven millions of their diesel cars （柴油车）．But they haven't explained who ordered，（54）A and designed the software that enabled the cars to cheat on emissions tests while emitting （55）D on the road．Nor has Volkswagen said how and when it plans to fix the cars，which many customers bought in the belief that they were fuel （56）B and clean．
On October 8，German prosecutors （检察官） broke into the corporate offices as part of their investigation．Meanwhile，Matthias Muller，the （57）D appointed chief executive，continued to insist that the former executive，Martin Winterkorn，who resigned shortly after the scandal，knew （58）C．"Do you really think that a chief executive had time for the inner functioning of engine software？"he said in a recent interview，as if the problem was some
（59）A shortcoming and not an elaborate effort to （60）D regulators and customers around the world．
If Mr．Winterkorn was not responsible，who was？Nobody believes that the handful of senior managers could have （61）C this scheme without any support．Hans-Dieter Potsch，a supervisory board chairman，issued a statement earlier this month，saying it would take time before Volkswagen could make （62）B the findings of its internal investigations．"We must overcome the crisis，"he explained，"but we must also ensure that Volkswagen continues to grow．"That seems to miss the point that Volkswagen will neither overcome the crisis nor grow unless it can instantly produce some （63）A answers and explanations．
Even if they manage to fix millions of cars，Volkswagen executives will still face an enormous （64）D from lawsuits，lost sales and the （65）B to Volkswagen's reputation．There is no device to block the angry and urgent questions that they face．Apologizing is just the easy part．
| 51．A．reputation | B．revenge | C．responsibility | D．revolution |
| 52．A．commit | B．recognize | C．admit | D．revise |
| 53．A．gratitude | B．apologies | C．guidance | D．authorities |
| 54．A．approved | B．chose | C．withdrew | D．undertook |
| 55．A．light | B．ashes | C．smell | D．pollutants |
| 56．A．effective | B．efficient | C．extinct | D．essential |
| 57．A．officially | B．voluntarily | C．temporarily | D．newly |
| 58．A．anything | B．something | C．nothing | D．everything |
| 59．A．minor | B．major | C．inferior | D．superior |
| 60．A．conceal | B．confuse | C．attract | D．deceive |
| 61．A．held on | B．got rid of | C．carried out | D．made up |
| 62．A．clear | B．public | C．possible | D．convenient |
| 63．A．convincing | B．likely | C．factual | D．solid |
| 64．A．conflict | B．opportunities | C．competitions | D．challenges |
| 65．A．response | B．blow | C．solution | D．key |
16．
There's nothing that will ruin your day faster than being stuck in a traffic jam all morning，and it's even worse when there's （41）seemingly no reason for it．There's a lot of interesting science behind traffic，though，and while understanding it might not make sitting in it any better，it can teach you how to avoid some of the mistakes we all make behind the wheel．
1．The way we merge （合并） causes problems
Whether you're merging from the left or the right，（42）chances are good that you're doing it wrong and causing all sorts of problems．When most people see that they need to merge，their first （43）instinct is to do it right away．They brake，slow down，speed up，and change lanes in between oncoming traffic．According to the Minnesota department of Transportation，that's completely wrong．Sudden （44）slowing causes traffic to back up，a problem that's made worse by sudden lane changes and other cars braking to （45）accommodate the merging traffic．
So what should you do？Exactly what you probably blame drivers for doing：waiting until the last minute．If you do that，traffic will fall into a more natural pattern called a"zipper merge"，meaning there are no surprises，no sudden braking，and a smoother transition from one lane to another，which cuts down on backups．This does，of course，rely on other drivers to let you in at the last minute and be polite enough not to cut you off，which causes all sorts of other problems．
=2．You are causing the traffic Jams you hate
Traffic jams have long been chalked up to （取决于） the （46）volume of traffic on the roads，but it turns out that even heavy traffic can （47）flow smoothly if people maintain a （48）constant speed．The problem is that we can't．Researchers have found that just one person even slightly stepping on their brakes can have a terrible effect on the traffic around them．
On even （49）moderately busy road，it can be only a few minutes for traffic to a complete halt behind someone who （50）tapped their brakes to let another driver merge．The standstill usually occurs several minutes after the braking，well after the person that causes the problem in the first place has gone on his way．
| A．moderately B．chances C．accommodate D．volume E．conflicting F．flow G．constant H．tapped I．instinct J．seemingly K．slowing |
1．The way we merge （合并） causes problems
Whether you're merging from the left or the right，（42）chances are good that you're doing it wrong and causing all sorts of problems．When most people see that they need to merge，their first （43）instinct is to do it right away．They brake，slow down，speed up，and change lanes in between oncoming traffic．According to the Minnesota department of Transportation，that's completely wrong．Sudden （44）slowing causes traffic to back up，a problem that's made worse by sudden lane changes and other cars braking to （45）accommodate the merging traffic．
So what should you do？Exactly what you probably blame drivers for doing：waiting until the last minute．If you do that，traffic will fall into a more natural pattern called a"zipper merge"，meaning there are no surprises，no sudden braking，and a smoother transition from one lane to another，which cuts down on backups．This does，of course，rely on other drivers to let you in at the last minute and be polite enough not to cut you off，which causes all sorts of other problems．
=2．You are causing the traffic Jams you hate
Traffic jams have long been chalked up to （取决于） the （46）volume of traffic on the roads，but it turns out that even heavy traffic can （47）flow smoothly if people maintain a （48）constant speed．The problem is that we can't．Researchers have found that just one person even slightly stepping on their brakes can have a terrible effect on the traffic around them．
On even （49）moderately busy road，it can be only a few minutes for traffic to a complete halt behind someone who （50）tapped their brakes to let another driver merge．The standstill usually occurs several minutes after the braking，well after the person that causes the problem in the first place has gone on his way．
12．
The German Chancellor，Angela Merkel has been named TIME's 2015Person of the Year．She's led Germany since 2005and is （41）D her third time．
"TIME"has named a person of a year since 1927．The recipient is someone or some group that for better or worse is considered to have had a major （42）E on world events．It is decided by the editors of the （43）G magazine．Last year the title went to Ebola fighters and the year before that，Pope Francis．
TIME Magazine gave a number of reasons why it chose Merkel，from how she's handled Europe's economic crisis，to how she's responded to terrorist attacks in the region，to how she's （44）C the continent's ongoing refugee crisis．Her high （45）A rating in Germany has slipped recently because many Germans don't agree with her （46）F to that crisis．So，the reaction in her home country was （47）I．
Nancy Gibbs，the editor of TIME wrote that the Chancellor was awarded the title for"asking more of her country than most politicians would dare，for standing firm against tyranny．"
She also praised Merkel，the first woman to be named the title for 29years，for her leadership during the refugee crisis．"At a moment when much of the world is once more （48）K in a debate about the balance between safety and freedom，the Chancellor is asking a great deal of the German people，and by their example，the rest of us as well．She views refugees as victims to be （49）H rather than（50）B to be repelled…"
0 138023 138031 138037 138041 138047 138049 138053 138059 138061 138067 138073 138077 138079 138083 138089 138091 138097 138101 138103 138107 138109 138113 138115 138117 138118 138119 138121 138122 138123 138125 138127 138131 138133 138137 138139 138143 138149 138151 138157 138161 138163 138167 138173 138179 138181 138187 138191 138193 138199 138203 138209 138217 151629
| A．approval B．invaders C．addressed D．serving E．impact F．response G．influential H．rescued I．mixed J．potential K．engaged |
"TIME"has named a person of a year since 1927．The recipient is someone or some group that for better or worse is considered to have had a major （42）E on world events．It is decided by the editors of the （43）G magazine．Last year the title went to Ebola fighters and the year before that，Pope Francis．
TIME Magazine gave a number of reasons why it chose Merkel，from how she's handled Europe's economic crisis，to how she's responded to terrorist attacks in the region，to how she's （44）C the continent's ongoing refugee crisis．Her high （45）A rating in Germany has slipped recently because many Germans don't agree with her （46）F to that crisis．So，the reaction in her home country was （47）I．
Nancy Gibbs，the editor of TIME wrote that the Chancellor was awarded the title for"asking more of her country than most politicians would dare，for standing firm against tyranny．"
She also praised Merkel，the first woman to be named the title for 29years，for her leadership during the refugee crisis．"At a moment when much of the world is once more （48）K in a debate about the balance between safety and freedom，the Chancellor is asking a great deal of the German people，and by their example，the rest of us as well．She views refugees as victims to be （49）H rather than（50）B to be repelled…"