1 . Business innovation is an organization’s process for introducing new ideas, workflows methodologies, services or products. Like IT innovation, which calls for using technology in new ways to create a more efficient and agile organization, business innovation should enable the achievement of goals across the entire organization, with sights set on accomplishing core business aims and initiatives. Innovation often begins with idea generation, wherein ideas are narrowed down during brainstorming sessions, after which leaders consider the business viability, feasibility and desirability of each idea. Business innovation should improve one existing products, services or processes; or it should solve a problem; or it should reach new customers. Recent examples of business innovation include the introduction of the Dyson vacuum cleaner, whose creator and namesake James Dyson declared in advertisements that he set out to build a better product by applying industrial cyclone technologies to the household appliance.
The purpose of the business innovation process is to create value for the organization. That value can come from creating new revenue opportunities or driving more revenue through existing channels; from creating efficiencies that save time, money or both; or from improvements to productivity or performance. In short, innovation should lead to higher profits. Additionally, the results of an organization’s innovation process should yield a competitive advantage; it should help the organization to grow and reach — or, better still, exceed — strategic objectives.
Innovation and invention are closely linked, but the two terms are not interchangeable. An invention is an entirely new creation. The process of business innovation can produce an invention, but the term is broader in scope and includes the application of an existing concept or practice in a new way, or applying new technology to an existing product or process to improve upon it. To better understand the difference, consider this: The telephone is an invention, but the smartphone is an innovation.
Business innovation can also be classified as either revolutionary or evolutionary. Revolutionary business innovation yields a drastic change in a product, service, process, etc., which often destroys or supplants an existing business model. This is also known as radical Evolutionary or incremental innovation involves smaller, more continuous innovation, improvements that, while important, are not drastic enough to shift a company or market into a new paradigm. Disruptive innovation is a category that emphasizes the destructive aspect of revolutionary innovation; this term applies to business innovation that leads to the creation of a new market that displaces an existing one or, similarly, a significant upheaval in a category of products or services.
Business innovation, like most business initiatives, has both benefits and risks. Organizations should recognize on the negative side that the business innovation process can be a costly undertaking that does not always produce a return on investment (ROI); that idea considered likely to succeed could still fail; and that stakeholders could fight the changes required to be successful. On the other hand, organizations need to weigh those risks against the benefits of business innovation.
1. What does the underlined word in the first paragraph mean?A.Persuasibility. | B.Scarcity. | C.Generality. | D.Practicability. |
A.Create value benefits for the enterprise. |
B.Reform the management structure of enterprises. |
C.Encourage staff to make more inventions. |
D.Upgrade the product performance. |
A.They are essentially the same concept. |
B.They can replace each other in the context. |
C.They can bring huge commercial benefits. |
D.They are closely related but have different conceptual scopes. |
A.The precautions for brainstorming meetings. |
B.The considerations for business innovation. |
C.The difference between innovation and invention. |
D.The revolutionary change in business innovation. |
2 . Despite an ever-higher bar to grab the attention of students in large lecture hall, Tatiana Erukhimova, who teaches physics at Texas A&M University, has managed to get her students, as well as future generations, excited about the science.
Known as “Dr. Tatiana”, the professor performs physics tricks with boundless energy and enthusiasm in her videos. A range of everyday objects are used in her experiments, from pingpong balls and toilet paper to marshmallows, bicycle wheels and hair dryers. Videos of her dramatic demonstrations have received hundreds of millions of views across social media platforms.
However, things aren’t always easy. When she first started teaching college freshman classes two decades ago, she also struggled to grab the attention of her students. “I did not grab their attention on the first day-that was my mistake.” she says. “I missed this opportunity to bond with them from the very beginning, and then it took me a while to find my voice.”
By the second semester, she found her footing, adjusting her approach to get her students engaged. The key, she says, has been to make herself approachable and her instruction personal. And, of course, add showy demonstrations. “These demonstrations often help students to connect these abstract concepts with real life.” she says.
Physics department head Grigory Rogachev says Erukhimova’s work has helped bring visibility to the department, with about 2. 5 million subscribers on its department’s YouTube page, which has translated to a boost in research funds and physics major applicants.
As a leader in a STEM field in which women are underrepresented, she’s become a role model for some. Afiya Dhanani attended Texas A&M University after seeing Erukhimova’s videos online. “Watching Dr. Tatiana do the experiments online, especially since she was a female leader. Was more inspiring for me to even go into physics.” Dhanani said in an interview with CBS Mornings. That’s all Erakhimova says she can hope for -making physics less forbidding and more exciting.
1. What does Erukhimova’s online videos feature?A.Rare materials. | B.Energetic presentation. |
C.Plain demonstration. | D.Professional explanation. |
A.All that glitters is not gold. |
B.Sharp tools make good work. |
C.First impressions are make or break. |
D.A fall into the pit, a gain in your wit. |
A.It leads more students to change their majors. |
B.It makes more people to know about the department. |
C.It helps the department translate more research papers. |
D.It attracts more physics professors to join the department. |
A.Inspirational. | B.Underestimated. | C.Cooperative. | D.Ambitious. |
1. What percent of the middle school and primary school students have surfed the Internet?
A.About 17%. | B.About 70%. | C.About 79%. |
A.3. | B.13. | C.16. |
A.Over a year. | B.Over a month. | C.Over a week. |
A.Watching Internet movies. | B.Shopping online. | C.Listening to the music. |
Should Writers Be Paid for Their E-books Lent by Libraries?
When libraries lend books to the public, authors and publishers receive remuneration from the Government under the Lending Rights schemes.
This year, the government has distributed almost a $ 22 million under these Public Lending Rights and Educational Lending Rights Schemes. For each book in public library collections creators receive $2.11 and publishers receive $0.52.
The amount that each claimant receives is often not very significant, with the majority of authors receiving between S100-500 annually, Still, a previous study has revealed that this remuneration constitutes the second most important source of income for creators from their creative work.
E-books, however, are not covered by these Lending Rights schemes.
One of the main reasons why e-books are not covered is that e-book lending is quite different from print book lending. In case of print books, authors and publishers are arguably losing on customers and revenues when libraries loan their books for free.Creators only receive $2.11 and publishers receive $0.52 for each book in public library collections.
At present, in the case of e-books, many publishers chose not to sell these books to libraries.
While publishers charge libraries high prices for e-books, writers complain that these amounts do not reach them. Publishing contracts often don't specify whether and how much authors receive for e-books sales or for e-lending.
A.However,this is not the case when libraries lend e-books. |
B.This may not be a big issue now, for e-books are minor in publishing. |
C.Also, publishers assume get more profits from libraries where readers pay them more. |
D.Publishing contracts often don't specify whether and how much authors receive for e-books sales or for e-lending. |
E.Extension alone would do little if the current funds under the schemes were merely re-distributed from books to e-books. |
F.For this reason, authors and publishers have been talking the Government into extending the Lending Rights Schemes to e-books. |
Food & Health Myths
Every day there is new information about food and health products. Newspapers regularly have articles that discuss how certain foods or drinks are good or bad for you, Some television shows often deal with new stories about how consuming certain substances can affect your body
One myth about food and health is that eggs are bad for your heart. Although they are indeed high in cholesterol(胆固醇)and fat, it's not true that eating eggs every day will damage your heart.
A.Another popular belief is that red wine, like other drinks, may be harmful to you if consumed too much. |
B.Apart from that, many people believe drinking red wine is especially good for your heart |
C.Eggs are high in cholesterol and fat despite the fact that they are a nutritious source of energy |
D.There are many other myths common is our society about food and health. |
E.This is because the body can deal with the extra cholesterol by reducing the amount it produces |
F.With such a steady stream of information, it's understandable that a few popular myths about food and health are floating around. |
6 . 听下面一段独白,回答以下小题。
1. Where is the speaker talking about the ad now?A.On TV. | B.On the phone. | C.On the radio. |
A.Many free day passes. |
B.Half-price membership costs. |
C.A 20% discount for all memberships. |
A.A week. | B.A month. | C.A year. |
A.A media player. | B.An alarm clock. | C.A gym bag. |
1. How many tips does the speaker provide?
A.Three. | B.Four. | C.Five. |
A.One. | B.Two. | C.Three. |
A.A fan. | B.Its toys. | C.Its clothes. |
A.Pets should not be allowed to jump against seats. |
B.We should practice our pets to push open the door. |
C.Pets don’t like to bar k in places where a lot of people gather. |
1. What do Americans think of McDonald’s?
A.The food is good and the prices are low. |
B.The service is fast and the prices are high. |
C.The food is unhealthy but the service is fast. |
A.7,063. | B.5,780. | C.1,283. |
A.In 1960. | B.In 1970. | C.In 1980. |
A.He was a salesman before owning McDonald’s. |
B.He bought McDonald’s for 2.6 million dollars. |
C.He was 65 when he owned McDonald’s. |
1. What is Cathy’s nationality?
A.Chinese. | B.German. | C.American. |
A.At 4 p. m. | B.At 6 p. m. | C.At 8 p. m. |
A.By car. | B.By bus. | C.By taxi. |
A.Going back too early. | B.Staying there too long. | C.Having difficulty watching TV shows. |
1. What did the man use last weekend?
A.A shared bike. | B.A shared charger. | C.A shared umbrella. |
A.The proper ways to use the sharing product. |
B.Her attitude towards the sharing economy. |
C.The advantages of the sharing economy. |