4 . In recent years, a lot of “business thinking” books have been published, all of which search for new answers on how to run organizations effectively. Obliquity tells us that the most profitable companies are not the most aggressive in chasing profits. Wikinomics demonstrates new models of production based on community and collaboration. Peter Miller’s new book, Smart Swarm, however, challenge leaders to think differently. He studied creatures, like bees and ants and he found their habits, actions and instincts can be applied to business. Miller believes his book is the first time anyone has explained the science behind management theory. “The examples of how ant colonies (蚁群) or beehives (蜂窝) work are appealing models for organizations and systems that can be applied in a business context,” he says.
So how exactly can bees help run organizations? “By the way they work independently before they work together,” Miller says. “Picture a huge beehive hanging on a tree, with about 5,000 bees competing for space. They know their population is getting too big, leaving them unsafe. They must all agree to find a new home. In today’s business environment, managers need to be able to make the right decisions under intense pressure. Yet, it is clear that some of the best-paid leaders in some of the biggest organizations can get it dramatically wrong. How is it that they can fail to make efficient business decisions when a large group of bees can make a critical decision about their hive in just a few seconds?”
According to Miller, “swarm theory” can help managers in three simple steps: discover, test and evaluate. The bees first realize they have a problem. They then fly into the neighborhood to find potential new sites. They come back and perform a “dance” to get other bees to follow them. Eventually, the bees with the best dance attract the most votes – and a decision is made. Miller says. “The bee example tells you that you need to seek out diversity in your team. You need to have a way of gathering up quite different ideas so you can make sure you pick the right one.”
Ants, in addition, can help businesses organize workflow and people. In an ant colony, there is no leader. Ants are self-organized, and respond to their environment and each other. One ant on its own could not raid (袭击) a kitchen cupboard, but one ant telling the next one that it’s worth following him to find food ends up creating a food chain. “In an ant colony, you get the right number going in and out searching for food, you get the right number taking care of the babies,” Miller says. “As a manager, this can tell you that your hierarchy (等级制度) is getting in the way of getting the work done.”
1. Miller believes his book differs from other “business thinking” books because ________.| A．it focuses on maximizing profits | B．it supports the theory with evidence |
| C．it corrects faults in similar books | D．it justifies the previous theory |
| A．make up for wrongly made decisions | B．justify exactly what the real problem is |
| C．draw the correct conclusions quickly | D．keep the team safe under great pressure |
| A．regard decision-making as a cooperative process |
| B．persuade others to follow your ways of thinking |
| C．accept different ideas and keep them balanced |
| D．pick out a right person to make the final decision |
| A．Leadership skills can be developed through practical work. |
| B．Employees work more efficiently when organized by leaders. |
| C．Strengthened hierarchy is the guarantee of work efficiency. |
| D．Employees should be allowed to make their own decisions. |
Four types of learners Type A Learner People in this group adapt observations into complex but logical theories. They think problems through in a logical way. They tend to be perfectionists who won’t rest easy until everything is reasonable. They like to analyze and are keen on basic principles and theories. They pay great attention to logic, so questions they frequently ask are: “ ________________ ”, and “How does this go with that?”. They tend to be objective, approaching problems in a consistently logical manner. This is their “mental set” and they reject anything that conflicts with it. They prefer to maximize certainty and feel uncomfortable with subjective judgements. Type B Learner These people are keen on trying out ideas, theories and techniques to see if they work in practice. They positively search out new ideas and take the first opportunity to experiment with applications. They want to try out the new ideas in the courses in practice. They also tend to be impatient with random discussions, and their attention soon begins to wander if they feel they are going round in circles. They are practical, down to earth and like making practical decisions and solving problems. They see problems and opportunities as a challenge, and their philosophy is: “There is always a better way” and “If it works, it’s good”. Type C Learner People in this group involve themselves fully in new experiences. They are open-minded, and this tends to make them enthusiastic about anything new. Their philosophy is: “I’ll try anything once”, so they tend to act first and consider the consequences afterwards. Their days are filled with activities. As soon as the excitement from one activity has died down they are busy looking for the next, as they are only interested in gaining new experiences but are bored with carrying out their plans and they lack perseverance. They constantly involve themselves with others but, in doing so, they seek to center all activities around themselves. Type D Learner They collect data, both first-hand and from others, and prefer to think about it thoroughly before coming to a conclusion. The thorough collection and analysis of data about experiences and events is what counts so they tend to postpone making definitive judgments for as long as possible. Their philosophy is to be cautious. They like to consider all possible angles before making a move, and will be reluctant to become involved in activities that others put forward without having carefully considered the likely outcome. |
| A．Do we need more experiments? | B．Do you understand me? |
| C．Do you believe the theory? | D．Does it make sense? |
| A．Type A Learner | B．Type B Learner |
| C．Type C Learner | D．Type D Learner |
| A．They are keen on making immediate conclusion. |
| B．Their conclusion comes after data analysis. |
| C．They outline a possible outcome before taking an activity. |
| D．They prefer not to give out their viewpoints randomly. |
6 . When I step out onto the deck, I definitely feel the Arctic chill. That’s not surprising. I’m a good hundred miles inside the Arctic Circle; in fact, you can’t get much farther north and still be in Sweden. This is Abisko Mountain Station, perhaps the crown jewel of the Swedish mountain lodges (小屋). I’m back for a second time to this remote, scenic spot.
Last Autumn, a heavy snowstorm trapped me in my tent for days and eventually forced me to go to the station, a comfortable place. I discovered a different side to Abisko. People come here for many reasons – some to hike, some to climb, some to cross-country ski. But there’s yet another entirely different attraction here. Looking out from the deck of the train station, above a huge lake, in the upper sky of the North Pole, the Aurora, as we often refer to the northern light, mixed with green and red, was giving off ghostly light, rolling across the dark night sky.
The Aurora may be old hat to those who live this far north, but for the rest of us it is an unforgettable experience. The lights here were so appealing to us we quickly forgot the discomfort of the cold.
One of the attractions in Abisko is the Tornetrask. It’s a huge lake, which extends more than 70 kilometres long just north of the station, creates an unusual weather phenomenon that keeps the skies above the station clear even when fog or clouds blanket most of northern Sweden. The sky in this area is mostly clear all year around.
Abisko has a lot to offer to make it an ideal place to view the Aurora. It is far from any city lights. The station operates a ski lift to the top of Nuolja Peak, more than 3,000 feet high. For the first time this year, a cafe at the top of the mountain has been turned into a viewing platform for the Northern Lights, called the Aurora Sky Station. Also, the station posts forecasts each night of expected Aurora activity, collected from scientific observations arriving via computer, so visitors may choose the best viewing time.
1. What was the reason for the author’s first visit to the lodge?| A．He went there in search of the Aurora. | B．He needed equipment to keep him warm. |
| C．He was forced there by the weather. | D．He had to make his food supply there. |
| A．severe and struggling | B．familiar and unexciting |
| C．strange and shocking | D．mysterious and adventurous |
| A．There is a mountain viewing platform. | B．Weather forecasts are available. |
| C．There are no city lights nearby. | D．There is a café shop there. |
| A．despite the severe weather, it’s an impressive place |
| B．people have overestimated its popularity |
| C．it’s not as popular as it deserves to be |
| D．the cold weather worsens the Aurora viewing experience there |
Humans have been living and working on the space station for over 20 years. Their meals are packaged, though sometimes astronauts receive fresh treats
Astronauts have successfully grown 10 different crops on the space station since 2015 and had the chance
Plant Habitat-04 was one of the most complex plant experiments on the orbiting laboratory
Fresh greens, like peppers, provide a great source of key nutrients, which are essential to human bodies. Fresh greens also have psychological benefits. They can help to keep morale (士气) and provide a sense of normalcy (正常) on missions
Looking to the future, the plant experiments have the potential to significantly impact the sustainability of space exploration. They
