Part III Reading Comprehension (40minutes)
Section C
Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions orunfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C. and D ). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on AnswerSheet 2 with a single line through the centre.
Passage Two
Questions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.
Kodak's decision to file for bankruptcy (破产） protection is a sad, though not unexpected,turningpoint for a leading American corporation that pioneered consumer photography and dominated the filmmarket for decades, but ultimately failed to adapt to the digital revolution. Although many attribute Kodak's downfall to "complacency ( 自满 )," that explanation doesn'tacknowledge the lengths to which the company went to reinvent itself. Decades ago, Kodak anticipatedthat digital photography would overtake film--and in fact, Kodak invented the first digital camera in1975--but in a fateful decision, the company chose to shelf its new discovery to focus on its traditionalfilm business. It wasn't that Kodak was blind to the future, said Rebecca Henderson, a professor at HarvardBusiness School, but rather that it failed to execute on a strategy to confront it. By the time thecompany realized its mistake, it was too late.Kodak is an example of a firm that was very much aware that they had to adapt, and spent a lot ofmoney trying to do so, but ultimately failed.Large companies have a difficult time switching to newmarkets because there is a temptation to put existing assets into the new businesses.Although Kodak anticipated the inevitable rise of digital photography, its corporate culture was too rooted in the successes of the past for it to make the clean break necessary to fullyembrace the future. They were a company stuck in time. Their history was so important to them. Nowtheir history has become a liability.Kodak's downfall over the last several decades was dramatic. In 1976, the company commanded90% of the market for photographic film and 85% of the market for cameras. But the 1980s broughtnew competition from Japanese film company Fuji Photo, which undermined Kodak by offering lowerprices for film and photo supplies. Kodak's decision not to pursue the role of official film for the 1984Los Angeles Olympics was a major miscalculation. The bid went instead to Fuji, which exploited itssponsorship to win a permanent foothold in the marketplace.
61. What do we learn about Kodak?
A. It went bankrupt all of a sudden.
B. It is approaching its downfall.
C. It initiated the digital revolution in the film industry.
D. It is playing the dominant role in the film market.
参考答案:B
62. Why does the author mention Kodak's Invention of the first digital camera?
A. To show its early attempt to reinvent itself.
B. To show its effort to overcome complacency.
C. To show its quick adaptation to the digital revolution.
D. To show its will to compete with Japan's Fuji Photo.
参考答案:A
63. Why do large companies have difficulty switching to new markets?
A. They find it costly to give up their existing assets.
B. They tend to be slow in confronting new challenges.
C. They are unwilling to invest in new technology.
D. They are deeply stuck in their glorious past.
参考答案:D
64. What does the author say Kodak's history has become?
A. A burden.
B. A mirror.
C. A joke.
D. A challenge.
参考答案:A
65. What was Kodak's fatal mistake?
A. Its blind faith in traditional photography.
B. Its failure to see Fuji Photo's emergence.
C. Its refusal to sponsor the 1984 Olympics.
D. Its overconfidence in its corporate culture.
参考答案:C