Passage 1

If we were asked exactly what we were doing a year ago, we should probably have to say that we could not remember. But if we had kept a book and had written in it an account of what we did each day, we should be able to give an answer to the question.

It is the same in history. Many things have been forgotten because we do not have any written account of them. Sometimes men did keep a record of the most important happenings in their country, but often it was destroyed by fire or in a war.Sometimes there was never any written record at all because the people of that time and place did not know how to write. For example, we know a good deal about the people who lived in China 4,000 years ago, because they could write and leave written records for those who lived after them. But we know almost nothing about the people who lived even 200 years ago in central Africa, because they had not learned to write.

Sometimes, of course, even if the people cannot write, they may know something of the past. For most people are proud to tell what their fathers did in the past. This we may call “remembered history”. Some of it has now been written down. It is not so exact or so valuable to us as written history is, because words are much more easily changed when used again and again in speech than when copied in writing. But where there are no written records, such spoken stories are often very helpful.

31、Why do we know very little about the central Africa 200 years ago?

为了获得市场份额，他们必须竭尽全力。(market share, go to lengths)

愿意买该产品的人越多，价格就降得越多。(the more, the more)

我们要在出发前把一切都规划好。(plan out, departure)

阅读下面的短文，然后把划线的句子翻译成汉语。

It has been a tumultuous time for dot-com start-ups. In fact, Gartner, Inc. estimates that over 75% of e-commerce start-ups will end in failure. (71) [While it is tempting to blame prevailing market conditions for this failure rate, the fact is that early planning ultimately determines the potential success or failure of a start-up.] This whitepaper helps managers understand the characteristics that contribute to successful start-ups. (72)[Importantly, this work also includes a valuable diagnostic survey that helps entrepreneurs quantify the strength of the business and identify problem areas.]

One thing is clear: There are a lot of ways for a new business to go out of business. (73) [Loss of focus, an inability to fulfill customer orders or service, and a mismatch of top management with the corporate culture are but a few common reasons that businesses fail.] To increase the chances of success, managers need to consider four crucial inputs:

Management / People:The single most vital component of any business, every start-up needs a skilled management team that can execute the business plan, adapt to changing environments, and attract and retain valuable staff.

Market Opportunity:To succeed, a venture requires a business model that is adaptable, scalable, defensible, and able to generate both revenue and profits. (74) [In addition, management must recognize the company’s market position and the potential of its ideas in the market.]

Funding:The ability of the venture to raise operating cash in order to establish profitability.

Product and Service:This defines the demand for the product, including the degree to which it addresses customer needs and the ability to provide fulfillment and client service functions.

 (75) [By keeping a close eye on these found areas — strong leadership and management, good people, a solid business plan, and a product that people want to purchase — businesses can position themselves to weather inevitable challenges.]

电子商务的交易通常涉及几个互动的步骤。 (involve, interactive steps)

我们怎样才能防止这种疾病蔓延?(prevent…from, disease)

information technology

human resources

market share

Federal Express