task 1
There have long been markets in tin, cocoa, silver and the like. There used to be security in thinking that somewhere there was a product, something you could touch and see. Now there are new markets in abstractions, trade in ideas and knowledge. Everyone has knowledge but there used to be no way to trade it ------except through jobs. That simple fact of economic life was the basis for white collar employment for centuries. The whole job culture grew up because there was no alternative way to sell knowledge , other then the worker or manager providing, for a fixed price, his or her knowledge to an employer to own or control. The quantity of knowledge provided has typically been measured in time.
But today we stand at the threshold of a new era. The information economy has matured and become smarter. According to many business commentators, we are now living in a knowledge economy e has always been a market for knowledge, of course. The publishing industry is based on it. But today the internet is making the distribution of knowledge ever easier. The days when the publisher decided what got published are over. Anyone with a PC and a modem can talk to the world. This is reducing the friction in the knowledge economy.
Everyone has knowledge of whatever industry she or he is in. say you are a computer dealer, for example. Over the years your have complied a list of the ten best lowest price places to buy wholesale computer equipment. Now you can sell your knowledge to newer, younger computer dealers who have no way to build up this knowledge without losing thousands of pounds finding it out the hard way. Until now, such knowledge remained securely locked in the recipient’s head ,accumulated and then worthlessly withered away. This no longer needs to be the case. Such knowledge can be sold via websites.
Knowledge has a distinct advantage in today’s marketplace. It’s a renewable resource. Better yet, its worth actually increases, . “knowledge is the only asset that grows with use. “ observes Scanford University Professor Paul Romer. But what exactly is knowledge and how can it be packaged to trade on an open market” “ knowledge is experiential information, intelligence applied thorough and gained from experience.” Say Josenph Pine and James Gilmore in their book The Experience Economy.
The value of knowledge often depends on variables such as time and the credibility of the ain knowledge may have a very limited shelf life. In sights concerning how to set up an internet business in one country, might be worth a fortune on one day and nothing the next , depending on changes in government policy. Markets in knowledge will be significance for one thing. They represent one of the most original uses of the web technology. In some corner of the globe there is a company wanting to source plastic widgets from Poland, and somewhere else another company that wishes to set up a plastics factory there. It’s simply a case of connecting the two.
is a good example of a knowledge trader. It is targeted at food service managers throughout the hospitality industry. “we started with the context rather than extracting money from suppliers. “ explains founder Mike Day. “ we offer food service professionals interactive support to increase sales and profits. People don’t want another one-dimensional site full of advertising that doesn’t help them to do their job more effectively，it has to be customised offering real solutions to real problems. “ the site’s features include access to online training and a tariff tracker to restaurants can check prices throughout the sector.
15. what point is made in the first paragraph?
A Interest in commodity markets has decreased.
B Overall levels of expertise have improved.
C Opportunities to exploit your knowledge were limited in the past
D External market forces have meant knowledge is underpriced.
16 what are we told about the current impact of the internet in the second paragraph?
A publishers benefit from their exploitation of the internet.
B the internet has made it easier to analyse business trends.
C It is difficult to calculate the true economic value of the internet.
D The internet facilitates the development of the knowledge economy.
17 In the third paragraph, what does the writer say about knowledge?
A Acquiring knowledge can be expensive
B The most valuable knowledge concerns IT
C Trading knowledge raises issues of security.
D New businesses find it hard to trade in knowledge.
18. What point is made about knowledge in the fourth paragraph?
A It provides specialist information
B Its appeal lies in its exclusivity
C it can generate new ideas
D Its value accumulates.
19 which application of knowledge does the writer regard as particularly useful?
A analyzing manufacturing trends
B introducing compatible parties
C interpreting time constraints
D advising on legislation
20 what key feature is provided by ?
A approaches that reflect the provider’s own experience
B access to appropriately trained potential employees.
C advice which directly benefits the bottom line
D advertising which is carefully targeted
答案解析
關於知識經濟時代知識的重要性。有了網際網路，知識也可能拿來出售。這篇文章裡的knowledge，除了知識外，還可以理解成資訊。
15題，問第一段的觀點是什麼。第一段就是簡單介紹在過去，受種種條件的限制，知識不可能拿來做交易(there used to be no way to trade it)，除非是通過job的形式，領取固定工資，算是知識的價錢。也就是說，過去想真正開發知識的價值的機會還是很侷限的。
16題，問網際網路在現階段的影響，這題答案很明顯：But today the internet is making the distribution of knowledge ever easier.網際網路讓知識的傳播更容易了。更容易，就是D選項的facilitate。
17題，問第三段作者關於知識說了什麼。第三段總的意思是說知識現在可以交易，否則只能隨著時間消逝。但是這個題的四個選項沒有和這個主要意思相吻合的。所以得從其他的細節方面看。答案從這個句子裡找：Now you can sell your knowledge to newer, younger computer dealers who have no way to build up this knowledge without losing thousands of pounds。你現在可以把知識賣給新的、年輕的電腦交易商。除非花上數千英鎊，否則他們沒有辦法構建這些知識。Losing thousands of pounds，需要得到某方面的'知識需要花上這麼多，可見獲取知識是需要花錢的。選A。
18題，問第四段作者關於知識的觀點是什麼。這題答案也很明顯。原文明確說了：its worth actually increases。價值事實上是增加的。也就是，知識的價值是積累的。選D。
19題，問作者認為知識在哪方面特別有用。這題答案在第五段後面列舉的那個例子裡面。這段文字最後列舉這個例子之前說Markets in knowledge will be significance for one thing.從這裡的significance可以看出作者認為有知識的市場(markets in knowledge)是很重要的，也就是知識在這方面特別有用，具體這個markets in knowledge指的是什麼，看後面列舉的那個例子。一個公司想在波蘭尋找塑料來源，另一個公司想在波蘭建立塑料生產廠。這就是很簡單的將兩者聯合起來的事情。因為兩者有共同的利益，可以相容。所以這題答案選B introducing compatible parties。
20題，問這個網站提供的關鍵特徵是什麼。答案從這一句上看People don’t want another one-dimensional site full of advertising that doesn’t help them to do their job more effectively，it has to be customised offering real solutions to real problems。它必須對實際的問題提供實際的解決辦法。答案選C：advice which directly benefits the bottom line。能夠從根本上有利的建議。
這題很容易誤選B，因為和文章最後一句很相似。越是這樣的選項越是不能選。而且題目問的是key feature，最關鍵的特徵在什麼地方，也就是區別於其他不能產生實際效果的廣告的地方，B只是一個feature。
