单选题
Paragraph 1 Kodak"s decision to file for bankruptcy (破产) protection is a sad, though not unexpected, turning point for a leading American corporation that pioneered consumer photography and dominated the film market for decades, but ultimately failed to adapt to the digital revolution.
Paragraph 2 Although many attribute Kodak"s downfall to "complacency (自满)," that explanation doesn"t acknowledge the lengths to which the company went to reinvent itself. Decades ago, Kodak anticipated that digital photography would overtake film-and in fact, Kodak invented the first digital camera in 1975—but in a fateful decision, the company chose to shelf its new discovery to focus on its traditional film business.
Paragraph 3 It wasn"t that Kodak was blind to the future, said Rebecca Henderson, a professor at Harvard Business School, but rather that it failed to execute on a strategy to confront it. By the time the company realized its mistake, it was too late.
Paragraph 4 Kodak is an example of a firm that was very much aware that they had to adapt, and spent a lot of money trying to do so, but ultimately failed. Large companies have a difficult time switching to new markets because there is a temptation to put existing assets into the new businesses.
Paragraph 5 Although Kodak anticipated the inevitable rise of digital photography, its corporate (企业的)culture was too rooted in the successes of the past for it to make the clean break necessary to fully embrace the future. They were a company stuck in time. Their history was so important to them. Now their history has become a liability.
Paragraph 6 Kodak"s downfall over the last several decades was dramatic. In 1976, the company commanded 90% of the market for photographic film and 85% of the market for cameras. But the 1980s brought new competition from Japanese film company Fuji Photo, which undermined Kodak by offering lower prices for film and photo supplies. Kodak"s decision not to pursue the role of official film for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics was a major miscalculation. The bid went instead to Fuji, which exploited its sponsorship to win a permanent foothold in the marketplace.
单选题
What do we learn about Kodak?
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] learn about。本题题干太抽象，可同时浏览下一题定位词：first digital camera[顺序原则]
回原文阅读，读完第一段看选项，其实就可以用排除法选出B选项了。A选项中sudden驳斥了原文中的not unexpected(False)；C选项中initiated the digital revolution驳斥了failed to adapted to the digital revolution(False)；D选项具有一些迷惑性，注意it is playing the dominant role是现在进行时态，而原文中的dominated一词是过去式，柯达的强大只是明日黄花而已(False)。[真经派排除法]
注意B选项approach和downfall两个词，是首段decision to file bankruptcy protection(决定申请破产保护)的同义改写，而且downfall在第二段首句有原词出现。
单选题
Why does the author mention Kodak"s invention of the first digital camera?
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] first digital camera
回原文继续阅读，第二段第二句出现。
找作者写这句话的原因。考查句子间逻辑关系理解。注意到第一句是讲“许多人没有认识到the lengths to which the company went to reinvent itself”。接下来，是举出柯达发明了第一个数码相机这个例子证明上句观点。对应B选项。
单选题
Why do large companies have difficulty switching to new markets?
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] large companies，difficulty，new
回原文继续阅读，第四段第二句出现。
找why(原因)。对应because。注意原文中there is a temptation to put existing assets into the new business(大公司企图把现有资产放到新业务中去)。说明它们不愿意放弃原有资产。对应A选项的表达。
单选题
What does the author say Kodak"s history has become?
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] Kodak"s history
回原文继续阅读，第五段最后两句出现history。
原文提到history是important，liability。注意liability指“债务”，对应A选项中burden(负担)。