"Conquest by Patents"
→Patents are a form of intellectual property rights often touted as a means to give "incentive and reward" to inventors. But they"re also a cause for massive protests by farmers, numerous lawsuits by transnational corporations and indigenous peoples, and countless rallies and declarations by members of civil society. It is impossible to understand why they can have all these effects unless you first recognize that patents are about the control of technology and the protection of competitive advantage.
Lessons from History
In the 1760s, the Englishman Richard Arkwright invented the water-powered spinning frame, a machine destined to bring cotton-spinning out of the home and into the factory. It was an invention which made Britain a world-class power in the manufacture of cloth. To protect its competitive advantage and ensure the market for manufactured cloth in British colonies, Parliament enacted a series of restrictive measures including the prohibition of the export of Arkwright machinery or the emigration of any workers who had worked in factories using it. From 1774 on, those caught sending Arkwright machines or workers abroad from England were subject to fines and 12 years in jail.
→ In 1790, Samuel Slater, who had worked for years in the Arkwright mills, left England for the New World disguised as a farmer.
He thereby enabled the production of commercial-grade cotton cloth in the New World and put the U.S. firmly on the road to the Industrial Revolution and economic independence.
Slater was highly rewarded for his achievement.
He is still deemed the "father of American manufacturing".
→Patents are a form of intellectual property rights often touted as a means to give "incentive and reward" to inventors. But they"re also a cause for massive protests by farmers, numerous lawsuits by transnational corporations and indigenous peoples, and countless rallies and declarations by members of civil society. It is impossible to understand why they can have all these effects unless you first recognize that patents are about the control of technology and the protection of competitive advantage.
Lessons from History
In the 1760s, the Englishman Richard Arkwright invented the water-powered spinning frame, a machine destined to bring cotton-spinning out of the home and into the factory. It was an invention which made Britain a world-class power in the manufacture of cloth. To protect its competitive advantage and ensure the market for manufactured cloth in British colonies, Parliament enacted a series of restrictive measures including the prohibition of the export of Arkwright machinery or the emigration of any workers who had worked in factories using it. From 1774 on, those caught sending Arkwright machines or workers abroad from England were subject to fines and 12 years in jail.
→ In 1790, Samuel Slater, who had worked for years in the Arkwright mills, left England for the New World disguised as a farmer.
He thereby enabled the production of commercial-grade cotton cloth in the New World and put the U.S. firmly on the road to the Industrial Revolution and economic independence.
Slater was highly rewarded for his achievement.
He is still deemed the "father of American manufacturing".
单选题
According to paragraph 1, what is the real reason for patents to exist?
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】.. patents are about the control of technology." Choices A and B are not correct because protests and lawsuits are caused by patents, but they are not the reason for patents to exist. Choice C is not correct because the "incentive and reward" to inventors is the reason touted [publicized] but not the real reason.
单选题
The word
It
in the passage refers to
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】"In the 1760s... Arkwright invented the water-powered spinning frame, a machine destined to bring cotton-spinning out of the home and into the factory. It [a machine] was an invention." The pronoun "It" does not refer to Choices A, B, or C.
单选题
Which of the sentences below best expresses the information in the highlighted statement in the passage? The other choices change the meaning or leave out important information.
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】Among the laws to protect Britain from competition paraphrases "To protect its [Britain"s] competitive advantage... Parliament enacted a series of restrictive measures," and the textile industry paraphrases "manufactured cloth.".., a ban on exporting Arkwright equipment paraphrases "the prohibition of the export of Arkwright machinery" and the [ban on] emigration of former employees paraphrases "the emigration of any workers who had worked in factories using it [Arkwright machinery]."
单选题
In paragraph 3, how does the author explain the concept of technological transfer?
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】"... Samuel Slater, who had worked for years in the Arkwright mills, left England... disguised as a farmer.., he was an intellectual property thief." Choice A is not correct because Slater established the textile mill in America, not in Great Britain. Choice B is not correct because Slater was the only worker from Britain. Choice D is not correct because Slater broke the law.
单选题
The word innovations in the passage is closest in meaning to
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】In this passage, discoveries is a synonym for "innovations." Context comes from the introduction in the first paragraph that explains the "rights" for "inventors."
单选题
How did the perspective of industrialists in the United States change in the 1970s?
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】"By the early 1970s... U.S. industry demanded greater protection for its idea-based products." Choice A is not correct because the free exchange was favored earlier in the history of the United States. Choice C is not correct because the United States pushed for standards in international trade agreements. Choice D is not correct because the United States blamed the Third World nations for piracy.
单选题
How did industrialized nations justify using plants and animals from the developing world for food and medicine products?
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】"... a counterclaim that these were "natural" or "raw" materials and therefore did not qualify for patents." Choice B is not correct because a high percentage of the materials originated in plant and animal germplasm taken from the developing world. Choice C is not correct because barely a cent of royalties had been paid. Choice D is a claim against pirates in the Third World, but it is not a justification for using plants and animals from the developing world.
单选题
Based on information in paragraph 7, which of the following best explains the term "biopiracy"?
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】"Such unacknowledged and uncompensated appropriation they named "biopiracy."" Choices A, C, and D are not part of the author"s definition.
单选题
The word facilitate in the passage is closest in meaning to
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】In this passage, assist is a synonym for "facilitate." Context comes from logical reasoning in the sentence that suggests a positive effect. Choice D can be eliminated because it would have a negative effect.
单选题
The word notions in the passage is closest in meaning to
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】In this passage, ideas is a synonym for "notions." Context comes from the reference to the abstract concepts of "property and creativity."
单选题
Why does the author call this article "Conquest by Patents"?
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】The word "Conquest" conveys the idea of domination, power, and unfair practices. Choices B and C are true, but they do not explain the use of the word "Conquest." Choice D is not correct because the trade agreements prevent developing nations from exerting the power that they might obtain through ownership of valuable resources.
单选题
Look at the four squares [■] that show where the following sentence could be inserted in the passage.
Arriving in the U.S., he sought financing and recreated from memory an entire Arkwright factory and all its equipment.
Where could the sentence best be added?
Click on a square [■] to insert the sentence in the passage.
Arriving in the U.S., he sought financing and recreated from memory an entire Arkwright factory and all its equipment.
Where could the sentence best be added?
Click on a square [■] to insert the sentence in the passage.
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】Chronological order as well as cause and effect are transitional devices that connect the insert sentence with the previous and following sentences. "Arriving in the U.S." in the insert sentence would have to follow the reference in the previous sentence to the time when Slater "left England for the New World." The recreation of the factory in the insert sentence was the cause that "enabled the production of commercial-grade cotton cloth in the New World" mentioned in the following sentence.
填空题
Directions:
An introduction for a short summary of the passage appears below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that mention the most important points in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not included in the passage or are minor points from the passage.
This question is worth 2 points.
Patents are used to protect the competitive interests of nations and control the ownership of technology.
·
·
·
A．The purpose of patents is to protect the originator from competition and control of the technology.
B．In 1790, Samuel Slater, an English citizen who smuggled plans for a textile mill into the United States, was considered a thief.
C．Anyone who conspired to send machines or workers at the Arkwright factory overseas could suffer fines or even a jail term of 12 years.
D．The United States, along with other industrialized nations, pushed for more protection of intellectual property in trade agreements negotiated in the 1970s.
E．U.S.-based businesses claimed that the infringement of intellectual property rights by pirates cost them $40-60 billion in lost profits.
F．The developing world has opposed trade agreements that favor the industrialized nations and ignore the origin of the plant and animal products used.
This question is worth 2 points.
Patents are used to protect the competitive interests of nations and control the ownership of technology.
·
·
·
Answer Choices
A．The purpose of patents is to protect the originator from competition and control of the technology.
B．In 1790, Samuel Slater, an English citizen who smuggled plans for a textile mill into the United States, was considered a thief.
C．Anyone who conspired to send machines or workers at the Arkwright factory overseas could suffer fines or even a jail term of 12 years.
D．The United States, along with other industrialized nations, pushed for more protection of intellectual property in trade agreements negotiated in the 1970s.
E．U.S.-based businesses claimed that the infringement of intellectual property rights by pirates cost them $40-60 billion in lost profits.
F．The developing world has opposed trade agreements that favor the industrialized nations and ignore the origin of the plant and animal products used.