When it comes to translating basic
research into industrial success, few nations can match Germany. Since the
1940s, the nation's vast industrial base has been fed with a constant stream of
new ideas and {{U}}expertise{{/U}} from science. And though German prosperity (繁荣)
has faltered (衰退) over the past decade because of the huge cost of unifying east
and west as well as the global economic decline, it still has an enviable
(令人羡慕的) record for turning ideas into profit. Much of the
reason for that success is the Fraunhofer Society, a network of research
institutes that exists solely to solve industrial problems and create
sought-after technologies. But today the Fraunhofer institutes have competition.
Universities are taking an ever larger role in technology transfer, and
technology parks are springing up all over. These efforts are being complemented
by the federal programmes for pumping money into start-up companies. Such a
strategy may sound like a recipe for economic success, but it is not without its
critics. These people worry that favoring applied research will
mean neglecting basic science, eventually starving industry of fresh ideas. If
every scientist starts thinking like an entrepreneur (企业家), the argument goes,
then the traditional principles of university research being curiosity-driven,
free and widely available will suffer. Others claim that many of the programmes
to promote technology transfer are a waste of money because half the small
businesses that are promoted are bound to go bankrupt within a few years. While
this debate continues, new ideas flow at a steady rate from Germany's research
networks, which bear famous names such as Helmholtz, Max Planck and Leibniz. Yet
it is the fourth network, the Fraunhofer Society, that plays the greatest role
in technology transfer. Founded in 1949, the Fraunhofer Society
is now Europe's largest organization for applied technology, and has 59
institutes employing 12,000 people. It continues to grow. Last year, it
swallowed up the Heinrich Hertz Institute for Communication Technology in
Berlin. Today, there are even Fraunhofers in the US and Asia.
单选题
What factor can be attributed to German prosperity?
A. Technology transfer.
B. Good management.
C. Hard work.
D. Fierce competition.
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 第一段最后一句话“it still has an enviable record for turning ideas into profit”是该段的总结，明确指出了德国的繁荣归功于技术的转换。故选A。
单选题
Which of the following is NOT true of traditional university research?
A. It is free.
B. It is profit-driven.
C. It is widely available.
D. It is curiosity-driven.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 第三段第二句话“traditional principles of university research being curiosity-driven, free and widely available will suffer”，传统的大学科研原则有三个特点，惟独没有profit-driven，即受利益驱动。故选B。
单选题
The Fraunhofer Society is the largest organization for applied
technology in ______.
A. Asia
B. USA
C. Europe
D. Africa
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】[解析] 由本文最后一段第一句可知，“Founded in 1949, the Fraunhofer Society is now Europe's largest organization for applied technology, and has 59 institutes employing 12,000 people.”，故选C。
单选题
When was the Fraunhofer Society founded?
A. In 1940.
B. Last year.
C. After the unification.
D. In 1949.
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】[解析] 由本文最后一段第一句可知，“Founded in 1949，the Fraunhofer Society is now Europe's largest organization for applied technology，and has 59 insititutes employing 12,000 people.”故选D。
单选题
The word "expertise" in(Para. 1)line 3 could be best replaced by
______.