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.
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 predicted that digital photography would overtake film (胶片) — 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.
“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.
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 into new markets because there is a temptation to put existing assets (资产) into the new businesses.
Although Kodak predicted the unavoidable 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.
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.
小题1:What do we learn about Kodak?
A．It went bankrupt all of a sudden.
B．It is approaching its downfall.
C．It initiated the digital revolution in the film industry.
D．It is playing a dominant role in the film market.
小题2:Why does the author mention Kodak’s invention of the first digital camera?
A．To show its early attempt to reinvent itself.
B．To show its effort to overcome complacency.
C．To show its quick adaptation to the digital revolution.
D．To show its will to compete with Japan’s Fuji photo.
小题3:Why do large companies have difficulty switching to new markets?
A．They find it costly to give up their existing assets.
B．They tend to be slow in confronting new challenges.
C．They are unwilling to invest in new technology.
D．They are deeply stuck in their glorious past.
小题4:What does the author say Kodak’s history has become?
A．A burden.B．A mirror.C．A joke.D．A challenge.
答案
小题1:B
小题2:A
小题3:D
小题4:A
解析
试题分析：柯达公司要破产了？曾经生产过第一个数码相机的柯达公司为什么辉煌不再了呢？究其原因还是太保守了。谁不与时俱进，就会被历史前进的脚步无情的淘汰。
小题1:细节理解题。全文的第一句话：柯达公司申请破产保护的决定是令人伤心的。和B选项的它正在接近破产。意思一致。所以选B。
小题2:细节理解题。文章的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.尽管很多人把柯达的破产归咎于自满，但这种解释并没有看到其实这家公司也试图在改造自己。 和A选项：为了说明它早期改造自己的尝试。意思一致。所以选A。
小题3:细节理解题。文章第四段 because there is a temptation to put existing assets into the new businesses. 因为有一个想要把现存的资产（也就是现有的商业运作成果）运用在新商业领域中的企图。和D选项：它们都深深的过往的辉煌所束缚一致。第五段第一句中也提到：它的公司文化太过植根于过往的成功。也同样可以提示答案选D。
小题4:细节理解题。第五段的最后一句话意思是：现在它们的历史已经成为了障碍。根据上下文推断得出太执着与以往的辉煌会导致变革的减慢甚至失败，判断选A ，burden是负担。
考点名称：新闻报道类阅读
新闻报道类阅读的概念：
阅读理解的选材明显地呈现出关注实际生活的趋势，这种趋势与当前基础教育改革的目标是一致的，而中学生学习语言的根本目标与基础教育学会求知，学会做事，学会合作，学会做人的目标是一致的，真实新颖的选材对基础英语教学课程改革具有重要的反作用。