在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.elite 精英 2.detection 探测 3.fierce 激烈 4.stimulants 兴奋剂 5.encounter 遭遇 6.amphetamine 安飞他命 7.experimenting 实验 8.synthetic steroid 合成类固醇 9.sprinter 短跑者 10.stripped 除去 11.inquiry 调查 原文 Drug Use in Sport Athletes using drugs to enhance performance has become one of the greatest problems facing elite international sport. Major sports organizations，such as the International Olympic Committee，are putting a lot of time，effort and money into the detection of drugs. The race between the athletes using drugs and detection agencies seems to be just as fierce as sport competition itself. Athletes have been using drugs or other simulants to enhance performance for centuries. Even athletes in the ancient Olympic Games in Greece used various simulants to enhance performance. However，since the 1950s the degree of drugs use has risen a level never before seen in human athlete history. Drugs testing began in the Olympic Games in the 1960s. One of the first sports to encounter drugs was cycling. During the 1960，Summer Olympic Game in Rome，Italy，a cyclist died from amphetamine use. In 1967，another cyclist died in the Tour de France cycling race. Around the same period，body-builders in the United States were experimenting with newly developed synthetic steroids that built muscle mass. As a result，the International Olympic Committee started testing for steroid during the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal，Canada. Probably the most famous case of an athlete using drugs was Canadian sprinter，Ben Johnson. After winning the 100-meter sprint in the 1988 Summer Olympic Games in Seoul，South Korea，Johnson's drug test was found to be positive. Johnson took a synthetic steroid to build muscle mass and enhance power. Eventually，Johnson was stripped of his gold medal. In the aftermath Johnson's positive drug use，the Canadian conducted a federal inquiry into drug use in Canadian sport. The government inquiry was the largest one to have been conducted in any country up to that point in time. The results of the inquiry found drug use among Canadian athletes was very common. The inquiry stated that there were problems beyond just individual athletes，such as Johnson，taking drugs to enhance performance. Indeed，it was stated that there was a moral crisis throughout sport. Today，the race between drug detection agencies and athletes who use drugs continues. In January 2000，the International Olympic Committee created a new agency to detect drug use：the World Anti-Doping Agency（WADA）. WADA has developed increased resources for drug detection，especially in Olympic sports. Hopefully，WADA will be able to keep pace with the current moral crisis in sport.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.caliber 水准 2.entertaining 有娱乐性 3.revenues 收益 4.amateur 业余 5.dominant 主导的 6.commercial 商业的 7.vigorously 精力旺盛地 8.skyrocketed 飞涨 9.bankrupt 倒闭 10.monopoly 垄断 11.collective bargaining 集体谈判 12.sought-after 受欢迎的 13.trophy 奖杯 原文 The National Hockey League The National Hockey League（or NHL）is the most largest and successful North American professional hockey league. The NHL provides Canadians and Americans with the highest caliber and most entertaining hockey on the continent. The NHL was created in 1917 by a group of Canadian and American businessmen. Their two central goals were to create a league that provided the most entertaining hockey in North America and generated revenues and profits. This was a somewhat new idea at that time. While there were some for-profit leagues in existence，most were amateur. This meant that players，coaches，and owners of teams were not allowed to make money from playing the game of hockey. It took several decades for the NHL to become the most dominate league. In the early days，a few professional or commercial leagues competed with the NHL for the public's entertainment dollar. Leagues competed vigorously for the best players in order to be successful and attract spectators and fans. While this was beneficial for players because they could command higher salaries，it was bad for business because owners' expenses skyrocketed. As a result，many teams and leagues went bankrupt. By the 1930s，however，the NHL remained as the only major professional hockey league in North America. This effectively kept players' salaries down and reduced expenses. The NHL's team owners realizes that in order for the league to be a successful commercial business，they would have to stop competing against each other off the ice. This was best accomplished by ensuring the only one major league existed，so that competition was reduced. To this day，the same business model is followed，and the NHL is still the only major professional hockey league in North America. For several decades in the mid-twentieth century，the NHL owners were extremely successful financially. They generated very high profits because having a monopoly in the hockey market，they could limit the sale and trade for players. When players signed on to a team，they generally did so for life，and the pay rate determined by the owner. Players were forced to accept these conditions，because there were no other league in existence. This all changed in the 1970s when players organized to form a players' union. Through the collective bargaining process，players gradually fought owners for higher pay and greater rights. Today，many players are very wealthy for this reason. If it was not for the players' union，it is likely they would still be working in similar conditions to those during the early days of the NHL：low pay and little freedom to move from team to team. With NHL owners and players cooperating，the NHL continued to be the most successful and entertaining hockey league in North America. Teams across Canada and the United States compete for the prized Stanley Cup，the most sought-after trophy in North America hockey.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.emphasis 重要性 2.perceived 意识 3.high-caliber 高水平 4.amateur 业余 5.disqualified 取消资格 原文 Sport Canada Sport Canada is the name of Canada's federal government program to help support athletes. The purpose of Sport Canada is to develop and encourage sport，health，and exercise programs for all Canadians. However，Sport Canada's main emphasis is on high-performance athletes training for major international athletic competition，such as the Olympic Games. Sport Canada was created in 1970s as a response to the perceived need to help athletes train and compete in international sport. Before the 1970s，athletes was wishing to train and compete in sport had to support themselves financially. Athletes were either independently wealthy，or were supported by family or friends. Unfortunately，many high-caliber athlete without such financial support simply could not afford to train and compete in international competition. Also，before the early 1970s almost all international sports events were amateur. Amateur rules meant those receiving funds from government programs or corporations were breaking the rules of sport. Athletes receiving money were disqualified from competition. As a result，the amateur rules generally limited training and competition to those athletes who came from wealthier families. Less fortunate athletes，many of whom likely would have performed well for Canada in international competitions，simply could not afford to do so. Sport Canada has been a role model for many government-run sport programs around the world. With its central administrative offices in Canada's capital of Ottawa，Sport Canada efficiently provides administrative，coaching and financial help for athletes across the country. Athletes can concentrate their efforts full-time on training and competition. As a result，Canada's share of the medal totals in the Olympic Games has risen since the 1970s. Recently，Sport Canada's programs have been criticized by some who feel that the program dose not provide enough money for athletes. While it does provide financial assistance to athletes，the amount paid is well below Canada's minimum wage. Critics point out that athletes work full time and perform an important function for the Canada's government and people. As a result of this criticism，the Canadian government has provided more money for athletes. However，the amount is still below the minimum wage level. As a result，the amount paid to athletes likely to rise in the future. As long as it effectively manages problems such as funding，Sport Canada will continue to provide the Canadian public with international-caliber athletes who compete with the very best in the world.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.humble 卑微的 2.reserve 储备 3.unparalleled 无与伦比的 4.nestled 依偎的 5.magnificent 壮丽的 6.emerald 祖母绿的 7.jagged 参差不齐的 8.windswept 风挂的 9.landscape 风景 10.struggling 奋斗的 11.forged 艰苦干成 12.spectacular 壮观的 13.glistening glacier 闪光的冰川 14.alpine meadow 高山草甸 15.crystal 水晶 16.raging 猛烈的 17.canyons 峡谷 18.hoodoos 石林 19.sweeping vistas 开阔的景观 20.allure 诱惑 21.scenic 风景的 22.moose 驼鹿 原文 Banff National Park Banff National Park is Canada's oldest and most famous national park. It was founded in 1885 after the discovery of the Cave and Basin Hot Springs. From humble beginnings as 26 square kilometers hot springs reserve，Banff National Park now consists of 6641 square kilometers of unparalleled mountain scenery nestled in the heart of the magnificent Canadian Rockies. Each year，millions of visitors come to Banff to marvel at the emerald waters of Lake Louise，walk amongst the flower-filled heavens at Sunshine Meadows，and driving beneath the towering jagged peaks lining the ice fields parkway between Banff and Jasper. Ten thousand years ago，natives camped on the shores of the Vermilion Lakes beneath the windswept peak of Mount Rundle. They are the only people here to enjoy the mountain landscape，the beautiful sunrises and the hot springs. Nearly ten millennia later，a struggling nation forged a crazy dream of connecting itself from sea to sea with steel rails，and from this railway venture was born Canada's most famous park，Banff National Park. Banff National Park contains some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the world. Snow-capped peaks，glistening glaciers，ice fields，alpines meadows，blue cold crystal clear lakes，raging rivers，mineral hot springs，deep canyons，hoodoos and sweeping vistas，are just one part of the allure of Banff National Park. The park is also the home of some of North America's wildest creatures，including black and grizzly bears，caribou and wolves. Banff and Lake Louis are two major towns in Banff National Park. As the largest town in the park，Banff is“Canada's Highest Town”at 1384m（4540ft）above sea level. Lake Louise，with its blue-green water set against the stark backdrop of Victoria Glacier，is the highest permanent settlement in Canada at 1536m（5039feet）above the sea level and probably the most beloved and most photographed scene in the Canadian Rockies. In Banff National Park，driving through the Bow Valley Parkway，one of the world's most scenic highways，is a good opportunity to see animals，particularly deer，bears and moose. Banff National Park is part of the UNESCO Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.branch campuses 分校 原文 Canadian Universities There are about fifty standing-alone，4-year-degree-granting universities in Canada Unlike the higher education systems in the united states，most universities in Canada are publicly funded institutions although there are a few private institutions These public universities are funded and regulated by the province to which they belong. In British Columbia，there are four publicly funded universities：University of British Columbia，Simon Fraser University，University of Victoria，and University of Northern British Columbia；and one private university：Trinity Western University. In Alberta，the three publicly funded universities are University of Alberta，University of Calgary，and University of Lethbridge. In Saskatchenwan，the two publicly funded universities are University of Saskatchenwan and University of Regina. Moving into Manitoba，there are three publicly funded universities in the province. They are University of Manitoba，University of Winnipeg，and Brandon University. Ontario is not only the populated province in Canada but also has the largest number of universities. It has 17 publicly funded universities. They are（from west to east and south to north）：University of Winsor，University of Western Ontario，University of Guelph，University of Waterloo，Wilfred Laurier University，McMaster University，Brock University，York University，University of Toronto，Ryerson University，Trent University，Queen's University，University of Ottawa，Carleton University，Laurentian University，Nipissing University，and Lakehead University. The Province of Quebec has seven publicly funded universities with many of them having several branch campuses throughout the province. They are University of Montreal，University of Quebec，Laval University，Concordia University，McGill University，University of Sherbrooke，and Bishop's University. While French is the official language of instruction at most of these institutions，English is the official one at both Concordia University and McGill University. Canada's Atlantic provinces have the rest of the fifty universities in Canada. They are University of New Brunswick and University of Moncton in the Province of New Brunswick；Acadia University，Dalhousie University，Mount Allison University，Mount Saint Vincent University，Saint Mary's University，and Nova Scotia Agricultural college in the Province of Nova Scotia；University of Prince Edward Island in the Province of Prince Edward Island and University of Newfoundland in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.elevation 高度 2.revised 修正 3.reference 参考 4.chimney 烟囱 5.ribbons 丝带 6.culminate 以...结束 7.descendding 下降 8.devoid 缺乏 9.curative 治愈的 10.cosmetic 美容 11.Badwater Basin 恶水盆地 12.spectacular desert scenery 壮观的沙漠景象 13.undisturbed wilderness 为受干扰的荒野 原文 For The Record What is the world's tallest mountain and highest elevation？ Of course，Mt. Everest，on the border of Nepal and Tibet，China，is the world's tallest mountain and highest elevation with a peak at 29035 feet（or 8850m）. The National Geographic Society revised the height of Mt. Everest in 1999 from 29028 feet（or 98848m） due to new GPS calculations. What's the tallest mountain from base to peak？ Mauna Kea in Hawaii is the one. Its bases on the sea floor，and it raises 33480 feet（or 10314 m）in total，reaching 13796 feet（or 4205m）above sea level. In reference to its towering height 20320 feet above sea level，Mt. McKinley in Alaska is the tallest mountain in North America. It has been named“The Roof of North America”or“The Chimney of North America”. Located about 55 kilometers drive from Amman，Jordan the Dead Sea in the Middle East region is the lowest point on Earth. The sunset touching the distant hills with ribbons of fire across the waters of the Dead Sea brings a sense of unreality to culminate a day's visit to the lowest point on the earth，some 1320 feet（or 400m）below sea level. On route a stone marker indicates“Sea Level”，but the Dead Sea itself is not reached before descending another 400 meters below this sign. As the name suggests，the sea is devoid of life due to an extremely high content of salts and minerals. But it is these natural elements which give the waters their curative powers，recognized since the days of Herod the Great，more than 2000 years ago. They also provide the raw materials for the renowned Jordanian Dead Sea Bath Salt and cosmetic products which are marketed worldwide. Badwater basin，the floor of Death Valley National Park in California，is the lowest point in the western hemisphere with 282 feet（or 85m）below sea level. Death Valley National Park，established in 1933，has more than 3.3 million acres of spectacular desert scenery，interesting and rare desert wildlife，complex geology，undisturbed wilderness，and sites of historical and cultural interest.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.Rocky Mountains 落基山脉 2.distinctive 独特的 3.rugged 崎岖的 4,.glacier 冰川 5.alpine meadows 高山草甸 6.canyons 峡谷 7.hoodoos 石林 8.landscape 景观 9.mammals 哺乳动物 10.elk 麋鹿 11.grizzly 灰熊 12.caribou 驯鹿 13.gouged 挖 14.picturesque 优美的 15.serene 宁静的 16.slopes 山坡 17.semi-arid 半干燥 18.cactus仙人掌 19.awe 惊叹 20.spectacular 壮观的 21.soaring 高耸的 22.marine fossils 海洋化石 23.bearing 关系 24.resemblance 相似 原文 Canadian Rocky Mountains Some of the best-known mountain scenery on earth is concentrated in a set of seven parks in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. There are four national parks in the Canadian Rockies-Banff，Jasper，Yoho and Kootenay，and three British Columbia provincial parks-Mount Robson，Mount Assiniboine and Hamber. The seven preserves located along the Albert-British Columbia border attract more than nine million people annually. Banff National Park became Canada's first national park in 1885，and birthplace of the Canada's national park system. It is home to a variety of distinctive natural features and cultural and historical sites. Rugged mountains，glaciers，icefields，alpine meadows，beautiful blue cold-water lakes，mineral hot springs，deep canyons and hoodoos compose the natural landscape and a habitat for a great variety of mammals such as elk，bighorn sheep，black and grizzly bear，and caribou. Jasper National Park is the largest and most northerly of the Canadian Rocky Mountains Parks. The park is less commercialized than Banff，so it can still keep many natural beauties and scenery. Its scenery includes deeply gouged Maligne Canyon，picturesque Maligne Lake，the thunder of Sunwapta Falls，the serene beauty of glacier-covered Mount Edith Cavell，and Miette Hot Springs. As one of 39 national parks in Canada，Kootenay National Park represents the south-western slopes of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. From glacier-clad peaks to semi-arid grasslands，where even cactus grows. Kootenay is rich in variety and is one of the largest protected areas in the world. Yoho National Park，representing the western slope of the Rocky Mountains region holds the secrets of ancient ocean life，the power of ice and water，and unique plant and animal communities that continue to evolve today. Awe and wonder is a natural response for this place of rock walls，spectacular waterfalls and soaring peaks. The Burgess Shale contains one of the world's most significant finds of soft-bodied，Middle Cambrian-age marine fossils，with about 150 species，including some bearing no resemblance to known animals. These four Canadian National Parks account for 14300 square miles. The four National Parks along with three British Columbia provincial parks form the UNESCO Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site-one of the largest protected areas in the world.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.elevation 海拔 2.series 系列 3.rapids 急流 4.drains 排干 5.shallow basin 浅盆底 6.straits 海峡 7.canals 运河 8.tremendous significance 重大意义 9.arteries 动脉，干线 10.fisheries 渔场 11.marinas 码头 原文 Great Lakes The Great Lakes are s group of five large freshwater lakes in North America that are interconnected by natural and artificial channels. They are（from east to west）：Lake Ontario，Lake Erie，Lake Huron，Lake Michigan，and Lake Superior. Most of them，except Lake Michigan，which lies entirely within in the United States，form part of the border between the United States and Canada. The Great Lakes are bordered by the Canadian province Ontario and by eight U.S, states including（from west to east）：Wisconsin，Minnesota，Illinois，Indiana，Ohio，Michigan，Pennsylvania，and New York. Large cities like Chicago，Detroit，Cleveland，and Toronto lie on the shores of the Great Lakes systems. The Great Lakes systems，with a combined surface area of 244100 sq km，holds about 20 percent of the world's fresh surface water. Lake elevations decrease to the east and south. Lake Superior，the largest lake at 82100 sq km，is also the largest freshwater lake in the world. Its outlet is the Saint Mary's River，which enters Lake Huron after falling about 7 meters over a series of rapids. Lake Huron and Lake Michigan lie at the same elevation. Water flows from Lake Michigan to Lake Huron. Lake Michigan is deeper than Lake Huron，but the latter is larger in area，at 59600 sq km. Lake Huron drains into the Saint Clair River，which falls about 3 meters between Lake Huron and the small，shallow basin of Lake Saint Clair. Lake Saint Clair is connected to Lake Erie by the Detroit River. At its northeast end，Lake Erie empties into the Niagara River，which drops 99 meters as it flows north to Lake Ontario，which is the smallest of the Great Lake at 19010 sq km. Lake Ontario is linked with the Atlantic Ocean via the St. Lawrence River. The Great Rivers interconnect by rivers，straits，and canals，are a natural resource of tremendous significance in North America；they serve as the focus of the industrial heartland of the continent and together form one of the world's busiest shipping arteries. The lakes also form an important recreational resource with about 17000 km of shoreline，rich sport fisheries，and numerous beaches and marinas.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.frustrations 挫败 2.stemming from 源于 3.accused 控告 4.counsellor 辅导员 5.stuck together 黏在一起 6.mature 成熟 原文 The First Five Years of My Life in Canada I left Korea 25 years ago，for Toronto，Ontario，Canada. I was 17 years old at that time. Now everyone knows how old I am. As any immigrant who left his or her country for a new place for looking for a better life，I believe the first five years of my living in Canada were the most challenging ones. It did not take long time for me to realize that I would have to face the biggest challenges in my life：the language problem. Although I had learned English in high school for almost for five years before coming to Canada，I did not find it useful in day-to-day living at this new place. My frustrations，stemming from lack of my English conversation skills，included ordering food at a fast-food restaurant，phone conversation，and conversations with neighbors. The most frustrating moment was my inability to explain to other people I was accused of something I did not do. Knowing that I was not able to defend myself properly due to lack of conversation skills，a few people often took advantage of me for their own benefits. However，throughout the years I met a lot of good people who gave me strength and encouragement. Among those people in my heart I still remember Mrs. Overholts. Mrs. Overholts was working in the Counsellor's Office at the high school I attended for two years，and she gave me a lot of valued advice and directions in regards in my academic life，as well as my personal one. My dear friends in my high school also helped me not only survive in the new country but also taught me the new cultures and systems. Some of them went to the same university as I did，while others went to different institutions. I am still in contact with many of them，but wherever they are，I believe they are making a positive contribution to the society. I owe the most to my father；my mother，who passed away seven years ago；and my brothers. We were neither rich nor poor，but we stuck together all the time. My parents taught me love，care，and kindness，through their actions，not just their words. It was from my family that I got strength when I was weak. It was my family who listened to me when I needed to talk. It was my family who really was happy for me when I told them good news. The first five years of my life in Canada surely was one of the most difficult times in my life. I believe，however，that it was also an important time period in my life for me to become a more mature and independent human being. I thank all of those who played a role in some way to help out during the transition period of my life.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.electronic commerce 电子商务 2.encompasses 包含，围绕 3.automation 自动化 4.transactions 交易 5.parcel 包裹 6.bypass 绕过 7.intermediates 中间商 8.distributors 分销商 9.retail 零售 10.multimedia catalogs 多媒体目录 11.alternative 替代 12.auction 拍卖 13.sponsor 赞助 14.portals 门户 原文 E-Commerce Electronic commerce（or simply e-commerce）is more than just buying and selling products or services online. It encompasses the entire online process of developing，marketing，selling，delivering，servicing and paying for products and services. E-commerce systems rely on the recourses of the Internet and other computer networks to support every step of the process. Through an E-commerce system，consumers can order and make payment for the products or services they purchase online and receive the support at the company's websites through the Internet. It also allows consumers and suppliers to participate in product development via Internet newsgroups and E-mail exchanges. There are basic types of e-commerce applications：business-to-business（B2B），business -to-consumer（B2C），and consumer-to-consumer（C2C）. Business-to-business（B2B）e-commerce is the online automation of purchase and sale transactions from business to business. Many companies use secure Internet or extranets for their business consumers and suppliers to access to their websites while some may rely on electronic data interchange（EDI）systems. Cisco systems，a leading manufacturer of computer networking equipment，makes about 40 percent of its sales online. These activities include order taking，credit check，production scheduling and technical support to their consumers. General Electric and the United Parcel Service（UPS）are a few of many other firms that offer B2B e-commerce sites. Business-to-consumer（B2C）e-commerce creates electronic marketplaces where businesses promote and sell products and services directly to consumer. In this form of electronic commerce，which has grown into a multibillion dollar market，business can bypass intermediaries such as distributors or retail outlets. Companies like Amazon.com and Dell Corporation offer e-commerce websites that provide virtual storefronts and multimedia catalogs，interactive order processing，secure electronic payment systems，and online consumer support. Consumer-to-consumer（C2C）e-commerce is an important alternative for business-to-business or business-to-consumer e-commerce. In this form of e-commerce，consumers can buy and sell products and services with each other in an auction process at an auction website. Through an online auction site like eBay，one of the most successful C2C e-commerce models，consumers and businesses can participate in or sponsor consumer or business auctions. Other forms of consumer-to-consumer e-commerce include personal advertising of products or services by consumers at electronic newspaper sites，consumer e-commerce portals，or personal websites.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.afterthought 事后想法 2.substantially 大大地 3.radically 彻底的 4.regional 区域的 5.diversify 多样化 6.integrate 整合 7.alliances 同盟 8.though 艰难的 原文 Strategic Uses of Information Technology What is information technology？ How can information technology be used in an organization to improve its efficiency？ How much investment should an organization make in information technology？ What are the business benefits and opportunities an organization may achieve from using information technology？ These are some of the most questions many organizations ask themselves before investing their capitals in information technology. In an academic term，information technology is defined as hardware，software，telecommunications，database management，and other information processing technologies used in computer-based information systems. There are many ways that organizations may view and use information technology. However，in today's competitive business environment，technology is no longer an afterthought in forming business strategy，but it is the actual cause and driver. In other words，for a firm to maintain or improve its business competitiveness，it must use information technology to achieve strategic advantage. Information technology can help a company substantially reduce the cost of business processes and lower the costs of customers or suppliers. Information technology can help a company differentiate its products or services from others. Using information technology，a firm can create new products and services or make radical changes to business processes. A firm can use information technology to manage regional and global business expansion or to diversify and integrate into other products and services. A firm can use information technology to create virtual organizations of business partners or to develop alliance with customers，suppliers，and other business partners. Information technology can dramatically improve the efficiency of business processes and quality of products and services. Using information technology，a firm can build a strategic information base of all the information collected. Some experts argue that use of information technology has become a strategic necessity rather than a strategic advantage，because most of competitive advantages don't last more than a few years. Whether the statement is true or not，most companies may not want to wait too long before investing in information technology，because it would be tough to catch up later once you get behind your competitors，especially when everyone is playing with newer，better technology.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.firm 公司 2.forecasts 预测 3.projected 规划 4.budgets 预算 5.evaluates 评估 6.allocation 分配 7.capital 资本 8.securities 安全 9.profitability 盈利能力 10.expenditures 支出 11.potential 潜在的，潜力 12.purchasing 购买 13.inventory 库存 14.manufacturing 制造 15.facilities location 设施选址 16.layout 安排 17.recuritment 招收 18.compensation 赔偿 19.integrated 集成的 20.enterprise 企业 原文 Business Education What is business？ A business includes all the activities involved to create and sell a product or service. The most important functional areas of business include：accounting，finance，marketing，production/operations，and human resources management. Accounting is a field business that records and reports the flow of funds through a firm on a historical basis and produces important financial statements such as balance sheets and income statements. It also produces forecasts of future conditions such as projected financial statements and financial budgets，and evaluates the firm's financial performance against the forecasts. The finance area of business supports a firm in decisions concerning the financing of the firm's business and the allocation and control of financial resource within the firm. Major activities of finance include cash and investment management，capital budgeting，financial forecasting，and financial planning. The cash and investment management activities forecast and manage the firm's cash position and short-term and other securities. The capital budgeting activity involves evaluating the profitability and risk of proposed capital expenditures. The financial planning process evaluates the present and projected financial performance of the firm and projects the firm's future financial needs. The marketing function of business is concerned with the planning，promotion，sale，and distribution of existing products or services in existing markets，and the development of new products and new services in order to better serve existing and potential customers with quality products and services. It is also responsible for customer relationship management，product planning，pricing，advertising，after-sale service，and market research and forecasting. The production/operation function focuses on the management of all activities concerned with the planning and control of the processes producing the goods or services. These activities include purchasing of raw material and parts，product design，inventory，manufacturing processes，facilities location，and layout，quality control，and such other logistics as distribution and transportation. The human resource management function involves the recruitment，placement，evaluate，compensation，and development of a firm's employees. With the main goal of the effective and efficient use of a firm's human capital，the human resources management function supports planning to meet the personal needs of the business，development of employees to their full potential，and control of all personnel policies and programs. While each of the aforementioned functional areas with a firm used to operate somewhat independently with its own objectives resources，information and other computer technologies have integrated all business functions with the firm and created something called“an Internet worked e-business enterprise”.