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Lesson 10
Siliconvalley
硅谷
Firstlistenandthenanswerthefollowingquestion.
听录音,然后回答以下问题。
Whatdoesthecomputerindustrythriveonapartfromanarchy?
TechnologytrendsmaypushSiliconValleybacktothefuture. CarverMead, apioneerinintegratedcircuitsandaprofessorofcomputerscienceattheCaliforniaInstituteofTechnology, notestherearenowwork-stationsthatenableengineerstodesign, testandproducechipsrightontheirdesks, muchthewayaneditorcreatesanewsletteronaMacintosh. Asthetimeandcostofmakingachipdroptoafewdaysandafewhundreddollars, engineersmaysoonbefreetolettheirimaginationssoarwithoutbeingpenalizedbyexpensivefailures. Meadpredictsthatinventorswillbeabletoperfectpowerfulcustomizedchipsoveraweekendattheoffice -- spawninganewgenerationofgaragestart-upsandgivingtheU.S. ajumponitsforeignrivalsingettingnewproductstomarketfast. 'We'regotmoregarageswithsmartpeople,' Meadobserves. 'Wereallythriveonanarchy.'
AndonAsians. Already, orientalsandAsianAmericansconstitutethemajorityoftheengineeringstaffsatmanyValleyfirms. AndChinese, Korean, FilipinoandIndianengineersaregraduatingindrovesfromCalifornia'scolleges. Astheheadsofnext-generationstart-ups, theseAsianinnovatorscandrawoncustomsandlanguagestoforgerighterlinkswithcrucialPacificRimmarkets. Forinstance, AlexAu, aStanfordPh. D. fromHongKong, hassetupaTaiwanfactorytochallengeJapan'snearlockonthememory-chipmarket. India-bornN.DamodarReddy'stinyCaliforniacompanyreopenedanAT & TchipplantinKansasCitylastspringwithfinancingfromthestateofMissouri. Beforeitbecomesaretirementvillage, SiliconValleymayproveaclassroomforbuildingaglobalbusiness.