2016_2017学年高中英语Unit13PeopleSectionⅠWarm_upLesson1_Pre_reading课时作业北师大版必修52017030822.docVIP

Unit 13 People Section Ⅰ Warm-up Lesson 1-Pre-reading 阅读理解 A One summer night in 1900，a reporter appeared at the door of Thomas Edison’s laboratory asking for an interview.The night guard wouldn’t admit him，even though Edison was still at work upstairs.The reporter，Remsen Crawford，said he needed to get Edison’s reaction to the news that seven of his inventions “would become available to the public” when their patents (专利) ran out at midnight. The guard passed on the request to Edison，who replied：“Go back.Tell that fellow that I say Mr Edison has never used his inventions alone and never expects to in this world.So the ending of a patent has no effect upon the wealth of an inventor.” Hearing Edison’s response，Crawford wrote another note：“What do you mean by ‘never used alone’？Must see you.” Finally the great inventor admitted Crawford and gave him this statement：“In this country an inventor can’t stop people copying his inventions.The moment he invents something，there’ll be pirates rising up on all sides and calling it their own.” Thirty years later，Crawford was back at Edison’s laboratory，again asking about patents and the money he got from them.Crawford asked him，“You have invented many things，including the electric lighting.Why aren’t you the richest man in the world today？” Edison’s reply：“Nearly $10,000,000,000，they tell me，is invested in modern industries which developed from ideas included in my inventions and my patents.A billion or so dollars may be the annual total income to workers in fields connected with my inventions and patents.But I’ve made very little profit from my inventions.In my lifetime I’ve taken out 1180 patents so far.These patents have cost me more than they’ve returned me.I’ve made money through the introduction and sale of my products as a maker，not as an inventor.” Edison was one of the few fortunate inventors who knew that great engineering，on its own，earned nothing.The success of any technology lies in its business