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Undoubtedly，Internet technology will change the way we live，work，communicate and do business．But beware of those who proclaim this to be a New Era of profitability．As in the so-called New Eras of the past--brought on by earlier technological breakthroughs--this one carries the seeds of its own destruction．The phenomenal growth of Internet businesses is already fueling a Klondike-style gold rush，with far too many diggers looking for far too little gold．Economics teaches us that it is hard to become an upstart with a basically free commodity．Think of ice in the Arctic，sand in the desert，seawater in the ocean or，for that matter，the seemingly unlimited“hot air”on the Net．

In the 20th century，the proliferation of cars，radios，movies，televisions，mass retailers

and computers all inspired a sense that we had begun a New Era．Each breakthrough promised new riches and unprecedented prosperity for the innovators．But in the long run，they always failed to deliver to investors the expected rewards．

Why the letdowns? In part because every great innovator invariably attracted great imitators，who competed with the original and eventually depressed his“excessive”profit margin by commoditizing the invention．Furthermore，great inventions have always been followed by greater innovations，which，through the process known as creative destruction，render the previous new technology obsolete．And when inventions become vital to the economy，they are frequently brought under the control of governments via regulation，nationalization and，in extreme cases，expropriation(没收)．

Take the Erie Canal，which was completed in 1825. Its success led to the great American canal boom of the 1830s．It ended just a few years later in a tremendous failure，as most of the other canals failed to make money．The Erie，too，began to suffer from competition，first from railroads and，eventually，from trucks．In the end，the railroad industry--which helped create an unprecedented industrial boom--proved to be disastrous for most investors．By 1895，most U．S．railroads had to be restructured．

Now-familiar technologies like cars，radios，cash registers and mainframe computers were all at some point new and revolutionary．But the spread of the technologies led inevitably to the demise of their creators’“excessive”profits，as each became just another commodity．Don’t think for a minute that the internet will be any different．

26．The purpose of this passage is _______.

A．to pour cold water on the booming Internet industry

B．to exemplify why New Eras of the past failed

C．to justify the profitability of Internet business

D．to explore the prosperity and decline of New Eras

27．It is implied in the passage that ______.

A．most Internet companies are unlikely to be out of business soon

B．after beating the competitors，the survived Internet companies can achieve some

meaningful earnings

C．the growth of the Internet businesses is too fast

D．the spread of a new invention can make people live better

28．The current booming of Internet industry is compared to _______.

A．ice in the Arctic

B．sand in the desert

C．seawater in the ocean

D．a Klondike-style gold rush

29．All the following account for the letdowns of New Eras of the past EXCEPT ______ .

A．the emergence of imitation after innovation

B．the competition between imitation and innovation

C．even greater innovation after great invention

D．exclusive intervention by the government

30．The Erie Canal is mentioned in the passage because ______.

A．its success led to the great American canal boom in the 1830s

B．it ended just a few years later in a tremendous failure

C．it suffered from competition from railroads and trucks

D．it proved to be less profitable than its investors expected

答案：26A 27C 28D 29D 30D