雅思阅读真题（Part 3）
商业创新：从乐可口到乔布斯的创新真相
本篇也叫：商业创新、企业创新、创新思维、乐可口饮料、乔布斯创新、雅思阅读商业创新
Part 3 · 考频：中频 · 最近考试：2025.12.6
本篇为雅思阅读真题（Part 3）《Innovation in business》，共 14 题，2025.12.6雅思考试真题回忆，页面提供完整原文、题目、答案与解析，并支持在线机考模式免费练习。本页同时提供 Markdown 版本 供 AI 助手与搜索引擎直接读取。
文章讨论商业创新的本质，指出创新并非都是大规模研发或革命性商业模式，乐可口通过给瓶子加螺旋盖从药品变成运动饮料就是小规模创新的成功案例。文章还反驳创新是灵光一现的误解，以爱迪生和乔布斯为例说明创新需要大量实验与坚持。
A
Innovation describes the way that we develop new ideas, products, and approaches, and it is one of the most vital human endeavors. Over the history of humanity, innovation has made life better in so many different ways. It is part of human nature to recognize the benefits of innovation; however, the majority of us have little comprehension of the processes that actually lead to innovation occurring. This is a frequent topic for discussion in journals and university lecture theatres. However, in company boardrooms across New Zealand, the term is heard far too frequently, and more caution should be applied. Certainly, a recent international survey showed that the idea of innovation is so broad as to appear almost meaningless, with different sectors of the business world—or different divisions inside the same business—often defining innovation in their own way.
B
While there is an obvious attraction to the new, innovation is not always about large-scale research and development projects or revolutionary business models; it can be on a small, highly localized scale and involve a step-by-step approach. The famous case study of the drinks company Lucozade shows it can be as simple as adding a screw top to a bottle. This carefully managed change in packaging shifted the public perception of the product from a medicine to a sports drink, and Lucozade profited handsomely, clearly showing their approach was successful. So what steps can businesses take to keep ahead in the innovation game?
C
There seems to be a widespread belief that the world's best ideas are sudden and intuitive. Thomas Edison supposedly invented the light bulb with a sudden moment of clarity, but in fact, the book Edison: His Life and Inventions shows that Edison's own inspiration usually resulted from laborious experimentation, rather than a moment of genius. Thus, business managers are at risk of overestimating the pace of development while underestimating the amount of perseverance needed. This is why we must reject the false assumption that innovation is just a moment of brilliance waiting to strike.
D
No exploration of innovation is complete without mention of Steve Jobs, the late chief executive officer (CEO) of Apple. No one encapsulated the creative essence of Silicon Valley, the home of many global tech companies, better than Jobs, but he has also been accused of arrogance. Jobs' managerial approach often imitated his co-workers but, in part, it was the fuel for his visionary innovations. He felt it his duty to make society a better place, but his egotistical behavior could have undesirable consequences, too. Jobs' former employees have suggested this type of demanding behavior affects sickness rates and group morale, which in turn may squash creativity and innovation.
E
In his 2011 TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) Talk, economist Tim Harford made this statement: "Show me a successful complex system, and I will show you a system that has evolved through trial and error." It sounds like common sense, and some commentators have claimed Harford's TED Talk was not persuasive because it was stating the obvious. But he responds that a trial-and-error approach is not all that obvious, because society expects all problems to have a quick and simple solution. Harford is right to point out that both consumers and investors expect consistent and clear breakthroughs. But the value of step-by-step innovation is often underrated, and failure may, in fact, be crucial to eventual success.
F
Former chief solutions officer at Yahoo, Tim Sanders, believes that innovation is only "little ideas that combine with other little ideas that improve themselves into game-changing ideas." This snowballing effect has similarities to the phenomenon that author and broadcaster Steven Johnson calls the "hummingbird effect" of innovation. This points out that progress in a specific area or discipline can end up triggering small but significant developments elsewhere entirely. A good case to cite in support of this universal truth would be Gutenberg's printing press, which was revolutionary in itself for making books accessible to the masses. However, the press also affected an unrelated industry by causing a rise in demand for reading glasses.
G
This highlights the wider idea of connectivity, which is an essential component of innovation. When Kode Biotech won a recent innovation award, CEO Steve Henry had this to say: "Most people think innovation is invention, but they don't understand that innovation is the conversion of invention into something useful." This is particularly true when it comes to Kode's highly specialized use of nanotechnology. Henry says that Kode cannot chase all the opportunities it has created. Instead, Kode's approach is to collaborate with similar nanotechnology businesses, which take its innovations and develop them into commodities that can be sold in the marketplace.
H
Innovation can be hectic and disorganized, but that is the way that radical new ideas sometimes come about. But, for established businesses, the disorderly nature of innovation can seem discouraging. Previously Unavailable, a specialist innovation consultancy, says that while 84% of businesses consider innovation critical to their future, only 6% are satisfied with their innovation efforts. Previously Unavailable uses a process called Black Box, which was developed following a study at Harvard Business School. Black Box was formed to overcome the barriers that prevent innovation in larger organizations. Using this unique system, Previously Unavailable will lease a team of innovation experts on a short-term basis to client organizations to assist with conceiving, developing, and launching new products and business innovations. It seems probable that this sort of innovation consultancy will become increasingly common, just as businesses already employ specialist consultants for legal, financial, or marketing services.
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答案：NO
原文定位：however, the majority of us have little comprehension of the processes that actually lead to innovation occurring
同义替换：「Most people」↔「the majority of us」，「understand」↔「comprehension」，「how innovation happens」↔「the processes that actually lead to innovation occurring」
答案：YES
原文定位：However, in company boardrooms across New Zealand, the term is heard far too frequently, and more caution should be applied
同义替换：「word」↔「term」，「overused」↔「far too frequently」，「business」↔「company」
答案：YES
原文定位：Certainly, a recent international survey showed that the idea of innovation is so broad as to appear almost meaningless, with different sectors of the business world—or different divisions inside the same business—often defining innovation in their own way
同义替换：「global study」↔「international survey」，「many interpretations」↔「defining innovation in their own way」，「in business」↔「different sectors of the business world」
答案：NOT GIVEN
答案：Dismissing one common idea about innovation
原文定位：There seems to be a widespread belief that the world's best ideas are sudden and intuitive;This is why we must reject the false assumption that innovation is just a moment of brilliance waiting to strike
同义替换：「common idea」↔「widespread belief」，「dismissing」↔「reject the false assumption」
答案：There are pros and cons to strong leaders.
原文定位：No one encapsulated the creative essence of Silicon Valley;better than Jobs, but he has also been accused of arrogance;He felt it his duty to make society a better place, but his egotistical behavior could have undesirable consequences, too
答案：Give an example of a general rule about innovation.
原文定位：This points out that progress in a specific area or discipline can end up triggering small but significant developments elsewhere entirely;A good case to cite in support of this universal truth would be Gutenberg's printing press
同义替换：「general rule」↔「this universal truth」，「give an example」↔「a good case to cite in support of」，「about innovation」↔「hummingbird effect of innovation」
答案：Companies should cooperate to turn ideas into products.
原文定位：Instead, Kode's approach is to collaborate with similar nanotechnology businesses, which take its innovations and develop them into commodities that can be sold in the marketplace
同义替换：「cooperate」↔「collaborate」，「turn ideas into products」↔「develop them into commodities that can be sold」
答案：can be hired to give businesses advice about innovation.
原文定位：Previously Unavailable will lease a team of innovation experts on a short-term basis to client organizations to assist with conceiving, developing, and launching new products and business innovations
同义替换：「hired」↔「lease」，「advice」↔「assist with」
答案：innovation requires a great deal of hard work.
原文定位：the book Edison: His Life and Inventions shows that Edison's own inspiration usually resulted from laborious experimentation, rather than a moment of genius
同义替换：「laborious experimentation」↔「a great deal of hard work」
答案：certain personality types can limit innovation.
原文定位：Jobs' former employees have suggested this type of demanding behavior affects sickness rates and group morale, which in turn may squash creativity and innovation
同义替换：「People who have worked for」↔「Jobs' former employees」，「egotistical behavior」↔「certain personality types」，「squash creativity and innovation」↔「limit innovation」
答案：expressing what everyone already knows is pointless.
原文定位：It sounds like common sense, and some commentators have claimed Harford's TED Talk was not persuasive because it was stating the obvious
同义替换：「Critics」↔「some commentators」，「stating the obvious」↔「expressing what everyone already knows」，「not persuasive」↔「pointless」
答案：innovation may influence a completely different field.
原文定位：This points out that progress in a specific area or discipline can end up triggering small but significant developments elsewhere entirely
同义替换：「progress in a specific area」↔「innovation」，「elsewhere entirely」↔「a completely different field」，「triggering developments」↔「influence」
答案：innovation can be enhanced through collaboration with similar companies.
原文定位：Instead, Kode's approach is to collaborate with similar nanotechnology businesses, which take its innovations and develop them into commodities that can be sold in the marketplace
同义替换：「collaborate with similar nanotechnology businesses」↔「collaboration with similar companies」，「develop them into commodities」↔「innovation can be enhanced」