首页
外语
计算机
考研
公务员
职业资格
财经
工程
司法
医学
专升本
自考
实用职业技能
登录
外语
In 1742 Benjamin Franklin invented a new type of stove, for which he was offered a patent. Franklin refused it, arguing in his a
In 1742 Benjamin Franklin invented a new type of stove, for which he was offered a patent. Franklin refused it, arguing in his a
admin
2016-11-09
40
问题
In 1742 Benjamin Franklin invented a new type of stove, for which he was offered a patent. Franklin refused it, arguing in his autobiography that because "we enjoyed great advantages from the inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours."
Most inventors are not as generous as the "Newton of Electricity": They want to turn their inventions into a profit. The patent system, which was developed independently in 15th-century Venice and then in 17th-century England, gave entrepreneurs a monopoly to sell their inventions for a number of years. Yet by the 1860s the patent system came under attack. Patents, critics argued, inhibited future creativity by allowing inventors to
rest on their laurels
. Recent economic research backs this up.
The pharmaceutical industry makes the best case for patents (and makes the most of patents when they are approved). Medical research and development (R&D) is costly. Moreover, although a patent application must be filed straight after a drug discovery, clinical trials necessary for drug approval may take several years. This shortens the effective life of the patent, which causes problems. In order to prove the efficacy of a drug, pharmaceuticals have to match the length of a clinical trial to the expected survival time of the patients. A clinical trial for patients with a spreading cancer lasts only three years compared to an 18-year-long trial for those suffering from a milder, localized cancer. Since a typical patent is in force for 20 years, firms only have two years of effective patent length left to commercialize a new drug against the localized cancer.
The data paint a gloomy picture. Pharmaceutical companies conduct 30 times more clinical trials for recurrent cancer drugs than for preventive drugs. They divert their R&D expenditures away from more curable, localized cancers and focus on incurable spreading and recurrent cancers instead. The patent system encourages pharmaceuticals to pump out drugs aimed at those who have almost no chance of surviving the cancer anyway. This patent distortion costs the U.S. economy around $89 billion a year in lost lives.
A one-size-fits-all patent system does not cater to the specifics of innovation in the pharmaceutical industry. But tailoring patent law may encourage lobbying and corruption. A careful reform of the patent system is necessary: Complete abolition of patents will not be enough to save cancer patients’ lives.
The underlined words "rest on their laurels" in Paragraph 2 probably mean________.
选项
A、feel satisfied with what they have achieved
B、be motivated to create more inventions and profits
C、have a good rest after a long span of hard work
D、accumulate much wealth in a short time
答案
A
解析
根据该句中前面的文字可以推断rest on their laurels不是褒义的。对当时专利制度持批评态度的人认为这种体系不利于未来的创作发明,原因是享受专利的人可以如何如何。rest on one’s laurels是个成语,意义为be satisfied with what one has already achieved(对自己的成就感到满意),言外之意就是“不思进取,故步自封”。
转载请注明原文地址:https://kaotiyun.com/show/KUHO777K
0
研究生英语学位课统考(GET)
相关试题推荐
Therearetwobasicwaystoseegrowth:oneasaproduct,theotherasaprocess.Peoplehavegenerallyviewedpersonalgrowtha
Thepayrollregisterconstitutesthetreasurerdepartment’sauthoritytopaytheemployees.Paymentisusuallymadeintheform
TheUnitedStatesisacountrymadeupofmanydifferentraces.Usuallytheyaremixedtogetherandcan’tbetoldfromoneanoth
Tousitseemssonaturaltoputupanumbrellatokeepthewateroffwhenitrains.Butactuallytheumbrellawasnotinvented
Itwas3:45inthemorningwhenthevotewasfinallytaken.Aftersixmonthsofarguingandfinal16hoursofhotparliamentary
Whenthestrangerwalkedtowardshim,hefled,thedoor______behindhim.
(清华大学2007年试题)Seariseasaconsequenceofglobalwarmingwouldimmediatelythreatenthatlargefractionoftheglobeliving
(中国科学院2013年3月试题)Parentswhobelievethatplayingvideogamesislessharmfultotheirkids’attentionspansthanwatchingTV
Organizationalculturecanbedefinedasasystemofsharedbeliefsandvaluesthatdevelopswithinanorganizationand______beh
Thetroublewithtelevisionisthatitdiscouragesconcentration.Television’svarietybecomesanarcotic,notastimulus.Itss
随机试题
Inourcontemporaryculture,theprospectofcommunicatingwith—orevenlookingat—astrangerisvirtuallyunbearable.Everyone
文明生产是要求每个生产者在劳动生产中严格按有组织办事。()
女性,25岁。妊娠5个月,因转移性右下腹痛2小时就诊。经检查诊断为急性阑尾炎。其治疗措施错误的是
有关毒性的叙述,错误的是
患者,男,42岁。胃脘胀痛,攻痛连胁,嗳气频作,并呕逆酸苦,二便如常,舌苔薄白,脉沉弦。治疗应首选( )。
甲为一富商之子(16岁),其借给乙10万元,其向丙借款10万元,其在醉酒状态下将自己的价值20万的罗马表以100元的价格卖给丁,其立下遗嘱将祖父赠与的一套别墅遗赠给女朋友戊。下列表述错误的是:()
某大型防洪工程由政府投资兴建。项目法人委托某招标代理公司代理施工招标。招标代理公司依据有关规定确定该项目采用公开招标方式招标,招标公告在当地政府规定的招标信息网上发布。招标文件中规定:投标担保可采用投标保证金或投标保函方式担保。评标方法采用经评审的最低投标
下列说法中,正确的选项有________。
以“我设计的房子”为活动内容,拟订一个大班美术教育活动计划。
[*]
最新回复
(
0
)