When you go to a market, you may find that many companies make similar products. 你去市场的时候，你会发现很多公司都生产相似的产品。

　　What if there was only one cereal company in your country? 要是你的国家只有一家谷物公司会怎么样？

　　We would call it a monopoly. 我们称之为垄断。

　　A monopoly means there is no competition in the market. 垄断是指市场上没有竞争。

　　If company has a monopoly, it can control the price of its product. 如果公司能够垄断，它就能控制产品的价格。

　　So, people have to buy the product, even if it is very expensive. 因此，即使它的产品价格昂贵，人们也得买它。

　　Therefore, governments usually prohibit companies from having a monopoly. 因此，政府通常禁止公司垄断。

　　So, companies compete to make better products and offer cheaper prices. 这样的话，公司会争相生产物美价廉的产品。