【趣谈英语】比尔盖茨每周思考-Bill Gates Credits ‘Think Week’ For Success

Pre-Listening Vocabulary

 

firm believer: a person who feels strongly about something

biannual¹: occurring twice a year

innovation: a new invention, product, or idea

strategize: to come up with a plan

retreat: an escape from everyday life

implement²: to put into use; to make something happen

entrepreneur: a person who takes a risk in order to develop a new idea or business

 

 

Bill Gates Credits ‘Think Week’ For Success

Bill Gates is a firm believer in creative thinking. Many Microsoft innovations came out of his biannual ‘Think Week’ retreats. During these breaks from office life, Gates spent time alone thinking about his company and the future of the computer industry. Reading and strategizing were the two main activities that Gates engaged in during his solo retreats. In his quiet time alone, Gates read dozens of papers written by Microsoft employees, and took detailed³ notes about how to implement the best ideas. At the end of the week, Gates summarized his thoughts and sent out emails and reading lists to his executives. He then had follow-up meetings to put plans into action. Gates kept up this tradition for many years, and inspired other entrepreneurs to use a similar approach.

1 biannual   

adj.一年两次的

参考例句：

• I have to make a biannual report next Monday.下周一我得作半年度报告。
• Our school doctor recommends a biannual visit to the dentist.我们校医建议一年去看牙医两次。

2 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

3 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。