For one brief moment in April, Larry Ellison came within a few dollars of being the richest man in the world. The computer tycoon was holding a global conference call on a Wednesday morning, when the value of his company surged.
It was the moment he almost overtook Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, as the wealthiest on the planet. For a few seconds, as share of traders marked Microsoft down and Oracle up, Ellison came within US $ 200,000 of Gates. The self-proclaimed "bad boy" of Silicon Valley found himself worth more than US $ 52 billion, up from a mere US $10 billion this time last year. Then Microsoft's share price, which had plunged in recent weeks, recovered and the moment passed.
Once, Ellison, founder of the software company Oracle, would have danced around his desk cursing like a pirate at failing to bring down Gates, a rival he had constantly made fun of in public. But Silicon Valley insiders said he remained calm, and muttered: "One day, one day very, very soon." He knew his moment was close.
Unlike Gates, he is not big on charity, preferring to spend his money his way. He has his own private air force, a military-style. crew based at San Jose airport near Redwood City, to help him fly his Gulfstream V jet (with two marbled bathrooms), a Marchetti fighter plane imported from Italy, and a handful of other aircraft, including a trainer for his son. He also plans to import a Russian Mig-29 fighter (capable of 1,500 mph). Why does he want one？ So that, he joked, he can blast Gates' home near Seattle. Cars are cheap and cheerful by comparison. He has a relatively modest Porsche Boxster, two specially altered Mercedes and a US $ 900,000 silver McLaren.
In San Francisco he owns a magnificent house in Pacific Heights, one of Western America's most expensive stretches of real estate. The house is a technical marvel. When he inserts his key, the opaque glass door turns transparent, revealing a Japanese garden in the middle of the house. For reasons he knows best, Ellison is obsessed with Japanese culture. Though he says he once briefly dated the actress Sharon Stone, Ellison is better known for the number than the fame of his wives. It is said he introduced himself with: "Can I buy you a car？" In one year he gave at least four US $ 50,000 cars to young ladies.
While Gates comes from a strong family, Ellison still does not know who his father was. He was born to an unmarried mother and adopted by his Russian uncle and aunt. A brilliant but unpredictable self-promoter, he dropped out of college, drove to California in a battered Thunderbird car and ended up working with computer technicians at a bank. "He always had a champagne lifestyle. on beer money," his first wife said.
He set up Oracle in 1977 as a super-salesman with 3 programmers, creating software for businesses. It almost collapsed when it promised more than it could deliver, but since then its fortunes have soared. Now it employs 43,000 people and has designed data-processing systems used by Britain's M15 spy service as well as big western companies. Oracle's software is more Internet- friendly than Gates' Windows, one factor behind the company's recent share price rise.
Since his company got big, Ellison has promised shareholders that he will spend more time in the office. But can he escape being the thrill-seeker he is at heart？ As summer approaches, he may find it hard to resist the lure of his yachts, Sakura, one of the longest in the world, and Sayonara (Japanese for "see you later"), which he races furiously. It is dangerous sport, even for guests. Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch once nearly lost a finger when he grabbed a rope during a race onboard the Sayonara. Ellison joked at least he could "still wrote checks".
Regardless of distractions, Ellison will not give up in his battle against Gates. He hates to lose. Ellison declares that any
A．Ellison is as rich as Bill Gates
B．Ellison has US $ 200,000 less than Bill Gates
C．Ellison is richer than Bill Gates
D．Oracle has more money than Microsoft
Most of us trade money for entertainment. Movies, concerts and shows are enjoyable but expensive. (78) If you think that you can't have a good time without spending a lot of money, read on. A little resourcefulness and a few minutes of newspaper—scanning should give you some pleasant surprises.
People may be the most interesting show in a large city. Stroll through busy streets and see what everybody else is doing. You will probably see people from all over the world; you will certainly see people of every age, size, and shape, and you'll get a free fashion show, too. Window—shopping is also a safe sport—is the stores are closed.
Check the listings in your neighborhood paper. Local colleges or schools often welcome the public to hear an interesting speaker or a good debate. The film or concert series at the local public library probably won't cost you a penny. Be sure to check commercial ad vertisements too. A flea market can provide hours of pleasant brow sing. Perhaps you can find a free cooking or crafts in a department store.
Plan ahead for some activities. It is always more pleasant not to have people in front of you in a museum or at a zoo. You may save some money, too, since these places often set aside one or two free admission days at slow times during the week. (79) Pretend that you are a tourist from time to time, and get to know your city all over a gain including the indispensable (不可错过的) sights that people travel miles to see. If you feel like taking an interesting walk, find a free walking tour, or plan one yourself. You will see your city in a new perspective (视角) once you know more about its history or its architectural treasures. With imagination and a spirit of adventure you can quite easily find good entertainment at no cost at all.
Which of the following statements is NOT true？
A．There are many kinds of amusements you can enjoy without spending much money.
B．Local colleges often hold meetings to debate the issues people are interested in.
C．The film shown at the local public library is often free of charge.
D．You should be a tourist if you want to know more about the city you live in.
听力原文： Like hundreds before them, a team of 10 Americans arrived at the second of four base camps on Mt. Everest this week. But tike few others, this one had a goal of making history.
That' s because one of its members is 32 - year - old Erik Weihenmeyer, who hopes to become the first blind man to clear the famed 29,035 -foot peak.
Weihenmeyer has been blind since age 13, having lost his sight to a rare disease called retinoschisis. But despite his lack of sight, the Denver, Colo. , man has still managed to turn himself into a world - class adventurer -- a certified sky and scuba diver who also competes in long - distance bi king and marathon running, as well as skiing and mountain eering. In 1995, he scaled North America' s highest peak, Mt. McKinley; in 1997, he topped Mt. Kilimanjaro, and in January 1999, he summited Argentina' s Aeoneagua, the tallest mountain in South America. Weihenmeyer has climbed mountains using a system he devised himself. He works with two long adjustable trekking poles -- leaning on one and scanning in front of him with another. He' ll also use his sense of hearing, listening to footsteps around him and a hell tied to the climber ahead of him. But Weinhenmeyer says he' ll also be a real part of the team. He says he's strong, and can contribute by carrying loads, setting up tents and building up snow walls. Weihenmeyer says he wants to climb the highest peak on all seven continents -- but he says he' s no daredevil. Still, Weibenmeyer admits to sealy moments. One of the worst was on an open ridge on Mt. McKinley, where a miscalculation of a few inches could have meant death. The lessons are only part of the reason Weinhenmeyer wanted to climb Everest. He says he' s wanted to take on the mountain for a long time. The folklore surrounding the mountain, all the famous tales --" You read a bout it from such an early age. It' s cool to be part of it," he said.. There' s the bonus of feeling of the sun on your face, and sensing the height of where you are, from the sound and the space around you. That blindness is also a reason he' s climbing. He' s being supported by the National Federation for the Blind, an activist organization seeking to change the way people think about blindness. But Weihenmeyer also recognizes that a good part of his climb is for himself.
Weibenmeyer' s team will attempt to summit Everest via the southeast ridge route pioneered by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay 47 years ago. The team attempted to summit the 22,486 foot Mount Ama Dablam, in the Everest region in Nepal last year, but had to withdraw because of bad weather. In May 1998, a disabled American climber, Tom Whittaeker, who has an artificial leg, climbed Everest.
Why did the team of 10 Americans had a goal of making history？
A．Because it is the first team that topped Mt. Everest.
B．Because all of the members of the team are blind men except Erik Weihenmeyer.
C．Because one of its members is Erik Weihenmeyer, who hopes to become the first blind man to clearthe famed Mt. Everest.
D．Because all of the members of the team are old men who are eager to climb the famed peak.
