第一段
Over the past decade, thousands of patents have been granted for what are called business methods. Amazon.com received one for its "one-click" online payment system. Merrill Lynch got legal protection for anassetallocationstrategy. One inventor patented a technique for lifting a box.
单词&词组
patent [ˈpeɪtnt]（常见词）n.专利权；n.取得专利权
asset [ˈæset]（出现20次）n.资产，财产
allocation [ˌæləˈkeɪʃn]（出现3次）n.分配
strategy [ˈstrætədʒi]（出现5次）n.战略，策略
technique [tekˈniːk]（出现4次）n.技术，技能，工艺
lift [lɪft]（出现3次）v.升起，举起；n.电梯；[僻义]v.抄袭
本段翻译
过去十年间，成千上万的专利被授给了所谓的“商业方法”，亚马逊公司因其“一键式”在线支付系统获得了一项专利。美林集团因某种资产配置策略获得了法律保护。某发明者获得了一项提箱技术的专利。
第二段
Now the nation's top patent court appears completely ready to scale back on business-method patents, which have been controversialever since they were first authorized 10 years ago. In a move that has intellectual-propertylawyers abuzz the U.S. court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit said it would use a particular case to conduct a broad review of business-method patents. In re Bilski, as the case is known , is "a very big deal", says Dennis D. Crouch of the University of Missouri School of law. It "has the potential to eliminatean entire class of patents."
单词&词组
controversial [ˌkɑːntrəˈvɜːrʃl] adj.有争议的
authorize [ˈɔːθəraɪzd]（出现9次）v.批准，授权
abuzz [əˈbʌz] adj.嘈杂的
Circuit [ˈsɜːrkɪt]（出现2次）n.电路，环形道路，巡回审批
eliminate [ɪˈlɪmɪneɪt]（出现9次）v.排除，淘汰，消灭，撤销
scale sth. back（减少，缩小）
ever since（从。。。以来，自从）
a very big deal（大事件）
intellectual-property（知识产权）
本段翻译
商业方法的专利自从十年前第一次被批准以来一直存在争议，现在，国家最高专利法院对于缩减商业方法专利的比例似乎完全准备就绪。在一项提议中，美国联邦巡回上诉法院指明，美国联邦巡回上诉法院将利用某个具体案件来对商业方法的专利进行广泛的复审，这一提议使得知识产权律师们议论纷纷。密苏里大学法学院Dennis D. Crouch说，正如人们所知，Bilski案例是一个“非常重大的事件”。它可能会彻底消除全部种类的专利。
第三段
Curbs on business-method claims would be a dramaticabout-face, because it was the federal circuit itself that introduced such patents with is 1998 decision in the so-called state Street Bank case, approving a patent on a way ofpooling mutual-fund assets. That ruling produced an explosion in business-method patent filings, initially by emerging internet companies trying to stake out exclusive rights to specific types of online transactions. Later, moveestablished companies raced to add such patents to their files, if only as adefensive move against rivals that might beat them to the punch. In 2005, IBM noted in a court filing that it had been issued more than 300 business-method patents despite the fact that it questioned the legal basis for granting them. Similarly, some Wall Street investment films armed themselves withpatents for financial products, even as they took positions in court cases opposing the practice.
单词&词组
Curb [kɜːrb]（出现2次）v.抑制；n.起约束的事物
claim （出现23次）n.声明，断言，所有权，专利申请
dramatic [drəˈmætɪk]（出现7次）adj.戏剧性的
about-face (合成词) n.政策/意见的180度转变
pool [puːl]（出现7次）n.水池，泳池；[僻义]集中使用的金额；v.集中，汇集
ruling [ˈruːlɪŋ]（常用词）n.裁决，裁定
exclusive [ɪkˈskluːsɪv] (出现1次) n.独家新闻；adj.独家的，独占的
transaction [trænˈzækʃn]（出现3次）n.业务，交易；v.处理
established [ɪˈstæblɪʃt] adj.地位稳固的，老牌的
defensive [dɪˈfensɪv] adj.防御的，保护的;，保卫的
rival [ˈraɪvl]（出现4次）n.竞争对手；v.竞争；adj.竞争的
punch [pʌntʃ]（出现1次）v.给...打孔，用力猛击；n.一拳
stake out exclusive rights to（宣布对....的独家权利）
race to do（针相）
arm...with...（以...武装...）
beat sb. to the punch（先下手为强）
本段翻译
对于商业方法诉求的限制将会成为一种戏剧性的彻底改变，因为正是联邦巡回法院自己引进的这种专利，引进的时候是在1998年，当时联邦巡回法院在所谓的美国道富银行的案件中做出了判决，认可了一种合并共同基金资产的方法的专利权。这一裁决使得商业方法的专利文件数量激增，起初只是一些新兴的网络公司对于某些特定类型的在线交易试图提出独家专有权。后来，更多的老牌公司竞相把这样的专利添加到他们的专利档案中，但愿这样可以作为一种防御对手的行动，以防对手对他们先下手为强。2005年，IBM公司在一份法院文件中声明：尽管怀疑授予商业方法专利的法律基础，但是它已经发布了300份以上的商业方法专利。同样地，一些华尔街的投资公司以金融产品专利来武装自己，而这个时候他们正在法庭上反对这种做法。
第四段
The Bilski case involves a claimed patent on a method for hedging risk in the energy market. The Federal circuit issued an unusual order stating that the case would be heard by all 12 of the court's judges, rather than a typical panelof three, and that one issue it wants to evaluate is whether it should "reconsider" its state street Bank ruling.
单词&词组
hedge [hedʒ] （出现2次）n.篱笆；[僻义]v.规避
panel [ˈpænl]（出现10次）n.专家组，控制板
本段翻译
Bilski案例牵扯到一项规避能源市场风险方法的专利申请。联邦巡回法庭发布的一项不同寻常发法令，宣称此案将由该法院全体12名法官听审，而不是典型的3人组听审，并且宣称法院想要评估一个问题，即是否需要“重新审议”对道富银行案的决裁。
第五段
The Federal Circuit's action comes in the wake of a series of recent decisions by the supreme Court that has narrowed the scope of protections for patent holders. Last April, for example the justicessignaled that too many patents were being upheld for "inventions" that are obvious. The judges on the Federal circuit are "reacting to the anti-patent trend at the Supreme Court", says Harold C. Wegner, a patent attorney and professor at George Washington University Law School.
单词&词组
justice [ˈdʒʌstɪs]（出现12次）n.正义，合理；[僻义] n.法官，司法制度
signal [ˈsɪɡnəl]（出现12次）n.预示，显示，信号；v.表达，表明，发信号
uphold [ʌpˈhoʊld] v.维持
attorney [əˈtɜːrni] n.律师
in the wake of （随...而来）
本段翻译
联邦巡回法院的这一行动效仿了最高法院近期做出的一系列判决（最高法院缩小了专利持有者的受保护范围）。例如，去年四月，法官们表示太多的专利权被用来支持一些显而易见的“发明”。乔治华盛顿大学法律学院的专利律师Harold C. Wegner教授表示，联邦巡回法院的法官们正在对最高法院的反专利趋势做出反应。
5道题目
26. Business-method patents have recently aroused concern because of .
[A] their limited value to business
[B] their connection with asset allocation
[C] the possible restriction on their granting
[D] the controversy over authorization
27. Which of the following is true of the Bilski case?
[A] Its ruling complies with the court decisions.
[B] It involves a very big business transaction.
[C] It has been dismissed by the Federal Circuit.
[D] It may change the legal practices in the U.S..
28. The word “about-face” (Line 1, Para 3) most probably means .
[A] loss of good will
[B] increase of hostility
[C] change of attitude
[D] enhancement of dignity
29. We learn from the last two paragraphs that business-method patents.
[A] are immune to legal challenges
[B] are often unnecessarily issued
[C] lower the esteem for patent holders
[D] increase the incidence of risks
30. Which of the following would be the subject of the text?
[A] A looming threat to business-method patents
[B] Protection for business-method patent holders
[C] A legal case regarding business-method patents
[D] A prevailing trend against business-method patents
选项单词
comply with（顺从）
goodwill（善意）
hostility [hɑːˈstɪləti] n.敌意，对抗
enhancement [ɪnˈhænsmənt]n.提高
looming [ˈluːmɪŋ] adj.潜在的，逼近的
prevailing [prɪˈveɪlɪŋ] adj.普遍的，流行的
参考答案
CDCBA
