本文选自Economist《经济学人》，毕老师诚意推荐

And they are controlled by one company, which can dictate the terms of trade, such as whattype of businesses are allowed on its digital property and what they have to pay for theprivilege.

这些平台都受制于某个公司，公司规定了贸易条款，比如自身的数字资产将决定何种商业类型会被允许以及搭建平台所需的代价。

dictate

1. to say words for someone else to write down

口授，让〔某人〕听写

2. [I,T] to tell someone exactly what they must do or how they must behave

命令，规定，指定

privilege

[C] a special advantage that is given only to one person or group of people

特权，特殊待遇

Such features have allowed American companies in particular to build global digitalemporiums that have come to dominate the technology industry.

这样的特征尤其有利于美国的公司构建全球性的数字化贸易市场，由此支配科技领域。

Emporium （复数emporiums或 emporia）大商店；大百货商场

Dominate

vt. 控制；支配；占优势；在…中占主要地位

vi. 占优势；处于支配地位

In late 2015 the 44 platform firms based in Silicon Valley alone boasted a combined market capitalization of $2.2 trillion, according to the Centre for Global Enterprise (CGE) , a think-tank.

根据全球企业中心智库表示，2015年中仅凭44家硅谷的平台公司就霸踞了2.2万亿美金的资本市场。

think-tank 智囊团

Among them, Apple’s iPhone exemplifies best how to run a platform: anybody can write an app, but it has to pass strict tests and the firm keeps 30% of all sales.

其中，苹果公司的Iphone就是平台运作的典型：任何人都可以在上面编写应用，但是需要通过平台严格的审查并且切分掉30%的销售收入。

As everything from tooth brushes to tractors grows more connected, the phenomenon is spreading to other industries.

现在，从牙刷到拖拉机都充满了连接，这个现象已经扩展到了其他领域。

The latest iterations gather mounds of data, analyze them and serve up the results, thus enabling all kinds of digital offerings, from predicting failures to giving advice.

电子产品不断更新迭代聚集了大量数据，分析后再将结果上传，那么从预测失败到给出建议它都做得到。

iteration  n. 迭代,重申

One example of such a data platform is Nest, a subsidiary of Alphabet, Google’s holding company.

数据平台的一个典型例子就是Nest，谷歌母公司Alphabet的子公司。

Subsidiary  n. 子公司

It sells devices, such as wireless thermostats and smoke detectors, which double as vehicles to collect information, allowing the company to offer tailored energy and security services.

它的主要产品是像无线恒温器和烟雾探测器之类的电子设备，这些设备同时也是信息收集工具，以便公司在信息的基础上为用户提供量身定做的能源及安保服务。

thermostat    n.   恒温器

thermo-    与“热量”有关的词根

thermometer    温度计

geothermal energy    地热能

detector    n.   探测器

tailored   adj.    量身定做的

This trend alarms non-tech firms.

这个趋势警醒了非科技类公司。

alarm

n.   闹钟，警报

vt.   警告；使惊恐

alarming   令人担忧的； 令人恐慌的adj.

eg. The rainforest is disappearing at an alarming rate. 热带雨林在以惊人的速度消失。

They fret that if the likes of Apple and Google come to control such data platforms, these new intermediaries will seize a big chunk of their profits.

他们担心苹果和谷歌这类科技公司控制了作为中介的数据平台，他们一大部分利润将会被瓜分掉。

Fret   v.   烦恼

Intermediary   n.  中介

Seize   v.   抓住

Seize opportunities    抓住机会

This fear has sparked a rush to build or buy such systems.

这种恐慌激起了一股系统购买潮。

spark  

v.   引起; 

n.  火花

Last year car-makers Audi, BMW and Daimler acquired Here, a digital-mapping firm.

去年，汽车制造商奥迪，宝马和戴姆勒收购了Here，这是一家地图系统平台公司。

Acquire

v.   获得，购得

n.   acquisition

General Electric, an American conglomerate, is betting big on Predix, which helps customers improve how they run locomotives, jet engines and other gear.

美国企业集团通用电气对Predix压下巨注，帮助客户的机车，喷气引擎及其他装置跑得更好。

Conglomerate  n.  企业集团 

Bet on  押宝

Locomotive  n.  机车，火车头

Apollo Hospitals in India is creating a marketplace for health-care services.

印度的阿波罗医院为保健服务开创了一片市场。

Many more established companies are sure to follow suit, as are thousands of startups.

很多大公司对此都如法炮制，创业公司亦是如此。