Peter Hill is one of the most talked about men in Silicon Valley. However, he was not always so successful. Hill lost so much money in 1975 on his first business that he had to sell it. It was the only way to stop the bank from taking away his home.
Today he is the vice president of Micronex, one of the world’s semiconductor superpowers. In fact Micronex just exceeded revenue for the third quarter by 12 when all the other semi conductor businesses in the valley saw a decrease in revenues.“Although I lost my first business, I learned a great deal about management, cash flow, and how to talk to bankers,” he recalls, with a smile. “But what I really learned was how to do things better.”
Hill admits that in beginning his management style was difficult for some members of his team at Micronex. “I believe in confrontation - getting in each other’s faces, disagreeing a little. It’s a powerful if it has a goal.”
However, more than anything else, hill believes in innovation. He encourages his employees to dream up new ways to do things every day. But he warns them that innovation can’t be scheduled like a meeting. “Sometimes I just don’t have any idea how to approach a particular issue. Then suddenly, at 3:00 in the morning, I wake up shouting, “I’ve got it! I know what to do.”
1. Which example does the writer use to indicate how successful Peter Hill’s company is? A. Mr. Hill didn’t have to borrow money from the bank. B. Micronex increased revenues in third quarter, but other companies didn’t. C. Mr. Hill sold his business for a 12 percent profit. D. Micronex had higher revenues during the first three quarters of the year.
My answer: B
2. In the article, what or who does them refer to? A. innovations that are created by employees B. employees at Micronex C. new ways to do things that Mr. Hill dreams up D. scheduled meetings My answer: B
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