These days, when someone wants to search for information, all they need to do is type their question into Google. They use Amazon to shop for items, and Instagram to share stories with friends. However, this has not always been the case. Long before these companies rose to fame on the Internet, Yahoo was dominant in the early days of the World Wide Web.
Jerry Yang and David Filo, two graduate students at Stanford University, came up with the idea for a list of Web sites sorted by category in the year 1994. They originally called their site Jerry and David’s Guide to the World Wide Web. It quickly gained popularity, and the duo decided to rename it Yahoo and list it as a company in 1995. During the 1990s, Yahoo was the go-to search engine for most people. The company grew quickly and acquired many other smaller Internet-related companies. Four11, a webmail service, was bought in 1997 and later became Yahoo’s popular email service. Then, in 1999, Yahoo bought GeoCities, a web hosting service. Other popular services Yahoo developed include Yahoo Finance, a business and financial news Web site, and Yahoo Sports, a sports news Web site.
Despite all of Yahoo’s success, the company’s history has not been without setbacks. For one thing, the company failed to compete with similar companies like Google and Microsoft. Yahoo’s market share has slowly shrunk over the years. Furthermore, the company suffered from the largest known data theft in 2013. In 2017, the US telecommunications company Verizon acquired Yahoo’s core business, including its search engine, email service and digital content businesses. In spite of all these challenges, Yahoo still remains a well-known Web site today.
Photo: Shutterstock 照片：Shutterstock提供
如今，當有人想要搜尋資訊，他們只需要在Google中輸入他們的問題即可。他們使用Amazon購物，並使用Instagram與朋友分享故事。然而，情況並非一直都是如此。在這些公司於網路上成名的更久之前，Yahoo 在全球資訊網路的初期占有主導優勢。
1994那年，史丹佛大學的兩位研究生楊致遠和大衛．費羅提出了一個將網站按類別整理的想法。他們最初稱其網站為「Jerry and David’s Guide to the World Wide Web」。它迅速變得受歡迎，這兩人決定將其重新命名為 Yahoo，並在1995年將其註冊成一家公司。在1990年代，Yahoo成為大多數人必用的搜索引擎。該公司迅速成長，並收購了許多其他較小的網路相關公司。1997年，Yahoo併購了提供網路郵件服務的 Four11，後來成為Yahoo的熱門電子郵件服務。接著在 1999 年，Yahoo收購了地球村—一家網頁代管服務公司。Yahoo開發的其他熱門服務還包括Yahoo財經─—一個商業和財經新聞網站；以及Yahoo體育——一個體育新聞網站。
儘管Yahoo取得了不少成功，但這家公司的歷史上並非毫無挫折。首先，該公司未能與像是Google和Microsoft等類似的公司競爭。多年來，Yahoo 的市場占有率逐漸縮減。此外，該公司在2013年遭遇了已知規模最大的資料偷竊事件。2017年，美國電信公司威訊通訊收購了Yahoo的核心業務，包括其搜索引擎、電子郵件服務和數位內容業務。儘管遭遇所有的這些挑戰，Yahoo如今仍然是一個為人所知的網站。
What Did You Learn?
1. What was the initial name of Yahoo?
2. Which company bought Yahoo?
參考答案
1. Jerry and David’s Guide to the World Wide Web.
2. (The US telecommunications company) Verizon.
Words in Use
1. dominant a. 主導的；占優勢的
The firm has achieved a dominant position in the world market through hard work.
這間公司藉著勤奮努力，已取得全球市場的主導地位。
2. graduate a. 研究生的 & vi. 畢業
a graduate student 研究生
The graduate student went to extremes to finish his thesis in two months.
那名研究生無所不用其極，以在兩個月內完成論文。
graduate from... 畢業於……（學校）
Kyle graduated from college last year.
凱爾去年自大學畢業。
3. category n. 類別
The supermarket organizes its products by category for easier navigation and shopping.
該超市按類別整理其產品，以方便顧客更容易尋找和購買。
4. popularity n. 受歡迎；普及
gain (in) popularity 受到歡迎，越來越受歡迎
= grow / rise in popularity
Organic vegetables are gaining popularity day by day.
有機蔬菜日益受到歡迎。
5. acquire vt. 收購；獲得
The company’s decision to acquire Fuji Tech will help it compete in the software market.
該公司收購富士科技的決定將有助其在軟體市場競爭。
Practical Phrases
1. all sb need to do is (to) V
某人所需要做的就是……
If you find yourself stuck in an elevator, all you need to do is stay calm and wait to be rescued.
如果你發現自己受困在電梯裡，你所要做的就是保持冷靜並等待救援。
2. shop for... 購買∕選購……
On Black Friday, many people shop for Christmas gifts.
許多人會在黑色星期五這天購買聖誕節禮物。
3. rise to fame 聲名大噪，成名
Vincent rose to fame after his debut album came out.
文森的首張專輯推出後便聲名大噪。
4. fail to V 未能（做）……
The police failed to catch the gang leader before he left the country.
警方未能在該黑幫老大出境前逮捕他。
5. suffer from... 遭受……；罹患……（疾病）
suffer [ `sVfK ] vi. 受苦；患（病）
The company suffered from a significant financial setback due to unexpected market fluctuations.
由於意外的市場波動，該公司遭受了重大的財務挫折。
Sophie suffered from severe depression after getting divorced.
蘇菲離婚後就罹患重度憂鬱症。
聽文章朗讀及講解: https://ivy.pse.is/455bfu
本文出自常春藤解析英語雜誌: www.ivy.com.tw
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