One of the basic characteristics of capitalism is the private ownership of the major means

of production—capital. The ownership of large amounts of capital can bring 【C1】______ profits, as well as economic and political power. Some recent theorists, 【C2】______ have argued that our society has moved to a new stage of 【C3】______ that they call "postindustrial" society. One important change in such society is that the ownership of 【C4】______ amounts of capital is no longer the only or even the most important 【C5】______ of profits and influence; knowledge as well as 【C6】______ capital brings profits and influence.

There are. many 【C7】______ with the thesis above, not the least of 【C8】______ is that wealthy capitalists can buy the experts and knowledge they need to keep their profits and influence. But this does not 【C9】______ the importance of knowledge in an advanced industrial society, as the 【C10】______ of some new industries indicates. 【C11】______ , genetic engineering and the new computer technology have 【C12】______ many new firms and made some scientists quite rich. In 【C13】______ with criticism of the postindustrial society thesis, however, it must also be 【C14】______ that those already in control of huge amounts of capital (i.e., major corporations) soon 【C15】______ to take most profits in these industries based on new knowledge.

Moving down from the level of wealth and power, we still find knowledge increasingly 【C16】______ . Many new high-tech jobs are being created at the upper-skill, low-paying service 【C17】______ . Something like a caste line is emerging centered around knowledge. Individuals who fall too far behind in the 【C18】______ of knowledge at a young age will find it almost impossible to catch up later, no matter how hard they try. Illiteracy in English language has been a severe 【C19】______ for many years in the United States, but we are also moving to the point when computer illiteracy will hinder many more people and 【C20】______ them to a life of low-skill and low-paid labor.

【C1】

A．quantitative

B．extensive

C．comprehensive

D．sophisticated