高级综合商务英语2 Unit 6 Growth Engine

UnitSixGrowthEngineLead-in1.CanyounamesomeworldfamousGermancompanies?AllianzWorldwideInsuranceDeutscheBankGroupBankingSiemensGroupConglomeratesBMWGroupMetroAGRetailingVolkswagenGroupLead-inDiscussion2.Doyouknowanymaineconomicindicators?GDPGDP Per Capita Real GDP Growth Inflation (%) Unemployment rate (%)ExportsandImportsLead-inDiscussionTextAAMachineRunningSmoothlyStructuralAnalysisPara.MainIdeaPara.1-10ThedescriptionofGermany’srecenteconomicperformance.Para.11-15ThereasonswhyGermanfirmsachievedsuccess.Para.16-22TheintroductionofGermany’slaborstrategies.Para.23-27ThepromisingprospectofGermany’sGreenIndustry.1.HowhasGermanybenefitedfromglobalization?Ontheproductionside,Germanyhasbenefitedfromincreaseddivisionoflabor,andincreasedtradeonthedeliveryside.PartIQuestionsaboutPartI2.WhydoesGermanyrunintodifficulteconomicsituationsinthepast?BecauseGermanyreliedtoomuchonmanufacturing.AndGermany’sserviceindustrieswerehideboundandover-regulated.Andunemploymentwaschronicallyhighandunit-laborcostswerehigh.PartIQuestionsaboutPartITheairy,almostclinicalfactoryprovidesagoodillustrationofhow,evenasitsEuropeanneighborsandotherricheconomiessplutterfitfullyoutofrecession,Germanyhasbeenzoomingalongtheeconomicautobahn.(Line4,Para.1)Theairy,almostclinicalfactoryshowsclearlythatevenasitsEuropeanneighborsandotherricheconomiesarestrugglingawkwardlytogetridofrecessionfromtimetotime,Germany’seconomyisenjoyingarapidandsteadygrowth.PartISentenceInterpretationensconce(Para.6)v.tosettleinaplacewhereyoufeelcomfortableandsafesynonyms:establish,settleexample:WehaveensconcedourselvesinthemostbeautifulvillaintheSouthofFrance.PartIWordsandExpressionsenmesh(Para.7)v.veryinvolvedinanunpleasantorcomplicatedsituationsynonym:entangleexample:Hewasenmeshedinawebofdeceitandlies.PartIWordsandExpressionspremiumprice(Line3,Para.3)thestrategyofconsistentlypricingat,ornear,thehighendofthepossiblepricerangetohelpattractstatus-consciousconsumers.溢价PartINotesIfo(Line8,Para.4)IfoInstituteforEconomicResearch.ItisaMunich-basedresearchinstitution.IfoisanacronymfromInformationandForschung(research).AsoneofGermany'slargesteconomicthink-tanks,itanalyseseconomicpolicyandiswidelyknownforitsmonthlyIfoBusinessClimateIndexforGermany.慕尼黑经济研究所PartINotesWhatistheMittelstand?WhatarethecharacteristicsandvaluesoftheMittelstand?TheMittelstandreferstosmallandmedium-sizedenterprisesinGermany,typicallyfamily-ownedandhighlyspecified,thatbuildproductsthatdominateobscurebranchesofindustry.TheMittelstandvaluesare:attentiontodetail,financialcautionandco-operationbetweenbossesandemployees.PartIIQuestionsaboutPartIIespouse(Para.12)v.tosupportanidea,beliefetc,especiallyapoliticalonesynonyms:support,upholdexample:Heespousedavarietyofscientific,socialandpoliticalcauses.PartIIWordsandExpressionsabut(Para.15)v.ifonepieceoflandorabuildingabutsanother,itisnexttoitortouchesonesideofitsynonyms:adjoinexample:Hislandabutsonthemotorway.PartIIWordsandExpressions1.WhydolaborcostsinGermanyremainrelativelylowerthanthatinothereurozonecountries?ononehand,Germancompaniesareadeptatoutsourcing,whichenablescompaniestomoveproductionandsomeservicestocheaperplaces,thuscuttinglaborcosts.Ontheotherhand,establishingflexibleworkinghourshelpsdecreaselaborcosts.PartIIIQuestionsaboutPartIII2.HowdidGermanfirmsrealizeoptimizedproductionallocation?GermanfirmsrealizedoptimizedproductionallocationbyshiftingproductiontoitsneighboringcountriesinEasternEuropewherecheaperbutstillwell-educatedworkforcesareavailable.PartIIIQuestionsaboutPartIIIThecosts,andrisks,ofkeepingpeopleonthepayrollwerepartlyshoulderedbythestate.(Line1,Para.19)Thecosts,andrisks,ofretainingworkersinsteadofladingthemoffwerepartlyshoulderedbythestate.PartIIISentenceInterpretationAsimportanthasbeenthebloodhound-likeabilityofGermany'sfirmstosniffoutnicheswherecompetitionistheleastfierce.(Line1,Para,21)Justasabloodhoundhasagoodsenseofsmell,Germanfirmsarequick-wittedtodiscoverspecificareasofmarketingwherecompetitionisnotasfierceasthatintraditionalmarket,whichisalsoanimportantreasonforGermanfirms’success.PartIIISentenceInterpretationconcede(Para.18)v.toadmitthatsth.istrue,valid,proper,etc.synonyms:admit,acknowledgeexamples:IconcededthatIhadmadeanumberoferrors.PartIIIWordsandExpressionsfret(para.19)v.toworryaboutsomething,especiallywhenthereisnoneedsynonym:worryaboutexamples:Menoffifty,frettingthatthey'renolongeryoungPartIIIWordsandExpressionsGerhardSchröderaGermanpolitician,andhewasChancellorofGermanyfrom1998to2005.格哈德•施罗德PartIIINotesGermanAssociationofSmallandMedium-sizedBusinessesGermanAssociationofSmallandMedium-sizedBusinesses:aprotectionandself-helporganizationformorethan150,000SMEsinallofGerman.德国中小企业协会PartIIINotesWhydoestheauthorcompareGermanytobeagreenmachine.Canyouexplainthereasons?BecausethestategovernmentofGermanyrenderedstrongsupportandgeneroussubsidiesingreenindustry,makingGermanythewinnerofthisfield.German’ssolarenergymarketisthebiggestintheworldbyafairmargin.AnddespitecompetitionfromitsAsianrivals,someGermanfirmsareamongtheworld'slargestproducerofphotovoltaiccells.PartIVQuestionsaboutPartIVTherisk,however,isthatGermanymaychoosetobaskinitstriumphandtoslipbackintooldhabits,suppressingdomesticdemandandfocusingallitseffortsonexportingmore.(Line2,Para.27)Therisk,however,isthatGermanymaychoosetogreatlyenjoytheachievementithasmadeandtofallintooldhabitsagain,suppressingdomesticdemandandfocusingallitseffortsonexportingmore.PartIVSentenceInterpretationundercut(Para.24)v.tooffergoodsorservicesatalowerpricethan（one’scompetitors)example:Theyareundercuttingusby20penceapacket.PartIVWordsandExpressionssluggish(Para.25)adj.slow-moving;notalertorlivelysynonym:lethargicexample:Thehousingmarkethasbeenverysluggishinthepastfewyears.PartIVWordsandExpressionsoverhaul(Para.26)n.thoroughexaminationfollowedbyanynecessaryrepairsexample:Theengineisdueforanoverhaul.PartIVWordsandExpressionstheriverOderariverinCentralEuropewhichrisesintheCzechRepublicandflowsthroughwesternPoland,laterforming187kilometers(116mi)oftheborderbetweenPolandandGermany.奥得河PartIVNotesphotovoltaiccellsasolarcellisanelectricaldevicethatconvertstheenergyoflightdirectlyintoelectricitybythephotovoltaiceffect.光伏电池PartIVNotestopdoganidiomaticexpressionforthebossortheleader.Inacompetition,itisalsothefavoriteortheoneexpectedtowin.夺魁者PartIVNotesTextBSmartWorkStructuralAnalysisPara.MainIdeaPara.1-3Theimportanceofproductivityandwhataffectsworker’sproductivity.Para.4-13Theexplanationoftheeffortsmadebyseveralcountriestoincreaseproductivity.Para.14-19WhatcanbelearnedfromSwedeninenhancingproductivity.Para.20-25Thelessonsthatcanbedrawnfromseveralunsuccessfulcases.Para.26-29Whatcangovernmentdotoincreaseproductivity.Whatroledoesproductivitygrowthplayineconomyandwhatarethefactorthataffectproductivity?Fasterproductivitygrowthcouldcounteractthedragfromadversedemography.Andproductivitydependsonworker’sskills,theamountofcapitalinvestedinhelpingthemtodotheirjobsandthepaceof“innovation”-theprocessofgeneratingideasthatleadtonewproductsandmoreefficientbusinesspractices.PartIIQuestionsaboutPartIWhydidFrance’sfosteringproductivitygrowthviaexcitinghigh-techbreakthroughsfail?Becausethiseffortmissesabigpartofwhatreallydrivesinnovation:thediffusionofbetterbusinessprocessesandmanagementmethods.Thissortofinnovationisgenerallytheresultofcompetitivepressure.PartIIQuestionsaboutPartIIWhatlessonscanothercountrieslearnfromSweden?CountriescanlearnfromSwedentheconcertmeasuresofreformsinitstaxandpensionsystems,aswellastheliberalizationofitseconomy.Inaddition,thesuccessofSwedenshowsthatderegulatingtheservicesectorhelpsenhanceproductivity.PartIIIQuestionsaboutPartIIIThroughtheunsuccessfulcasesofboostingproductivity,whatisthemainreasonfortheirfailure?Thefailureliesinderegulationoftheserviceindustry.Competitionshouldbeacceptedtochangetheincumbentserviceproviders.PartIVQuestionsaboutPartIVDoestheauthorofferanysuggestionstothegovernmentinboostinginnovation?Inadditiontotaxcreditsandsubsidies,governmentshouldremoveremainingbarrierstocollaboration,fromlimitationsonhigh-skilledimmigrationtoexcessivelyrigidland-userules,whichshouldalsohelp.PartVQuestionsaboutPartVLeaderlessGroupDiscussionDivideyourselfintogroupsof4-5anddiscussthefollowingquestion:HowshouldChinesemanufacturingindustryincreaseworker’sproductivity?YoucanrefertothecasesofTextBinyourargument.SpeakingExercices