教学材料商务英语阅读-Chapter Three v2

Afterfinishingthischapter,youwillbeableto:beawareofwhatisskimmingbeawareofhowtoskimbefamiliarwithtipsofskimmingbefamiliarwithdifferenttypesofbusinesscorrespondenceandliteratureAlotofinformationfloodsinthebusinessworld,andonlyaverysmallamountofthemcanbe“digested”;mostoftherestshouldbe“swallowed”.Skimming,ausefuldeviceinspeedingupreading,isagoodtechniquetobeappliedforefficient“swallowing”.

3.1GeneralConsiderationofSkimming

“Skimming”,asareadingtechnique,meanstoreadorglancethrough(abook,forexample)quicklyorsuperficially.Itisaimedtoidentifyquicklythemainpointsinthereadingtext.

3.2HowtoSkima.Readthefirstandthelastparagraphsb.Readthefirstsentenceofeachparagraphc.Othermeans

3.2HowtoSkima.ReadthefirstandthelastparagraphsGenerally,thewriter’sopinionorattitudewillbepresentedinthefirstparagraph,andinthelastparagraph,thewriteroftenrestatesthemforemphasisordrawaconclusion.Examples

Example1Passage1-aAmoreopenandcompetitivemarketenvironmentisvitalforthefosteringanddevelopmentoffamousChinesebrands,althoughenterprises’brandstrategy,productandservicequality,management,andeconomicperformancealsoplayanimportantrole....Whatisencouragingforlocalbrandsisthat,asamemberoftheWorldTradeOrganization,Chinawillopenmoresectorsandmarketcompetitionisexpectedtobecomeevenmorefierce.Thiswillcreatefavorableexternalconditionsforthefosteringanddevelopmentof

ChinesebrandseventhoughforeignbrandscanalsotaketheadvantageofamoreopenChinesemarket.Example2Passage2-aVietNam’sgovernmenthasrevealedplanstointensifyitstourismpromotioneffortsandhassetatargetof14.2millionvisitors,including2.2millionforeigners,for2001....About2.13millionforeigntouristsarrivedinVietNamin2000,ayear-on-yearincreaseof19.5percent.Thenumberofdomestictouristsreached11.2million,upby4.8percentover1999.1.WhatisthetargettheVietNam’sgovernmenthassetfortourism?14.2millionvisitors,including2.2millionforeigners,for20012.WhatisthepossiblereasonfortheVietNam’sgovernmenttosetthetarget?Thereisayear-on-yearincreaseof19.5percent,andin2000about2.13millionforeigntouristsarrivedinVietNam.

3.2HowtoSkima.ReadthefirstandthelastparagraphsTask1Readthefirstparagraphofaletter.Trytoworkoutthepurposeoftheletter.Iamwritingtoyoutoexplainthereasonsfortheverypoorservicewehavegivenoverthepastfewmonths.Youmayhavereceivedincompleteconsignments.Youmayhavewrittenandnotyetreceivedareply.Youmayhavetriedtocallusandnotoncetheselinesarethrough.WehavetenCustomerServicelineswithstafftomanthem,butoncetheselinesareoverloadedthereisnothingwecando.Ourcorrespondencestaffareworkingallhourstocatchup.……Apologizingforservice

3.2HowtoSkimb.ReadthefirstsentenceofeachparagraphExample

Thefollowingarefirstsentencesofanarticle:1.InMay1985,Coca-ColachairmanRobertGoizuetaannouncedoneoftheboldestgamblesinmarketinghistory:Coca-ColawouldmakeasignificantflavorchangeinCoke,theworld’sbestsellingsoftdrink...2.Coca-Colaspentnearly$4milliontotaste-testitsnewproducton200,000consumers...3.DuringthefirstmonthofNewCoke’sintroduction,shipmentstoCokebottlerssetarecord,andmorepeopletriedthenewproductthanhadeversampledanynewproduct.However,theentirepicturechangedsuddenly...4.OnJuly5,Coca-Colaannouncedthatitwouldbringbacktheoldformula...5.Themediahadgivenalotofcoveragetowhathadbeenlabeledthe“newCokefailure”...6.PepsiCo,bottlersofPepsi-Cola,couldn’tresistthetemptationtopokefunatCoca-Cola’smisfortuneinitsadvertising...7.TheadsshowedconsumersdrinkingboththenewCokeandCoca-ColaClassicinthesamescene,totiethetwobrandscloselytogetherin1986,accordingtosomesources,Coca-ColaClassicwasoutsellingthenewCokebyafour-to-onemargin...AfterreadingyoumayknowthatCoca-ColamadeamistakeofmakingasignificantflavorchangeinCoke(paragraph1),andthemedialabeledthemistakeasthe“newCokefailure.”Coca-Colaalsomadeeffortstogetridofthenegativeinfluenceofthemistake:(announcedthat)itwouldbringbacktheoldformula.Theyarethebasicinformationofthisarticle,whichcanbeobtainedfromthefirstsentenceofeachparagraph.Morepractice:Task3,4Reference:Task3:1)Computermanufacturing2)ItwouldcontinuetoexpanditsreachoutsidethetoptiercitiesasitstepsupitseffortstofuelgrowthinChina.3)DellisteamingupwithChinaMobiletodevelopsmartphonesinthecountry.Task4:Aminingcompany.IntermincomeansInternationalMiningCompanya.Intermincorentrigsratherthanbuildthem.b.Intermincocontactedinsurancecompanies.3)a.Itsworkers,thecompany;b.Insuranceagainstfire,arson,terrorism,delaysduetobadweatherormechanicalbreakdowns,andthepossibilitythatnooilwillbediscovered.

3.2HowtoSkimc.OthermeansofSkimmingsplittingtheliterature(整体切分法)2.searchforsomekeywords/phrases（搜索主题词法）

3.2HowtoSkimc.OthermeansofSkimmingsplittingtheliterature(整体切分法)Ifthebusinessliteratureconsistsofshortparagraphs,youmayreadthe“threeparts”ofit:thefirst,themiddleandthelast“part”.Eachpartmayincludetwoorthreeparagraphs.Itdependsonhowlongtheliteraturelasts.Inthebeginning“part”ofthearticle,thewriterusuallyputsthemostimportantideaorpresentshisorheropinion;inthemiddle,supportswithexplanationormoreideas;attheendofthearticle,drawsconclusionorrepeatshisorheropinion.

3.2HowtoSkimc.OthermeansofSkimmingsplittingtheliterature(整体切分法)ExampleThefollowingisthe“threeparts”ofapassage,readittoseeifyoucouldcatchupwiththemainideaascomparedwithitscompleteform.1.Oneoftheworld’sleadingpaperproducersplanstoshiftitsAsia-PacificheadquarterstoShanghaifromSingaporeasitconsidersanewUS$1.6billioninvestmentinChina.StoraEnso,aFinnishcompanyontheFortune500listofglobalmarketleaders,producesmagazinepaper,newsprint,finepaper,packagingboardsandwoodproducts...

3.2HowtoSkimc.OthermeansofSkimmingsplittingtheliterature(整体切分法)ExampleThefollowingisthe“threeparts”ofapassage,readittoseeifyoucouldcatchupwiththemainideaascomparedwithitscompleteform.2.TheSuzhoucompanyisoneofthelargestandmosttechnicallyadvancedcoatedpapermanufacturersinChinawithanannualproductioncapacityof150,000tonsofmulti-coatedartpaper.ItwasalsothefirstChinesefinepapermanufacturertoattainISO9001certification.Harmalasaidthat,duringhislatestvisittoChina,officialsfromtheStateDevelopmentPlanningCommissiontoldhimtheapplicationforthenewproductionlineatSuzhouwouldgosmoothly.

3.2HowtoSkimc.OthermeansofSkimmingsplittingtheliterature(整体切分法)ExampleThefollowingisthe“threeparts”ofapassage,readittoseeifyoucouldcatchupwiththemainideaascomparedwithitscompleteform.3.“Tosecurelong-termfibresupplyinasustainableway,wehavesignedamemorandumofunderstandingwiththeGuangxiZhuangAutonomousRegiontoanalyzefeasibilityofindustrialscaleplantationsandestablishingpulp-paperandboardintegration,”Harmalasaid.TheGuangxiprojectwilldemandaninvestmentofUS$1.6billion.Theprojectwillhavethecapacitytoproduce600,000tonsofpulpand600,000tonsofpaperannually.

3.2HowtoSkimc.OthermeansofSkimmingsplittingtheliterature(整体切分法)ExampleNow,readthecompleteoneonpage66

3.2HowtoSkimc.OthermeansofSkimmingsplittingtheliterature(整体切分法)Task5Readthetextonpage67accordingtothe4stepsbelow:1)Splitthefollowingpassageinto“threeparts”.2)Readthe“threeparts”.3)Writedownthemainideayougetfromthethreeparts.4)Ifnecessary,readthecompletepassage.Practice

3.2HowtoSkimC.OthermeansofSkimming2.searchforsomekeywords/phrases

（搜索主题词法）thewordscenteredthekeyword（主题词周围的词或短语）b.terms,numbers,andpropernouns（术语、数字和某些专有名词）

3.2HowtoSkimC.OthermeansofSkimming2.searchforsomekeywords/phrases

（搜索主题词法）IfyouareconsideringdoingbusinesswithThomasJohnson,theboldfacedpartsinthefollowingliteraturemaycontainthebasicinformationyouneed.Example2.searchforsomekeywords/phrases

（搜索主题词法）Arosebyanyothernamemaysmellassweet,butifit’snotredoryellowitdoesn’tsell.AccordingtoThomasJohnson,chiefexecutiveoftheWorcester-basedresearchcompany,Scintilla,thecolorofaproductcandictatethestrengthofitssales.

Hiscompanyhaspioneeredamethodoftestingconsumerresponsetocolorwhichheclaimscanpredict,with90%accuracy,salesofanewproductforupto18monthsafterthelaunch.Themethod,“Chromtest”,hasbeenusedtotesteverythingfromladiesdressestosunglasses.ClientsincludeParsifalLager,AmirFashions,ColorollWallpaperandMeadowcourtChina.Example2.searchforsomekeywords/phrases

（搜索主题词法）Color,saysMrJohnson,iscriticalinensuringproductacceptance.Itisnotmerelyacaseofchoosinganacceptableprimarycolor—shades,tonesandtexturecanallhaveabearingontheconsumer’sfinalchoice.Example2.searchforsomekeywords/phrases

（搜索主题词法）“Wecouldtake10colors,eachwithsixshadesandvirtuallyguaranteethattwooftheshadeswouldbemostpopularwith80%ofthepeopleinterviewed,”hesaid.“Productsareassociatedwithlifestyle:mostkitchensarenowinwoodsoifyoumaketoastersyoudon’twantacolorthatisunsuitable.”MrJohnson,aformerlecturerattheInstituteofMarketing,formedScintillain1992withthehelpofa￡5,000secondmortgage.Firstyearturnoverwas￡100,000.Thisyearwith30staffitwillbetentimesthat.Chromtest,whichwasdevelopedwiththehelpofJohnson’sartistwife,Mary,nowaccountsforaround70%ofturnoverandprovidesmostoftheprofits.Example2.searchforsomekeywords/phrases

（搜索主题词法）JohnsonadmitsthatBritishcompaniesstillhavetheirdoubts,thoughhesaysafewretailersnowinsistthatproductsarecolorscreenedbeforetheyareallowedontheirshelves.HecontraststhiswithEuropeanmanufacturerswhocommissionoverhalfthecompany’sworks.Europeantestsdovarydramatically,however,andJohnsonarguesthat,aswithbranding,coloranddesignforpan-Europeanproductscarrynumerouspitfalls.Forexample,arecenttestofabrowndinnerserviceinBritain,GermanyandFranceshowedthatwhileconsumersinthefirsttwocountrieslikedtheproduct,Parisianswillnoteatoffbrownplates.Example2.searchforsomekeywords/phrases

（搜索主题词法）Withoutdoubt,oneofthekeywordsinthisliteratureis“ThomasJohnson”.Therefore,inthefirstparagraph,youmaypayattentiontowhatbusinessthispersondoes,andnaturallynoticethewordsaroundthisname.Besidesthat,asthetitleis“productsfacethecolortest”,“color”shouldbeanothersensitivewordtoyou.Thewordsrelateditprobablycometoyoureyesmoreeasilythanotherwords.Itdoesn’tmatterifyourchoiceofwordswasabitdifferentfromtheaboveones.Itsoundsmagic.

3.2HowtoSkimC.OthermeansofSkimming2.searchforsomekeywords/phrases（搜索主题词法）Task6Underline20wordsthatcometoyoureyesmosteasilyinthepassageonpage69,andthendiscusswithyourpartneraboutyourchoice.Practice