大学体验英语视听说教程4-U

1、大学体验英语视听说教程,第四册,高等教育出版社,华中科技大学,UNIT 5,Facing Business Crisis,In the business world, the rearview mirror is always clearer than the windshield.,Warren Buffet,Background Information,Unit Overview,Lesson 1,Lesson 2,Supplementary Reading,Agenda,Home listening,Business in post-modern era has found its wa

2、y into all walks of life, affecting individuals lives, social economy and politics as a whole. Globalization facilitates business expansion on one hand and speeds up the economic integration and interdependence on the other. In this unit, students will get to know the global business and economic cr

3、ises through real-life cases and see how these crises can be dealt with. Listening and speaking activities in this unit will inspire students to learn to face difficulties and handle their study careers to their best advantages.,Unit Overview,Background Information,20092010 Toyota vehicle recalls Th

4、ree separate but related recalls of automobiles by Toyota Motor Corporation occurred at the end of 2009 and start of 2010. Toyota initiated the recalls, the first two with the assistance of the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), after several vehicles experienced unintended

5、 acceleration. The first recall, on November 2, 2009, was to correct a possible incursion of an incorrect or out-of-place front drivers side floor mat into the foot pedal well, which can cause pedal entrapment. The second recall, on January 21, 2010, was begun after some crashes were shown not to ha

6、ve been caused by floor mat incursion. This latter defect was identified as a possible mechanical sticking of the accelerator pedal causing unintended acceleration, referred to as Sticking Accelerator Pedal by Toyota. The original action was initiated by Toyota in their Defect Information Report, da

7、ted October 5, 2009, amended January 27, 2010. Following the floor mat and accelerator pedal recalls, Toyota also issued a separate recall for hybrid anti-lock brake software in February 2010.,As of January 28, 2010, Toyota had announced recalls of approximately 5.2 million vehicles for the pedal en

8、trapment/floor mat problem, and an additional 2.3 million vehicles for the accelerator pedal problem. Approximately 1.7 million vehicles are subject to both. The next day, Toyota widened the recall to include 1.8 million vehicles in Europe and 75,000 in China. By then, the worldwide total number of

9、cars recalled by Toyota stood at 9 million. The number of alleged victims and reported problems sharply increased following the recall announcements, which were heavily covered by U.S. media, although the causes of individual reports were difficult to verify. Government officials, automotive experts

10、, Toyota, and members of the general public contested the scope of the sudden acceleration issue and the veracity of victim and problem reports. The recalls further led to NHTSA and Toyota investigations, along with multiple lawsuits.,Lesson One,Lead-in,Audio studio,Video studio,Speaking workshop,Pr

11、oject bulletin,Lead-in,Task 1,Task 2,Task 3,Task 1 Describing the Picture,Describe the picture first and then discuss how people cope with money shortage.,What does the picture imply?,What do you think might be the reasons for people or businesses feeling a shortage of money?,How do they usually cop

12、e with it?,Task 2 Reflecting on the Reading,1. According to the passage, what did Toyota fail to notice as it grew to become the worlds largest automaker?,Read through the Supplementary Reading passage on page 137, and answer the following questions.,Answer: Toyota accelerator pedals are produced bo

13、th by Denso of Japan and CTS of Elkhart, Indiana, US.,Answer: Toyota failed to adjust its corporate structure to accommodate its altered scale and have overlooked fundamental principles that used to underpin its business.,2. Where does Toyota manufacture its accelerator pedals?,3. What are the reaso

14、ns that the two Toyota accelerator suppliers produced accelerator pedals of different quality?,Answer: The Denso and CTS mechanisms use different wiring harnesses. In other words, Toyota, the master of communization, neglected to ensure that identical parts from two suppliers were, in fact, identica

15、l.,4. Why do problems in Toyota get lost and solutions get delayed when Toyota is managed in the present way?,Answer: Toyota employs a chimney managerial approach in which complaints from customers in U.S. would travel first to sales headquarters in Japan, and then to manufacturing for implementatio

16、n. Only after that would it find its way back to the U.S.,5. According to the passage, what should Toyota do in order to deal with this business crisis?,Answer: It needs to modernize its corporate structure, revisit the basic elements of its product development system, and reconsider the impact of i

17、ts aggressive cost-cutting.,Task 3 Expanding Your Vocabulary,A. to make something such as a business, organization etc. work more simply and effectively B. to describe a rate of increase which becomes quicker and quicker as the thing that increases becomes larger C. to be pushed into or through and

18、stay there D. an official meeting that is held to collect the facts about an event or a problem E. speed up F. a large company or group of companies that is controlled together as a single organization G. great problems or troubles H. car manufacturer,Read through the words in the left-hand column,

19、and match each of them with the appropriate meaning in the right-hand column.,1. get stuck,2. hearing,3. accelerate,4. corporation,5. automaker,6. woe,7. streamline,8. exponentially,Audio Studio,Word Bank,1. recall 召回 2. circuit 电路 3. pedal 踏板 4. electrical 电的，有关电的 5. claim 声明，主张 6. handle 处理，操作 7.

20、approach 方法，途径 8. complaint 诉苦，抱怨，牢骚,Task 1,Task 2,9. have an impact on 影响到 10. Congress 美国国会 11. Akio Toyoda 人名，丰田汽车集团现任总裁 12. Jim Lentz 人名,Audio Task 1 Identifying the Gist,What is the audio clip mainly about? A) Toyota recalls around the world B) Toyota recall hearings in US congress C) The devel

21、opment of Toyota Corporation 2. What might be the cause for the car to accelerate suddenly? A) A short circuit. B) Floor Mats C) Stuck gas pedal,Listen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.,Audio Task 2 Checking the Facts,1. US Congress _ that Toyotas been having with veh

22、icle recalls and examining how the carmaker has _ the situation. 2. An engineering firm _ Toyota to check out the claim found the _. 3. Akio Toyoda, the president of the entire Toyota corporation, has announced new _ that the company plans to take _.,Listen to the audio clip again and fill in the bl

23、anks according to what you have heard. Repeat the sentences after you have completed them.,Script,is looking at some of the problems,responded to,that was hired by,same thing,safety measures,from here on out,US Congress is looking at some of the problems that Toyotas been having with vehicle recalls

24、 and examining how the carmaker has responded to the situation. Youve heard all about this: millions of vehicles affected by issues with floor mats and gas pedals that might get stuck. US Congress is holding a few days of hearings to get some information about it. Yesterday, they heard from one expe

25、rt who said it could be an electrical issue. He says theres a possibility that a short circuit might cause a car to suddenly accelerate. An engineering firm that was hired by Toyota to check out the claim found the same thing. But Toyotas U.S. sales chief, Jim Lentz, says the electrical system isnt

26、the problem. When asked about how the company handled customer complaints, Lentz said that Toyota focused more on technical issues rather than looking at the possibility of accelerator pedals that get stuck. He called that approach a mistake and apologized for it. In fact, Toyota has repeatedly apol

27、ogized for the safety issues, and its working to repair the recalled vehicles. Akio Toyoda, the president of the entire Toyota corporation, has announced new safety measures that the company plans to take from here on out. Hes scheduled to appear before Congress today. All of this, as you might imag

28、ine, is having an impact on the companys reputation.,Script,Video Studio,Word Bank,plunge 跳进，陷入 Congressional 大会的，国会的 accelerator 加速器 sticking 粘的 multiple 多样的，多重的 analyst 分析家，分析者 reassure 使安心，打消的疑虑 boardroom（董事会）会议室 remarkably 显著地 third-quarter 第三季度 out of sight 视线看不见的地方 press conference记者招待会,Task 1

29、,Task 2,Task 3,Video Task 1 Matching mistrust of businessmen; enjoy bargaining; habit. 2. What would you do if you were a billionaire? Answers: buying houses, cars, etc.; investment; traveling; education abroad; charity; doing your own business; sharing with family members.,Task 2 Expanding Your Voc

30、abulary,Read through the words in the left-hand column, and match each of them with the appropriate meaning in the right-hand column.,Audio Studio,Word Bank,1. justify 证明是正当的 2. sanctify 神圣化 3. realm 领域 4. extravagant 过分的，放纵的 5. conscience 良心 6. accountable 应负责任的,Task 1,Task 2,Audio Task 1 Identifyi

31、ng the Gist,1. What is the audio clip mainly about? A) Business should be moral. B) Business is just business. C) Business has to follow the rule of making profits. 2. Why is the morality of business important? A) Morality in the business field is deteriorating day by day. B) Morality in business ca

32、n help people making more money. C) Business has great power over the well-being of the world.,Listen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.,Audio Task 2 Checking the Facts,Listen to the audio clip again and answer the following questions.,1. Who should hold the responsibi

33、lity for business lack of conscience? Answer: 1) Systems constructed around business. 2) Individual leaders must also be held accountable. 3) Shareholders are also to blame. 2. Why is business personal? Answer: Because 1) it directly affects our lives and our futures. 2) every one of us can use it t

34、o choose the sort of world we want to be part of building. 3. What is Googles motto? Answer: Dont be evil.,Script,Script The phrase “its just business” is often used to justify morally questionable behavior. The immense power business exerts over the well-being of this planet makes the issue of mora

35、lity in business more important than ever. Outside of the “sanctified” realm of business, where profit rules above all else, most of us are pretty good at knowing good from bad. Strangely though, we have been letting businesses literally get away with murder. When it comes to money and profits, peop

36、le in general seem quite prepared to throw the accepted norms of social decency out the window. Certainly the systems we have constructed around business fuel this lack of conscience. We actively celebrate the making of money and extravagant consumption. The individual leaders must also be held acco

37、untable. In part, I believe shareholders are also to blame; collectively, their actions fueled by the desire for big returns contributed to the appointment of these so-called leaders.,Script All business decisions have moral implications that must be considered. Business is personal because it direc

38、tly affects our lives and our futures. It is also personal because each and every one of us can use it to choose the sort of world we want to be part of building. Googles motto dont be evil is a clear moral stance. It is no longer good enough to say “business is just business”. There is a price to b

39、e paid for every dollar we make and spend. Will your business choose to be good or bad?,Video Studio,Word Bank,1. address 从事，忙于 2. turmoil 骚动，混乱 3. oversight 失察，疏忽 4. teeter 摇摇欲坠 5. overwhelm 淹没，覆没 6. institution 公共机构 7. unleash 释放 8. rigorous 严格的 9. transparency 透明度 10. bailout 救援行动,Task 1,Task 2,T

40、ask 3,Video Task 1 Matching a pusher, not a kicker; a motor, not a clog. To base my expectations of reward on a solid foundation of service 3) _; to be willing to pay the price of success in honest effort. To look upon my work as opportunity, to be seized with joy and make the most of 4) _. To remem

41、ber that success lies within myself; in my own brain, my own ambition, my own courage and determination. To expect difficulties and force my way through them, to turn hard experiences into 5) _ for future struggles. To interest my heart and soul in my work, and 6) _ to the highest efficiency in the

42、achievement of results. To be patiently receptive,Home Listening,associates,weight,rendered,drudgery,capital,aspire,of just criticism and profit from its teaching. To treat equals and superiors with respect, and subordinates with kindly encouragement. To make a study of my business duties; to know m

43、y work from the ground up. To mix brains with my efforts and use system and method in all I 7) _. To find time to do everything needful by never letting time find me or my subordinates doing nothing. To hoard days as a 8) _ does dollars, to make every hour bring me dividends in specific results acco

44、mplished. To steer clear of dissipation and regard my health of body and peace of mind 9) _. Finally, to take a good grip on the joy of life; to play the game like a gentleman; 10)_ and endeavor to grow in business capacity, and as a man with the passage of every day of time.,Home Listening,undertak

45、e,miser,as my most precious stock in trade,to fight against nothing so hard as my own weakness,Supplementary Reading,Useful Expressions,1. shut down关闭 2. to ones standards符合标准 3. subject to使受到、使遭遇 4. plunge into跳入、投入 5. set a tone for决定环境或气氛 6. write off排除、结束掉,When Toyota1 gets around to doing one o

46、f its famous “root cause” analyses of the Great Accelerator Recall, it should start by looking in the mirror. As the company grew to become the worlds largest automaker, it failed to adjust its corporate structure to accommodate2 its altered scale. And in its zeal3 to deliver profits as well as reve

47、nue4, it may have overlooked fundamental principles that used to underpin5 its business. Toyota, in other words, forgot what the Toyota Way was all about. Start with the part being blamed: an accelerator pedal6 mechanism. It is produced for Toyota (TM) both by Denso of Japan and CTS of Elkhart, Indi

48、ana. Toyota used to run with just one supplier for a given part, with whom it had close ties and a long relationship. But ever since a fire at a Japanese brake supplier in 1997 shut down the companys production at 20 plants7 for five days, it decided that it needed a second source as a backup.,Where

49、 Toyota Went Wrong,1. Toyota 丰田汽车公司 2. accommodate v.使适应，使符合 3. zeal n. 热情，热忱 4. revenue n.收入，收益 5. underpin v. 支撑 6. pedal n. 踏板 7. plant n. 工厂，车间,With the accelerator, though, it neglected to make the parts from the two suppliers interchangeable. According to one report, the Denso and CTS mechanis

50、ms use different wiring harnesses8. In other words, Toyota, the master of communization9, neglected to ensure that identical parts from two suppliers were, in fact, identical. Even if they were identical in design, the fact that the CTS part apparently developed defects10 and the Denso part did not,

51、 suggests there were other differences. What to do if your car is on the recall list Such mix-ups are not surprising because Toyota still uses lines of reporting that date back to its first days in North America a half-century ago and which is rarely found in U.S. business today. The management styl

52、e is one to be dealt with at the top, a chimney11 approach in a networked world. The result is a system in which problems can get lost and solutions get delayed.,8.harness n. 作业用装具 9. communization n. 共有化 10. defect n. 缺点 11chimney n. 烟囱,Heres how the system might have worked in this case: when Toyo

53、ta Motor Sales in California began to get complaints from customers about sticky accelerators, the news would have traveled first to sales headquarters in Japan. There executives would have had to send the issue to product engineering for a design fix, and then to manufacturing for implementation12.

54、 Only then would it have found its way back to the U.S. Talk about connect the dots. If Toyota had an integrated13 headquarters in North America, with one person in charge of sales, engineering, and manufacturing, the complaints might have been communicated almost instantaneously14 - and fixed nearl

55、y as quickly. And then there is the controversial15 topic of cost-cutting. As recently as December, Toyota was asking its suppliers to reduce parts costs by 30% over the next three years. That followed an earlier program begun in 2005 that grouped automotive16 components into categories and tried to

56、 lower costs on each one. CTS said it manufactured the accelerator mechanism exactly to Toyotas standards, and undoubtedly it did. But it was also noted by executives that the parts subject to failure had experienced excessive wear17. Both CTS and Toyota stated that they are working together on pedals that meet “tougher” specifications18.,12. implementation n. 执行 13. integrated adj. 综合的，完整的 14. instantaneously adv. 即刻地