扫码加入训练营

牢记核心词

学习得礼盒

2015考研英语阅读英文原刊《经济学人》:德国商业 拉锯战

2014-08-28 17:10:48来源:新东方在线编辑整理

  2015考研英语复习正是强化复习阶段,考研英语阅读在考研英语中占了40分,所以考研英语阅读是英语科目中重要的一项。新东方名师范猛老师曾建议过考研生需要坚持每天泛读10-15分钟的英文原刊。强烈推荐了杂志《经济学人》.杂志中的文章也是考研英语的主要材料来源.希望考研考生认真阅读,快速提高考研英语阅读水平。

  German business

  德国商业

  Screwdrivers drawn

  拉锯战

  A shareholder stand-off in the Black Forest

  黑森林里的股东对峙

  IF YOU have ever struggled to assemble a flat-pack wardrobe, the chances are that itswooden pieces were cut, drilled and finished on machines made by Homag.

  你若曾奋力想组装起一个平板式包装的衣橱,那么该衣橱的木质组件很可能是由豪迈公司生产的机器切割、打孔、抛光而成的。

  Founded in 1960 in Schopfloch, in the Black Forest, Homag is one of those little-known worldchampions that are the backbone of the German economy.

  1960年,豪迈公司在黑森林深处的Schopfloch小镇成立。一些德国经济的支柱企业是业内的世界领跑者,却很少为人所知,豪迈公司便是其中之一。

  But not all is well in Schopfloch. Gerhard Schuler,

  然而位于Schopfloch的豪迈公司的情况并非一切如意。

  one of its founders,now a sprightly 85, is at war with Deutsche Beteiligungs AG, aprivate-equity firm that was once his dream partner.

  公司创始人之一,现年85岁高龄,精神矍铄的舒勒正与他曾经的梦中情人—德意志参股上市公司闹不和。

  After buying into the company in 1997 DBAG built up a stake of 60%.

  私募股权公司DBAG于1997年入股豪迈公司,而后持有豪迈60%的股份。

  When Homag was floated on the stockmarket in 2007 it kept 33% and Mr Schuler stayed onas honorary chairman with a small stake.

  当豪迈公司2007年在证券市场上市时,DBAG保留了33%的股份,舒勒先生则手持小额股份,以名誉总裁的身份留任。

  But business dipped in 2008 and the shares plunged.

  然而,2008年豪迈公司生意惨淡,股票跳水。

  Mr Schuler and his supporters, worried about the direction the company was taking, startedbuying.They built a blocking minority of 25.01%

  舒勒先生与众支持者对公司的走向倍感堪忧,继而纷纷入股,他们买下25.0%的股权,成立了有否决权的少数股权。

  That did not stop DBAG kicking Mr Schuler's three appointees off Homag's supervisory boardtwo years ago and replacing them with people who were more internationally minded.

  DBAG却对此置之不理,反而在两年前将舒勒任命的三名委员踢出豪迈的监事会,用两位更具国际化眼光的成员替代之。

  Since then, the two sides have been at screwdrivers drawn.

  自那时起,两方便进入拉锯相持阶段。

  At a stormy shareholders' meeting last month things came to a head.

  在上个月硝烟四起的股东大会上,两方争斗达到了高潮。

  Mr Schuler and his allies accused DBAG of being a locust interested only inshort-term profit,and of selling out to a foreign buyer.

  舒勒及其盟友指责DBAG只关注眼前利益,向外国买家兜售的做法如蝗虫般贪婪。 地方员工希望长期担任豪迈公司技术总监的高斯先生恢复原职。

  Local staff want Achim Gauss, Homag's long-standing technical director, who resignedabruptly for personal reasons on May 23rd, to be reinstated.

  今年5月23日,高斯先生突然以个人原因为由,辞去总监一职。高斯先生的离职同样引起了豪迈公司大客户,

  IKEA, a Swedish furniture chain and Homag's biggest customer, also expressed concern atMr Gauss's departure.

  瑞典家具连锁公司宜家的堪忧。

  DBAG, one of Germany's oldestprivate-equity firms, is not obviously locust-like.

  DBAG是德国资历最老的私募股权企业之一,显然与蝗虫无半点相像之处。

  Its executives insist it is there for the long term. However, Homag is DBAG's biggestinvestment and its shares have not performed well.

  DBAG的主管们坚称,公司在为豪迈的长远利益着想。

  Half of DBAG's stake is owned by two of its investment funds, one of which is scheduled towind up this year.

  不管怎样,豪迈是DBAG最大的一笔投资,而豪迈的股票的表现并不良好。DBAG所持的股份中,一半由其旗下两只投资基金操控,

  So a partial exit would be logical.

  而其中一只计划于今年停止运作。

  There is no reason for a forced sale,says a DBAG source:

  因而DBAG部分退出的做法合情合理。

  that would weaken DBAG's influence. Meanwhile, Mr Schuler's crowd are looking for a whiteknight.

  DBAG的线人称,公司没道理强制抛股,这样做会削弱DBAG的影响力。与此同时,舒勒先生的团队正另寻救星。

  More happily, Homag's business is on the rebound.

  更庆幸的是,豪迈的生意正开始反弹。

  Last year's turnover of 800m was near the pre-crisis peak, and the closing of three Germansubsidiaries should cut costs.

  去年豪迈的营业额为8亿英镑,接近危机前的最高额,德国境内三家子公司的关闭应该能降低成本。

  Gordon Schonell of Bankhaus Lampe, a private bank, says that the managers are doing theright things.

  私人银行Bankhaus Lampe的舒奈尔说,管理层现今所做的是对的。

  But for Mr Schuler the shift from family firm to shareholder capitalism has gone too far.

  但是对于舒勒先生,从家族企业向股东资本主义转变的有点离谱了。

  词语解释

  1.wardrobe n.衣柜,衣橱;藏衣室

  What were you all doing in the wardrobe?

  你们都跑到衣橱里干吗?

  2.champion n.冠军;捍卫者,拥护者

  You said you could make me a champion.

  你说过你能让我当冠军。

  3.private a.私有的,私人的;秘密的

  Private colleges 'endowments' have shrivelled.

  私立学校的拨款也已经缩水。

  4.plunge v.用力插入;使陷入

  Yet I had lived through a plunge off a cliff.

  但是我跳下悬崖却活了下来。

  5.appointee n.被任命者;被指定者

  To lose a cabinet appointee may be regarded as a misfortune.

  失去一个内阁被任命者也许被认为是个不幸。

  8月底,很多高校2015年考研招生简章已经发布,请广大15年考生关注,预计到8月底9月初,2015年全国硕士研究生招生简章会陆续发布完成,新东方在线小编第一时间跟踪发布,请大家收藏关注!另有研究生专业目录考研参考书等最新考研信息,帮助考生及时了解目标院校招生政策及信息。另有西医综合专业考试


新东方名师考研课程 购买进行中

考研英语核心词汇营

背词+听课+练习+督学,学习得礼盒

更多资料
更多>>
更多内容

关注新东方在线考研服务号

获得21考研真题及答案解析

1. 打开手机微信【扫一扫】,识别上方二维码;
2.点击【关注公众号】,获取资料大礼包。

考研资料大礼包
近10年考研真题及答案免费下载
更多>>
更多公开课>>
更多>>
更多资料