英语博客：ESL Podcast 708 – Trademarks and Logos

　　Bianca: Look at this logo I designed for our new line of products.
Vien: That’s really nice, but it looks a lot like our competitor’s logo. In fact, it’s almost identical.
Bianca: No, it’s not. The color is a different shade of green, the graphic¹ is smaller, and instead of a picture of a woman, I’m using a picture of a man. They’re nothing alike.
Vien: That’s not what most people would say. Looking at your logo and our competitor’s logo side by side, I’d say this was a clear case of trademark² infringement³.
Bianca: Okay, to be honest, I purposely made them look a little alike so that customers will associate our products with their brand. So what? I don’t think that’s a big deal.
Vien: Our competitor has exclusive rights to use its logo. If ours is too similar, the trademark registry and the courts are going to nail us.
Bianca: So what do you want me to do?
Vien: Go back to the drawing board – literally⁴!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

1 graphic   

adj.生动的，形象的，绘画的，文字的，图表的

参考例句：

• The book gave a graphic description of the war.这本书生动地描述了战争的情况。
• Distinguish important text items in lists with graphic icons.用图标来区分重要的文本项。

2 trademark   

n.商标；特征；vt.注册的…商标

参考例句：

• The trademark is registered on the book of the Patent Office.该商标已在专利局登记注册。
• The trademark of the pen was changed.这钢笔的商标改了。

3 infringement   

n.违反；侵权

参考例句：

• Infringement of this regulation would automatically rule you out of the championship.违背这一规则会被自动取消参加锦标赛的资格。
• The committee ruled that the US ban constituted an infringement of free trade.委员会裁定美国的禁令对自由贸易构成了侵犯

4 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。