VOA慢速英语--科技企业家涌向胡志明市

AS IT IS 2016-05-25 Tech Entrepreneurs² Flock³ to Ho Chi Minh City 科技企业家涌向胡志明市

Many online entrepreneurs are moving their businesses from Western nations to Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City.

Vietnam is especially popular for young people starting online companies because of the country’s low cost of living.

Alex Fortin moved to Ho Chi Minh City from Calgary, Canada two years ago to develop online education courses.

“It’s quite safe there, and the Internet is pretty good,” said Fortin. “I wanted to be somewhere where I could focus 100 percent on my online business.”

The young entrepreneur¹ makes money by writing online courses that help people make money on the Internet. He is one of many “tech nomads” building a startup in Ho Chi Minh City.

Also, it is easier to get a work visa in Vietnam than other countries. Entrepreneurs can legally stay in Vietnam for up to five years.

Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam’s economic center and caters⁶ to young entrepreneurs there. Many small community workplaces have opened up in the city.

One of those places is Start Saigon in the city’s popular District 1 area. Start Saigon offers work space to entrepreneurs.

The space is busy with people from around the world and is open 24 hours a day. It provides high-speed Internet and has a pool for swimming and relaxing.

“You don’t have to wait 30 years to start your life and drink coconut⁷ water by the pool,” Fortin said about the unique working environment.

Community centers and even some coffee shops in Ho Chi Minh City are attracting mainly expatriates who have many things in common.

“Expats hang around with other expats,” Fortin said. It is easier for foreigners to relate to each other, and they can speak to each other in English, he explained.

He also said that foreigners doing business in Ho Chi Minh City are well-respected and treated very nicely by Vietnamese.

Fortin has decided⁸ to leave Vietnam after two successful years working on his business.

One of the reasons he decided to move is because he met “the woman of his dreams” in Ho Chi Minh City. The two are now married, and his wife is accepting a job in the U.S. city of Seattle.

Although Fortin is starting a new life in the United States, the nomad⁴ lifestyle is still important to him. He said he has not changed to an American phone because he is sure he will travel abroad again to do business.

Words in This Story

entrepreneur– n. a person who organizes and operates a business

nomad – n. some who does not have a regular home and travels from place to place

advantage – n. a circumstance that puts a person in a favorable⁹ or superior¹⁰ position

cater⁵ – v. to provide all the things needed or required

pool – n. a small body of water used for swimming

expatriate – n. a person who lives outside their native country

1 entrepreneur   

n.企业家，主办人

参考例句：

• The entrepreneur has become a news figure.这位企业家变成了新闻人物。
• The entrepreneur takes business risks in the hope of making a profit.企业家为追求利润而冒险。

2 entrepreneurs   

企业家( entrepreneur的名词复数 )； 主办人

参考例句：

• He is one of the entrepreneurs of the concert. 他是这场音乐会的主办人之一。
• Entrepreneurs are free to develop their businesses. 企业家们可以任意发展自己的企业。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

3 flock   

n.羊群，一群，大量；vi.群集，聚集，成群

参考例句：

• A flock of customers were waiting for the store to open.一群顾客在等候着商店开门。
• A few sheep have been lost from the flock.羊群里少了几只羊。

4 nomad   

n.游牧部落的人，流浪者，游牧民

参考例句：

• He was indeed a nomad of no nationality.他的确是个无国籍的游民。
• The nomad life is rough and hazardous.游牧生活艰苦又危险。

5 cater   

vi.(for/to)满足，迎合；(for)提供饮食及服务

参考例句：

• I expect he will be able to cater for your particular needs.我预计他能满足你的特殊需要。
• Most schools cater for children of different abilities.大多数学校能够满足具有不同天资的儿童的需要。

6 caters   

提供饮食及服务( cater的第三人称单数 )； 满足需要，适合

参考例句：

• That shop caters exclusively to the weaker sex. 那家商店专供妇女需要的商品。
• The boutique caters for a rather select clientele. 这家精品店为特定的顾客群服务。

7 coconut   

n.椰子

参考例句：

• The husk of this coconut is particularly strong.椰子的外壳很明显非常坚固。
• The falling coconut gave him a terrific bang on the head.那只掉下的椰子砰地击中他的脑袋。

8 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

9 favorable   

adj.赞成的，赞成的；有利的，良好的，顺利的

参考例句：

• The book received a favorable review.这本书赢得了好评。
• Each nation suppressed news that was not favorable to it.每个国家都扣留对它不利的消息。

10 superior   

n.上级，高手，上标；adj.上层的，上好的，出众的，高傲的

参考例句：

• This machine is superior in many respects to that.这台机器在很多方面比那台好。
• He acted in obedience to the orders of his superior.他是遵照他的上级指示行动的。