Business Channel 2007-02-18&21

In the race for the title of world's largest automaker, Toyota of Japan proved Tuesday it's on track to unseat US car giant General Motors.

"We've posted record highs from sales to net profit in our third quarter."

In its latest quarterly earnings² report, profits jumped 7% to more than $3.5 billion. The company sold enough Camry sedans, Prius hybrid³ electric cars, and other vehicles in North America to warrant the construction of new factories there.

"The impressive thing about Toyota is they're expanding in multiple regions at the same time and that's giving them a lot of momentum⁴, er, to take that number one spot."

Drivers worldwide have praised Toyota for making what they consider low maintenance, high mileage⁵ vehicles. That formula is working in North America where the automaker is now thinking of building an eighth assembly plant, a move that could help ward⁶ off political pressure. But there has been growing criticism in the US over Toyota's rising imports. One American politician from the heart of the American auto¹ industry in Detroit says the Japanese carmaker benefits unfairly from state-run pension systems and a government that dabble⁷s in the currency markets. The weak yen⁹ played a big part in Toyota's profits. Yet many car analysts¹⁰ say those remarks are unfair.

"If a politician wants to come out against Toyota, he's gonna have to come out against employment and environmental technology, and that's pretty tenuous¹¹ ground to be standing¹² on."

Toyota says it's sticking by its full year forecasts and analysts say the company is on course for an eighth straight year of record earnings. Still, Toyota in Japanese tradition is staying modest.

"There is a lot of talk of us becoming number one in the world. We are trying not to be too conscious of it. We want to produce cars that the market wants."

And with it looking as though the market wants more Toyota-made cars, analysts say the company will drive by GM as soon as this year.

Eunice Yoon, CNN, Seoul.


Vocabulary


ward off phr-v. To ward off a danger or illness means to prevent it from affecting you or harming you.
She may have put up a fight to try to ward off her assailant.

dabble v. If you dabble in something, you take part in it but not very seriously.
He dabbled¹³ in business.

1 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

2 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

3 hybrid   

n.(动，植）杂种，混合物

参考例句：

• That is a hybrid perpetual rose.那是一株杂交的四季开花的蔷薇。
• The hybrid was tall,handsome,and intelligent.那混血儿高大、英俊、又聪明。

4 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

5 mileage   

n.里程，英里数；好处，利润

参考例句：

• He doesn't think there's any mileage in that type of advertising.他认为做那种广告毫无效益。
• What mileage has your car done?你的汽车跑了多少英里？

6 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

7 dabble   

v.涉足，浅赏

参考例句：

• They dabble in the stock market.他们少量投资于股市。
• Never dabble with things of which you have no knowledge.绝不要插手你不了解的事物。

8 dabbles   

v.涉猎( dabble的第三人称单数 )；涉足；浅尝；少量投资

参考例句：

• He dabbles in local politics. 他开始涉足地方政坛。
• She dabbles in painting as a hobby. 她学点绘画作为业余爱好。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 yen   

n. 日元；热望

参考例句：

• He wanted to convert his dollars into Japanese yen.他想将美元换成日币。
• He has a yen to be alone in a boat.他渴望独自呆在一条船上。

10 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

11 tenuous   

adj.细薄的，稀薄的，空洞的

参考例句：

• He has a rather tenuous grasp of reality.他对现实认识很肤浅。
• The air ten miles above the earth is very tenuous.距离地面十公里的空气十分稀薄。

12 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

13 dabbled   

v.涉猎( dabble的过去式和过去分词 )；涉足；浅尝；少量投资

参考例句：

• He dabbled in business. 他搞过一点生意。 来自辞典例句
• His vesture was dabbled in blood. 他穿的衣服上溅满了鲜血。 来自辞典例句