英语听力精选进阶版 7083

Background: 英国家喻户晓的老牌零售商 Woolworths 濒临倒闭。这家有着99年历史的企业很可能会关闭其下的几百家连锁超市，其上万名员工将会面临失业危机。

Woolworths is one of the best known names on the British High Street. It's been in business nearly a century 世纪.

Many of its 800 stores are likely to close following the company's decision to call in administrators¹ 接管者 after an attempt to sell the business for a token 象征性的 ￡1 failed.

The company has huge debts 债务. The trigger 导火索 for the collapse² has been Britain's slide towards recession 经济萧条, which has cut into consumer spending 消费者消费.

However, the business had been in trouble for years.

Known for low-priced general merchandise, Woolworths has struggled 挣扎 in face of competition 竞争 from supermarkets expanding beyond groceries and a new generation of internet retailers³ 网络零售商.

Many of the store group's 25,000 employees are likely to lose their jobs. Some profitable 可盈利的，可赚钱的 areas such as the DVD publishing business will survive.

GLOSSARY⁴ 词汇表

century 世纪

administrators 接管者

token 象征性的

debts 债务

trigger 导火索

recession 经济萧条

consumer spending 消费者消费

struggled 挣扎

competition 竞争

internet retailers 网络零售商

profitable 可盈利的，可赚钱的

agriculture 农业

Questions and Answers

1. How long has Woolworths operated in the UK?

Nearly 100 years.

2. How much had the business been on sale for?

￡1

3. What competitors have damaged Woolworths ability to operate?

Supermarkets and online stores have taken much of their market-share.

4. Do many employees face redundancy? 

Yes, many of the 25,000 staff will lose their jobs.

1 administrators   

n.管理者( administrator的名词复数 )；有管理（或行政）才能的人；（由遗嘱检验法庭指定的）遗产管理人；奉派暂管主教教区的牧师

参考例句：

• He had administrators under him but took the crucial decisions himself. 他手下有管理人员，但重要的决策仍由他自己来做。 来自辞典例句
• Administrators have their own methods of social intercourse. 办行政的人有他们的社交方式。 来自汉英文学 - 围城

2 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

3 retailers   

零售商，零售店( retailer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• High street retailers reported a marked increase in sales before Christmas. 商业街的零售商报告说圣诞节前销售量显著提高。
• Retailers have a statutory duty to provide goods suitable for their purpose. 零售商有为他们提供符合要求的货品的法定义务。

4 glossary   

n.注释词表；术语汇编

参考例句：

• The text is supplemented by an adequate glossary.正文附有一个详细的词汇表。
• For convenience,we have also provided a glossary in an appendix.为了方便，我们在附录中也提供了术语表。