Italian Car 1)Patriarch Dies

Broadcast: Jan 24 2003

 

The patriarch of the Italian car company Fiat¹, Giovanni Agnelli, died Friday after months of illness. His death is likely to bring more restructuring of the company. Fiat is Italy's largest private-sector employer but is ²⁾weighed down by debt.

Giovanni Agnelli died Friday morning at his home in Turin, with his wife and other family members by his side. He was 81 years old.

For over half a century Mr. Agnelli represented the image of Italian industry. He was considered to be the most influential² Italian business leader of the 20th century. Mr. Agnelli was the honorary chairman of Italy's most important carmaker, Fiat, which he turned into an industrial and financial powerhouse.

Fiat was once the most popular Italian car company, but it has suffered significant losses in recent years, and has undergone a major restructuring as a result. Despite the company's huge losses Mr. Agnelli has been strongly opposed to the sale of Fiat. His family still owns 30 percent of the company.

His death came just hours before he was due to chair a gathering³ of his family to discuss the company's future. Mr. Agnelli had been suffering from ³⁾prostate cancer for months and had recently undergone treatment in the United States.

The price of Fiat shares rose at the report of Mr. Agnelli's death, and the prospect⁴ that it could lead to more restructuring of the company.

Sabina Castelfranco, VOA news, Rome.

 

1)      patriarch[5peitrB:k]n. 创办人,元老

2)      weigh down  过度忧虑，压低, 压垮

3)      prostate cancer 前列腺癌

 

 

1 fiat   

n.命令，法令，批准；vt.批准，颁布

参考例句：

• The opening of a market stall is governed by municipal fiat.开设市场摊位受市政法令管制。
• He has tried to impose solutions to the country's problems by fiat.他试图下令强行解决该国的问题。

2 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

3 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

4 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。