Homework review
I. Homework review
1.
In 1996, the sales showed a general downward trend. British shoppers spent about 9% on Monday. Then the spending rose considerably on Tuesday and increased slightly to about 14% on Wednesday followed by a small drop on Thursday. It shot up again on Friday and peaked at approximately 22% on Saturday before collapsing at below 5% on Sunday.
In contrast, there was a general upward trend in the spending at all retailers in Britain in 2000. Although the spending started at about 7% on Monday, a noticeable lower volume than in 1996, it grew sharply on Tuesday to about 12%. Since then, there was a steady increase until Friday. On Friday, it reached the peak at about 19% while the sales afterwards decreased gradually to about 18%, well up that in 1996.
2.
The bar chart illustrates three different photocopiers, Carda, KD and Sebu according to their purchase price, the warranty cost and their expected running costs for the first two years.
In terms of the purchase price, Sebu is the most expensive one priced at about $1000 while Carda only costs $600 and KD at $750.
In respect of the warranty cost, Sebu is the cheapest one at about only $100. On the other hand, KD costs $200 and Carda at $150.
One pays the least for the running costs of Sebu at $750 whereas Carda has the highest ones of $1200 and KD at $800.
To sum up, the expected total costs for the initial 2-year period for the Carda, KD and Sebu are $1900, $1800 and $1800 respectively.
(127 words)
Vocabulary Study
II. Vocabulary Study
u Animal words in the business context
watchdog noun [countable]
1 a person or group of people whose job is to protect the rights of people who buy things and to make sure companies do not do anything illegal or harmful 监管人，监管机构
a consumer watchdog 一个消费者的监管机构
top dog noun [countable]
the person who has the most power in a group, especially after a struggle 掌管大权的人
He always wanted to be the one in control, the top dog. 他总是想成为可以控制一切的人，即长官大权的人。
fat cat
informal someone who has too much money, especially someone who is paid too much for their job - used in order to show disapproval 贬义词：薪水过高的人
the fat cats at the top who have recently been given obscene pay increases 最近得到不公正涨薪的公司高层人士
cash cow noun [countable]
something that a company sells very successfully and that brings in a lot of money 畅销商品，给公司带来巨大收益的产品
predatory
1a predatory animal kills and eats other animals for food (动物或其习性)已捕食其他动物为主的，食肉的
2 trying to use someone’s weakness to get advantages for yourself - used to show disapproval掠夺成性的;故意破坏的
predatory pricing
poach verb
▶ANIMALS◀
[intransitive and transitive] to illegally catch or shoot animals, birds, or fish, especially on private land without permission 偷猎
Deer have been poached here for years.
▶PEOPLE◀
[transitive] to persuade someone who belongs to another organization, team etc to leave it and join yours, especially in a secret or dishonest way 挖墙脚
That company’s always poaching our staff.
poach from
Several of their reporters were poached from other papers.
What shapes corporate culture?
III. What shapes corporate culture?
1. Speaking.
Vocabulary:
Mission statement: a statement of the aims, purpose and future activities of an organization 宗旨说明，任务说明(内容包括机构的目标、宗旨和未来的活动)
code noun
▶LAWS/BEHAVIOUR◀
[countable]a set of rules, laws, or principles that tell people how to behave
their moral code 道德法规
Each state in the US has a different criminal and civil code. 美国每个州的民法和刑法都不同。
The judge ruled that there had been no breach of the code. 法官判决该案件没有违反法规。
There were plans to introduce a dress code (=rules about what to wear) for civil servants. 政府有计划引入公务员着装制度。
What does each tell us about a company’s culture?
Mission statement: clearly explains a company’s goals and focus. The fact that a company has a formal mission statement suggests it is organized and keen on promoting a cohesive attitude within the staff. The fact that the mission statement needs to be explicit may suggest there is some diversity of attitudes within the staff.
Organizational hierarchy: can show how traditional a company is, whether power is centralized and the extent to which employees are empowered.
Company buildings: can reflect attitudes to hierarchy and relative importance of staff, e.g. through impressive offices, separate floors or separate dining room for senior staff.
Dress code: can influence or reflect the degree of formality in a company.
2. Reading.
A strong and living corporate culture
cornerstone noun [countable]
1something that is extremely important because everything else depends on it基石，重要的事物
cornerstone of
The magazine became the cornerstone of McFadden’s publishing empire. 这本杂志是….出版王国日后成功的基础。
2a stone at one of the bottom corners of a building, often put in place at a special ceremony
ￚsynonym foundation stone
vitality noun [uncountable]
1 great energy and eagerness to do things 活力
Despite her eighty years, Elsie was full of vitality. 尽管她已经是一位八十岁的老人，… 还是充满活力。
2 the strength and ability of an organization, country etc to continue (组织机构，国家等的)力量，能力
The process of restructuring has injected some much-needed vitality into the company. 这次机构重组向这家公司注入了急需的能量。
vitality of
The senator promised to restore the economic vitality of the region. 参议员许诺说要重振这个地区的经济活力。
belonging noun [uncountable] 归属
It’s important to have a sense of belonging (=a feeling that you are happy and comfortable somewhere). 有归属感很重要。
bind verb
past tense and past participle bound
▶FORM A CONNECTION◀
[transitive] to form a strong emotional or economic connection between two people, countries etc 联合
ￚsynonym unite
bind somebody/something together
Their shared experiences in war helped to bind the two communities together. 战争中有着共同经历帮助这两个国家走到一起。
impose verb
1 [transitive] if someone in authority imposes a rule, punishment, tax etc, they force people to accept it 强制实施规定、处罚、征税
The court can impose a fine or a prison sentence. 法庭强制实施罚款或入狱服刑。
impose something on something/somebody
The government imposed a ban on the sale of ivory. 政府强制执行禁止销售象牙的行为。
2 [transitive] to force someone to have the same ideas, beliefs etc as you 强迫某人与你有同样的想法
impose something on somebody
parents who impose their own moral values on their children将自己道德的标准强加给孩子们的家长
3 [intransitive] formal to expect or ask someone to do something for you when this is not convenient for them 希望别人替你做某事
impose on/upon
We could ask to stay the night, but I don’t want to impose on them. 我们可以问一问可否逗留在这一夜，但是我不想非让他们接受这个请求。
4 [transitive] to have a bad effect on something or someone and to cause problems for them 引起坏影响，引起问题
impose a burden/hardship etc (on somebody/something)
Military spending imposes a huge strain on the economy. 军费开支给经济带来大
imposing adjective large, impressive, and appearing important 给人深刻印象的
an imposing building 一座壮观的建筑物
He’s a tall, quietly spoken, but imposing figure. 他个子高还不爱说话，但却是一位给人留下深刻印象的人。
exaggerate verb [intransitive and transitive]
to make something seem better, larger, worse etc than it really is夸张;夸大
I couldn’t sleep for three days - I’m not exaggerating. 我三天没有睡觉了 --- 我绝对没有夸大事实。
it’s easy/difficult/impossible to exaggerate something
humility noun [uncountable]谦虚，谦恭
the quality of not being too proud about yourself - use this to show approval
---synonym modesty
---humble adj.
modest adjective
▶NOT PROUD◀
someone who is modest does not want to talk about their abilities or achievements谦虚的;谦让的 ￚ反义词 immodest, boastful
modest about
He was always modest about his role in the Everest expedition. 他对自己在此次珠穆朗玛峰探险活动中承担的职责表现得很谦逊。
You’re too modest! You’ve been a huge help to us. 您太谦虚了，您对我们的帮助太大了。
▶NOT BIG◀
not very great, big, or expensive 不大，不昂贵
a modest increase in costs 价格的小幅上涨
She had saved a modest amount of money. 她只攒了一点钱。
The new service proved a modest success. 这项新的服务只取得了一些成绩。
a modest house with a small garden 一所不大的房子，有一个小花园
his modest ambitions 她的小理想
▶SHY◀
shy about showing your body or attracting sexual interest, because you are easily embarrassed 羞涩 ￚ反义词 immodest
She was a modest girl, always keeping covered, even in summer. 她是个羞涩的女孩，尽管在炎热的夏季也把自己包裹得很严实。
ￚmodestly adverb ’I was just lucky,’ he said modestly. “我只是很幸运而已，”他谦虚地说到。
thrift noun [uncountable] 节约，节俭
old-fashioned wise and careful use of money, so that none is wasted
thrifty adjective using money carefully and wisely
hardworking, thrifty people
ￚthriftily adverb
ￚthriftiness noun [uncountable]
unpretentious adjective
not trying to seem better, more important etc than you really are - use this to show approval 不矫揉造作的，
an unpretentious hotel 一间朴实的饭店
an unpretentious woman 一位不矫揉造作的女性
pretentious adjective
if someone or something is pretentious, they try to seem more important, intelligent, or high class than they really are in order to be impressive 矫揉造作的
ￚ反义词 unpretentious
a pretentious film 一部虚情假意的电影
ￚpretentiously adverb
ￚpretentiousness noun [uncountable]
associate with
to spend time with someone, especially someone that other people disapprove of 与人相处
e.g. I don’t like these layabouts you’re associating with. 我不喜欢你与这些有手好闲的人在一起。
status symbol noun [countable]
something that you have or own that you think shows high social rank or position 象征地位的事物
A Rolls Royce is seen as a status symbol. 一辆劳斯莱斯汽车被看作是地位的象征。
flashy adjective informal
1 big, bright, or expensive, and intended to be impressive - used to show disapproval 奢华的
large flashy cars
