Speaker five (female)
In this day and age, you’ve just got to want to get ahead and do whatever it takes to be ahead of the rest. Oh, that’s what drives me anyway. I just can’t wait to get started. Eiffersons are the first that saw the notice on the board. I knew it for me. I do appreciate it though it’s a bit far away. Yes, and I’m a little hazy on some of the detail or what the other people will be like. But those were small things, unimportant pints to my mind, and certainly not cheap, not by anyone’s standards. But you get what you paid for, don’t you? I’m really confident that I’ll be enjoying the benefits of the years to come, so I’m sure it represents good value for money and time.
D. thinks it is necessary to be competitive
O. thinks the cost will be worth it.
hazy adjective
1 air that is hazy is not clear because there is a lot of smoke, dust, or mist in it 浑浊的空气
hazy sunshine
2 an idea, memory etc that is hazy is not clear or exact 不清楚的，不准确的
My memories of the holiday are rather hazy.
hazy about
She was a little hazy about the details. Part Three
I=interview J=Jean Chapel
23. Jean Chapel looks at people’s shoes because
A. she needs ideas fro new designs.
B. she wants to know the market.
C. the company asks her to.
I: Good evening and welcome to another edition of Business Days. Tonight we’re going to talk to someone who says that staring at other people’s shoes is all part of her working day. Welcome Jean Chapel, chairwoman of Chapel’s, the makers of international famous shoes. Good evening.
J: Good evening.
I: Jean, you’re the chairwoman of a multi-million-pound business. Do you really spend your time looking at people’s shoes?
J: Oh, yes, just because a person is running a company, it doesn’t mean that they should. In fact, it’s essential that they remember what the company does, what it’s for. I find it fascinating. On the underground, for example, to look at people’s shoes, it tells you a lot about them and what’s going on in my business.
I: A form of market research.
J: The best kind of market research.
24. One of the founders of Chapel’s was Jean’s
A. grandfather.
B. cousin.
C. father. I: Has this practical approach always been part of Chapel’s management style?
J: Yes, I hope we’ve never forgotten how we started.
I: Which was when?
J: In 1870. The company was founded by three people. I’m the granddaughter of one of them and the great niece of another. And now my son is in business. He’s thirty.
25. Before a family member can work for Chapel’s they must have
A. bought shares in the company.
B. gained a professional qualification.
C. worked for another company.
I: A real family firm!
J: Oh yes indeed.
I: And do you think members of your family are treated more favorably than other people?
J: We’ve no time at that kind of thing. Well, although the family retains as the substantial holding in the company, this is still a public company. In fact, we went public forty years ago. People are judged on merits. You cannot be as successful as we have been by having favorites.
I: Isn’t it inevitable?
J: Before any family member joins the firm, they must prove themselves outside of it. They must have worked elsewhere. (I see.) Look at my own case, for example. I’ve been chairwoman now for five years. I grew up in the business. My mother used to work for our biggest competitor before she got married and my father of course was already chairman of Chapel’s when I was born. He did not consider it as automatic that I would follow him. But when I was offered a place in Cambridge to study Economics, he insisted that I did some sort of vocational training instead.
merit noun
judge/consider etc something on its (own) merits
to judge something only on what you see when you look at it rather than on what you know from other people or things 亲眼判断而不是从别人那里得到情况做出判断
It’s important to judge each case on its merits.
26. Jean’s son has succeeded in
A. increasing factory output greatly.
B. selling more of their products overseas.
C. supplying 70% of shoes bought in France.
I: So you’re trained as a lawyer, I believe.
J: No, as an accountant.
I: A good training for an industrial career?
J: Yes, I worked for an insurance company before joining Chapel’s.
I: And you’ve insisting that you son has done the same, I believe.
J: He was an export manager with a car company for some time.
I: Good experience.
J: He’s increased our export to 70% of our output. Germany, France and the US are three of our biggest, in fact, our main markets.
27. Every week the company
A. exports 8000 pairs of shoes.
B. sells 250 pairs of shoes.
C. makes 8000 pairs of shoes.
I: The French, like English shoes?
J: Of course, at the quality end of the market, a foreign label gives that value.
I: How many shoes do you (export) make?
J: In a week?
I: For example.
J: 8000 pairs. They sell from ￡50 to ￡250 a pair. It’s the latter end of the price range that’s the biggest in export terms.
I: Really?
J: The name of chapel’s still commands a premium.
premium noun
1 [countable] the cost of insurance, especially the amount that you pay each year保险费
insurance premiums
2 [countable] an additional amount of money, above a standard rate or amount 附加费用
Consumers are prepared to pay a premium for organically grown vegetables. 消费者已经做好准备为购买有机蔬菜多花钱。
Top quality cigars are being sold at a premium. 高品质雪茄加价出售。
3 be at a premium if something is at a premium, people need it or want it, but there is little of it available or it is difficult to get数量有限，很难得到
During the Olympic Games, accommodation will be at a premium. 在奥运会期间，很难找到住宿的地方。
space/time is at a premium
Foldaway furniture is the answer where space is at a premium. …家具是为空间狭小的家庭而提供的解决方案。
4 put/place a premium on something
to consider one quality or type of thing as being much more important than others 高度评价，高度重视
Modern economies place a premium on educated workers. 现代经济社会更看重受过良好教育的工人。
premium adjective
1 of very high quality 高品质的
premium ice cream 高品质的冰激凌
the current consumer trend for premium products 当今追求高品质产品的消费趋势
premium quality British potatoes 高质量的英国土豆
2 premium price/rate
premium prices and rates are higher than usual ones 高价的
People are prepared to pay premium prices for quality products. 人们已经作好为优质产品花费更多的准备。
Calls are charged at the premium rate of 60p per minute. 话费的价格很高，每分钟60便士。
28. What has happened to the country’s shoe industry in recent years?
A. It has lost 80% of its export market.
B. It has been damaged very badly.
C. It has increased its profits by 23%.
I: And you’re obviously doing well?
J: Half year’s profits were up 23%, from ￡1.5m on a turnover of 36.8m compared to 1.2m last year.
I: That’s very impressive.
J: But we’re not complacent. It’s not an easy trade with the flood of imports. Cheap imports are devastating what’s once called as a mighty industry.
complacent adjective
pleased with a situation, especially something you have achieved, so that you stop trying to improve or change things - used to show disapproval 贬义词：自满
There’s a danger of becoming complacent if you win a few games.
a complacent attitude towards the problem
complacent about
We simply cannot afford to be complacent about the future of our car industry.
