2006年NPR美国国家公共电台六月-Marketplace Report: Gates to Focus on Phi
时间：2019-01-08 作者：英语课 分类：2006年NPR美国国家公共电台
英语课
Back now with The Day to Day.
The world's richest man, the founder 1 of Microsoft, plans to gradually step away from his company's everyday operations. The man of course, Bill Gates, Microsoft's next major goal is to try to go after the online music business. Apple and its popular iPod and i-Tunes are now the dominant 2 forces there. Joining us to talk about Microsoft's future is John Dimsdale from Marketplace.
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"John, what about Microsoft's music hopes?"
"Well, they've been going after online music customers in sort of a haphazard 3 way for several years now. They partnered with other companies, but like you say, Apple continues to control more than 60% of the online music business. Now Reuters reports Microsoft's been negotiating licenses 4 for songs, which would be a prelude 5 to setting up a Microsoft-run online music service. The company also reportedly has a prototype of the, of the handheld device that's similar to an iPod. Now there is no telling when all of this will be launched, but anytime a company with pockets as deep as Microsoft decides to get into this business, Apple has to take a notice."
"Yeah, they can call up Netscape if they would like to learn more. Er, Bill Gates says he wants to spend more time on his philanthropic work now, how's that going to affect Microsoft?"
"Well, overall, Microsoft's had its troubles late with its update for the Windows Operating System, they can't seem to compete with Google and some people say that the company has taken its eye off the ball in part because of Bill Gates' success. He's a superstar in the business world, like you said, the richest man, he does lots of work for charities, which could mean that he hasn't had the focus to keep the company on the cutting edge of technologies. Industry analyst 6, Rob Anderly, says Microsoft's music service could benefit from Gates' leaving."
"It's one of those efforts that has been under-funded till now, er, they just haven't put the emphasis behind it that they needed to compete with a marketing 7 and design powerhouse that Apple represents. That's been very disappointing to Microsoft partners and this is one of the things they may actually get fixed 8 by Bill's departure that may in fact now get the funding and focus it needs to really run against Apple and run against Apple hard."
"John, and how about other Microsoft news? The company may be in some trouble over stock options to executives in the '90s?"
"That's right. The company stopped doing stock options all together a couple of years ago but, and now grants its stocks to employees outright 9, but back in the '90s, like a lot of technology companies, it offered workers the options to buy its stock at a cheap price. And the Wall Street Journalist is out with the report that the company priced those options at a time of the month when the stock price was at its lowest, and that's a practice that's got some companies in a lot of hot water for backdating their stock options. But you know, if the financial police go after Microsoft, they're gonna be pretty busy because a lot of companies did that. Coming up later on Marketplace, we're talking to auto 10 workers about whether they're gonna take off the offer from General Motors to leave the company."
"Thank you, John Dimsdale, of public radio's daily business show, marketplace, from American Public Media."
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go after:to follow or chase someone or something because you want to catch them; 追逐, 追求
haphazard:happening or done in a way that is not planned or organized;偶然的, 随便的
prelude:f an event is a prelude to a more important event, it happens just before it and makes people expect it ;先驱, 前奏, 序幕
prototype:the first form that a new design of a car, machine etc has, or a model of it used to test the design before it is produced ;原型
handheld:a PDA(Personal Digital Assistant); 个人数字助理
telling:having a great or important effect;有效的, 明显的, 生动的
get into:to start doing or feeling something, or being in a particular situation; 进入, 陷入, 穿上
philanthropic:a philanthropic person or institution gives money and help to people who are poor or in trouble ;博爱的
stock option:stock that a company offers to sell to an employee at a price that is lower than the usual price ;职工优先认股权, 在指定时期内定价定额购股权
all together:adv.一起
backate:to make something have its effect from an earlier date;回溯
marketplace:an open area in a town where a market is held;集会场所, 市场,商场
The world's richest man, the founder 1 of Microsoft, plans to gradually step away from his company's everyday operations. The man of course, Bill Gates, Microsoft's next major goal is to try to go after the online music business. Apple and its popular iPod and i-Tunes are now the dominant 2 forces there. Joining us to talk about Microsoft's future is John Dimsdale from Marketplace.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"John, what about Microsoft's music hopes?"
"Well, they've been going after online music customers in sort of a haphazard 3 way for several years now. They partnered with other companies, but like you say, Apple continues to control more than 60% of the online music business. Now Reuters reports Microsoft's been negotiating licenses 4 for songs, which would be a prelude 5 to setting up a Microsoft-run online music service. The company also reportedly has a prototype of the, of the handheld device that's similar to an iPod. Now there is no telling when all of this will be launched, but anytime a company with pockets as deep as Microsoft decides to get into this business, Apple has to take a notice."
"Yeah, they can call up Netscape if they would like to learn more. Er, Bill Gates says he wants to spend more time on his philanthropic work now, how's that going to affect Microsoft?"
"Well, overall, Microsoft's had its troubles late with its update for the Windows Operating System, they can't seem to compete with Google and some people say that the company has taken its eye off the ball in part because of Bill Gates' success. He's a superstar in the business world, like you said, the richest man, he does lots of work for charities, which could mean that he hasn't had the focus to keep the company on the cutting edge of technologies. Industry analyst 6, Rob Anderly, says Microsoft's music service could benefit from Gates' leaving."
"It's one of those efforts that has been under-funded till now, er, they just haven't put the emphasis behind it that they needed to compete with a marketing 7 and design powerhouse that Apple represents. That's been very disappointing to Microsoft partners and this is one of the things they may actually get fixed 8 by Bill's departure that may in fact now get the funding and focus it needs to really run against Apple and run against Apple hard."
"John, and how about other Microsoft news? The company may be in some trouble over stock options to executives in the '90s?"
"That's right. The company stopped doing stock options all together a couple of years ago but, and now grants its stocks to employees outright 9, but back in the '90s, like a lot of technology companies, it offered workers the options to buy its stock at a cheap price. And the Wall Street Journalist is out with the report that the company priced those options at a time of the month when the stock price was at its lowest, and that's a practice that's got some companies in a lot of hot water for backdating their stock options. But you know, if the financial police go after Microsoft, they're gonna be pretty busy because a lot of companies did that. Coming up later on Marketplace, we're talking to auto 10 workers about whether they're gonna take off the offer from General Motors to leave the company."
"Thank you, John Dimsdale, of public radio's daily business show, marketplace, from American Public Media."
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go after:to follow or chase someone or something because you want to catch them; 追逐, 追求
haphazard:happening or done in a way that is not planned or organized;偶然的, 随便的
prelude:f an event is a prelude to a more important event, it happens just before it and makes people expect it ;先驱, 前奏, 序幕
prototype:the first form that a new design of a car, machine etc has, or a model of it used to test the design before it is produced ;原型
handheld:a PDA(Personal Digital Assistant); 个人数字助理
telling:having a great or important effect;有效的, 明显的, 生动的
get into:to start doing or feeling something, or being in a particular situation; 进入, 陷入, 穿上
philanthropic:a philanthropic person or institution gives money and help to people who are poor or in trouble ;博爱的
stock option:stock that a company offers to sell to an employee at a price that is lower than the usual price ;职工优先认股权, 在指定时期内定价定额购股权
all together:adv.一起
backate:to make something have its effect from an earlier date;回溯
marketplace:an open area in a town where a market is held;集会场所, 市场,商场
n.创始者，缔造者
- He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
- According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。
adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因
- The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
- She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。
adj.无计划的，随意的，杂乱无章的
- The town grew in a haphazard way.这城镇无计划地随意发展。
- He regrerted his haphazard remarks.他悔不该随口说出那些评论话。
n.执照( license的名词复数 )v.批准，许可，颁发执照( license的第三人称单数 )
- Drivers have ten days' grace to renew their licenses. 驾驶员更换执照有10天的宽限期。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- Jewish firms couldn't get import or export licenses or raw materials. 犹太人的企业得不到进出口许可证或原料。 来自辞典例句
n.序言，前兆，序曲
- The prelude to the musical composition is very long.这首乐曲的序曲很长。
- The German invasion of Poland was a prelude to World War II.德国入侵波兰是第二次世界大战的序幕。
n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家
- What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
- The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。
n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西
- They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
- He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。
adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的
- Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
- Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。
adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的
- If you have a complaint you should tell me outright.如果你有不满意的事，你应该直率地对我说。
- You should persuade her to marry you outright.你应该彻底劝服她嫁给你。