新视野大学英语视听说教程 4 Unit 4-14

Task3:  Three Envelopes
Script
After a high –level firing at Supertech, the top executives gathered for lunch to welcome the new Chief Executive Officer, Carl Martin, and say good-bye to the departing CEO, Dick Jackson.
Lunch was pretty well over when Jackson took his replacement¹ aside and said: “Carl, it’s a jungle out there in the business world. If we graduate of Harvard Business School don’t stick up for one anther, who will? Nobody, that’s who.”
Jackson explained that a tradition the company’s CEOs had. The departing CEO left three numbered envelopes for the new CEO. He handed Martin three envelopes. “Open one if there’s a problem you can’t solve.”
Things went smoothly² for Martin at first, but six months later sales took a downturn, and he was catching³ a lot of heat. At his wit’s end, he remembered the envelopes. He took from his desk the first envelope. The message read, “Blame your predecessor⁴.”
Martin held a press conference and tactfully laid the blame at the feet of the previous CEO. The press—and Wall Street—reacted positively⁵, sales picked up, and the problem was soon behind him.
A year later, the company was again experiencing a dip in sales, combined with serious product problems. The CEO opened the second envelope. The message read, “Recognize.”
This he did, and the company quickly rebounded⁶.
After several consecutive⁷ profitable quarters, the company once again fell on difficult times. The CEO went to his office, closed the door and opened the third envelope. The meager⁸ read, “Prepare three envelopes.”

For Reference
1. They gathered for lunch to welcome the new Chief Executive Officer, Carl Martin, and say good-bye to the departing CEO, Dick Jackson.
2. The departing CEO left three numbered envelopes for the new CEO
3. The message read, “Blame your predecessor.” So, the new CEO held a press conference and tactfully laid the blame at the feet of the previous CEO.
4. The message read, “Recognize.” The new CEO did it, and the company quickly rebounded.
5.  The meager said, “Prepare three envelopes.” It implied that it was time for Martin to leave and give three similar envelopes to the next CEO.
 

1 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。

2 smoothly   

adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地

参考例句：

• The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。
• Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。

3 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

4 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

5 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

6 rebounded   

弹回( rebound的过去式和过去分词 )； 反弹； 产生反作用； 未能奏效

参考例句：

• The ball rebounded from the goalpost and Owen headed it in. 球从门柱弹回，欧文头球将球攻进。
• The ball rebounded from his racket into the net. 球从他的球拍上弹回网中。

7 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。

8 meager   

adj.缺乏的，不足的，瘦的

参考例句：

• He could not support his family on his meager salary.他靠微薄的工资无法养家。
• The two men and the woman grouped about the fire and began their meager meal.两个男人同一个女人围着火，开始吃起少得可怜的午饭。