财富精英励志演讲82:在疯狂中我们看到了天才(2)

 　　So, what I see is the makings of a very healthy company with some extraordinarily¹ talented people who are still just as passionate² and committed to the dream of computing³ as they ever were. They need to come together and get a great plan and then start to execute it. That's exactly what's been happening over the last four weeks.

　　因此，我所看到的是，一个运营良好的公司和一群激情澎湃并一如既往执着于他们的计算机梦想的能人们。他们需要团结一心，共同制定一个伟大的方案，然后开始实施它。而以上这些就是过去四个星期内确切发生的事。

　　Now, what's the fundamental problem? I think the fundamental problem is a little more subtle, but I think this is a symptom: Apple sales in 1995 were $11.1 billion; in 1996 they were $9.5 billion; this year they'll be $7 billion plus or minus a little bit. That's the problem, or the symptom, depending on how you look at it. That needs to be stabilized⁴ and turned around. And people are working very hard to do that. So what are some beginning steps that we are going to take? One of the first ones has to be to start at the top. Apple's done a lot of change at the bottom and I think this change needs to start at the top, with the Board of Directors.

　　那么，根本的问题是什么？我想，这似乎让人有点捉摸不透，但是这是一个征兆：苹果1995年的销售额是111亿美元，1996年是95亿美元，而今年，销售额将是70亿美元上下。这就是问题，或者说症结，就取决于你怎么看它了。我们需要平稳地去扭亏为盈，大家一直都在非常努力地做这件事情。那么现在我们首先要采取的步骤是什么？首当其冲的是高层的改革。苹果在基层做过很多改变，而我觉得这次改变需要从高层开始，从董事会开始。

　　重点讲解：

　　1. be committed to sth./doing sth.

　　献身于；致力于；

　　eg. She was now committed to the band, body and soul.

　　现在，她把全部心思都放到了乐队上面。

　　eg. He wants to make sure that schools are committed to providing alternative education.

　　他想确保学校尽力提供新型教育。

　　2. plus or minus

　　上下；左右；

　　eg. The poll has a margin⁵ of error of plus or minus 5 per cent.

　　民意测验有上下5%的误差率。

　　eg. He estimated it would be negative 0.5 percent, plus or minus.

　　他预计为百分之负零点五左右。

　　3. turn around

　　（使）复苏；（使）好转；

　　eg. Turning the company around won't be easy.

　　盘活那家公司绝非易事。

　　eg. Though the situation looks gloomy it will eventually turn around.

　　尽管形势看起来不好，但最终会好转的。

　　4. depend on

　　取决（于）；有赖（于）；

　　eg. The risk and severity of sunburn depend on the body's natural skin colour.

　　晒伤的风险和严重程度取决于人体的自然肤色。

　　eg. Quality standards selected depend on intended use of the water.

　　水质标准的选择取决于水的预定用途。

　　名人简介：

　　史蒂夫·保罗·乔布斯（1955.2.24—2011.10.5），美国发明家、企业家、美国苹果公司联合创办人。

　　乔布斯被认为是计算机业界与娱乐业界的标志性人物，他经历了苹果公司几十年的起落与兴衰，先后领导和推出了麦金塔计算机（Macintosh）、iMac、iPod、iPhone、iPad等风靡全球的电子产品，深刻地改变了现代通讯、娱乐、生活方式。乔布斯同时也是前Pixar动画公司的董事长及行政总裁。

　　2011年10月5日，因胰腺癌病逝，享年56岁。

1 extraordinarily   

adv.格外地；极端地

参考例句：

• She is an extraordinarily beautiful girl.她是个美丽非凡的姑娘。
• The sea was extraordinarily calm that morning.那天清晨，大海出奇地宁静。

2 passionate   

adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的

参考例句：

• He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
• He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

3 computing   

n.计算

参考例句：

• to work in computing 从事信息处理
• Back in the dark ages of computing, in about 1980, they started a software company. 早在计算机尚未普及的时代（约1980年），他们就创办了软件公司。

4 stabilized   

v.（使）稳定， （使）稳固( stabilize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The patient's condition stabilized. 患者的病情稳定下来。
• His blood pressure has stabilized. 他的血压已经稳定下来了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

5 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。