英语听力精选进阶版 7239

奥林巴斯前社长和两名前任高管被警方拘捕。奥林巴斯公司承认隐瞒15 亿美元的投资亏损。这个丑闻由该公司的原英国首席执行官 Michael Woodford 首先揭发，他说他因追问过去的财务支出款项而被解雇。

The arrests are the latest step in investigations¹ by the Japanese authorities into one of the country's biggest corporate² scandals.

The former chairman of Olympus Tsuyoshi Kikukawa is being held under suspicion of violating the Financial Instruments and Exchange law.

The company's former executive vice³ president and its former auditor⁴ have also been arrested. An independent panel set up by Olympus blamed the men for orchestrating the cover-up of more than $1.5 billion in investment losses.

The company has lost nearly half its value since the scandal became public last October.

Olympus is suing 19 current and former executives.

And there's speculation⁵ it may need to merge⁶ or form new alliances with its rivals to rebuild its battered⁷ balance sheets.

Quiz

1. Does Olympus deny $1.5 billion was lost?

No. It admitted hiding $1.5 billion in investment losses.

2. Was more than one person arrested?

Yes. The auditor was also arrested.

3. Does the panel say they tried to hide their illegal actions?

Yes. There was a cover-up.

4. Does Olympus want money from those they think were involved in the scandal?

Yes. They are suing 19 current and former executives.

Glossary 词汇表

corporate scandals 公司丑闻

under suspicion 受怀疑

violating 违反

auditor 审计师

orchestrating 精心策划

cover-up 掩盖，隐瞒

to sue 控告，(suing 是sue的分词形式)

speculation 推测，推想

alliances 联合，联盟

battered 受重创的

1 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

2 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

3 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

4 auditor   

n.审计员，旁听着

参考例句：

• The auditor was required to produce his working papers.那个审计员被要求提供其工作底稿。
• The auditor examines the accounts of all county officers and departments.审计员查对所有县官员及各部门的帐目。

5 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

6 merge   

v.(使)结合，(使)合并，(使)合为一体

参考例句：

• I can merge my two small businesses into a large one.我可以将我的两家小商店合并为一家大商行。
• The directors have decided to merge the two small firms together.董事们已决定把这两家小商号归并起来。

7 battered   

adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损

参考例句：

• He drove up in a battered old car.他开着一辆又老又破的旧车。
• The world was brutally battered but it survived.这个世界遭受了惨重的创伤,但它还是生存下来了。