英语听力精选进阶版 13290

What's a Jobs worth?

Report

Steve Jobs leaving the top at Apple, a company he set up with a friend in his parent's garage 35 years ago is being seen as a turning point moment.

The world's largest technology company is losing its visionary founder¹. But investors² don't seem worried for the short term. There was little element of surprise. Mr Jobs had a liver transplant two years ago and has been on medical leave for undisclosed reasons since early this year.

The company's succession plan has rolled into place with Tim Cook, chief operating officer, widely seen as a safe pair of hands, set to take over.

The secret of Steve Jobs success, according to the writer, comedian³ and tech guru Stephen Fry, has been his ability to produce gadgets⁴ that are likeable as well as functional⁵.

Stephen Fry

"He understood that the object you hold in your hand, that connects you to people, isn't just the sum of its functions. It's something that should make you smile, that you should cradle, that you should have an emotional relationship with. And if people think that's pretentious⁶ then, um, the success of Apple is in a sense how wrong they are."

Mr Jobs has ridden several waves of technology change, with Apple pioneering the personal computer and then years later mobile platforms like the iPhone and iPad. Investors are betting that he's embedded⁷ his skills to the point where now the company can do without him.

Mark Gregory, BBC News

1 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• 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。

2 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

3 comedian   

n.喜剧演员；滑稽演员

参考例句：

• The comedian tickled the crowd with his jokes.喜剧演员的笑话把人们逗乐了。
• The comedian enjoyed great popularity during the 30's.那位喜剧演员在三十年代非常走红。

4 gadgets   

n.小机械，小器具（ gadget的名词复数 ）

参考例句：

• Certainly. The idea is not to have a house full of gadgets. 当然。设想是房屋不再充满小配件。 来自超越目标英语 第4册
• This meant more gadgets and more experiments. 这意味着要设计出更多的装置，做更多的实验。 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史

5 functional   

adj.为实用而设计的，具备功能的，起作用的

参考例句：

• The telephone was out of order,but is functional now.电话刚才坏了，但现在可以用了。
• The furniture is not fancy,just functional.这些家具不是摆着好看的，只是为了实用。

6 pretentious   

adj.自命不凡的，自负的，炫耀的

参考例句：

• He is a talented but pretentious writer.他是一个有才华但自命不凡的作家。
• Speaking well of yourself would only make you appear conceited and pretentious.自夸只会使你显得自负和虚伪。

7 embedded   

a.扎牢的

参考例句：

• an operation to remove glass that was embedded in his leg 取出扎入他腿部玻璃的手术
• He has embedded his name in the minds of millions of people. 他的名字铭刻在数百万人民心中。