VOA慢速英语2013 AS IT IS 2013-06-17 We Visit An Automobile Show in China

 

AS IT IS 2013-06-17 We Visit An Automobile² Show in China

Hello, and welcome to “As It Is” -- our daily show for people learning American English. I’m Christopher Cruise in Washington.

Today on the program, we go to an automobile show in China, a country where car sales have risen 13 percent from a year ago…

“We are increasing our local content here in this country. And next month we are opening the first engine plant with the capacity of 250 thousand units outside of Germany for Mercedes engines.”

But first…the number of people visiting South Africa is increasing. As Chinese investment in the country grows, so does the number of Chinese traveling there…

The number of people visiting South Africa grew by almost 10 percent last year. One country helping³ that number grow is China. Recently, a large crowd of Chinese visited the top of Table Mountain in Cape⁴ Town, South Africa. As Mario Ritter tells us, they were looking around, taking pictures and speaking in Mandarin⁵.

Chinese investment has been growing in South Africa. So has the number of Chinese visiting the country.

China sends the fourth-largest number of tourists to South Africa. More than 130,000 Chinese tourists went there last year. Europeans remain the biggest tourism group. But the percentage of Chinese tourists grew by 56 percent from 2011 to 2012.

Beverly Schafer is a member of Cape Town’s city government. She represents an area that is home to the waterfront promenade⁶ and a famous soccer stadium. She says the sport helped increase the number of visitors.

“The fact that Cape Town was so showcased around the natural beauty of it where our games were being held, that it opened up the door to tourism such as our Chinese and Asian tourists.” 

South Africa’s travel industry has been noting the growing number of Chinese tourists. Mariette Du Toit-Helmbold has been head of Cape Town Tourism. She says the industry is looking for Mandarin-speaking guides and has started providing information in Mandarin.

But she adds that local businesses need to make big changes if they plan to market to this group.

“So I think the message, really out to, you know, the industry, has been, for us, really understand what are you getting yourself into first. Make sure you are geared up to cater⁷ for, specifically for the needs of the Chinese market.”

There are several reasons for the increase of Chinese tourists. Ms. Du Toit-Helmbold notes South Africa’s inclusion in the economic group BRICS, of which China is a member. In addition, South Africa recently added visa processing centers in Beijing and Shanghai. And South African Airways⁸ last year added direct flights between Beijing and Johannesburg.

Shuting Lunn is a Mandarin-speaking tour guide in Cape Town. She says demand for her services has increased since she started in the business 10 years ago. She says she once was lucky to get a group of travelers once a month. Now, she has to refuse some groups.

Cape Town’s tourism industry has been directed toward Europeans and Americans, who often travel in smaller groups or as couples. However, the Chinese market is aimed at larger groups.

I’m Mario Ritter.

China is strengthening its image as the most important market for the automobile industry. Chinese auto¹ sales are up 13 percent from one year ago. Industry observers are predicting total sales of over 20 million vehicles this year. By comparison, a little more than 15 million vehicles are expected to be sold in the United States.

The importance of the Chinese market could be seen at the Shanghai auto show. Industry representatives there were showing products designed to meet China’s growing demand for luxury cars and larger vehicles.

Dave Schoch is with the Ford¹⁰ Motor Company. He welcomed the chance to meet with thousands of possible car buyers.

“So you’ve got 30 million customers out there, all with different tastes and different affordability¹¹ levels. And what Ford wants to do is bring our global, the power and leverage¹² of our global lineup, you know from small to medium to large, into China.”

However, competition can be fierce. Dieter Zetsche is the chairman of the German auto manufacturer Daimler AG.

“We are increasing our local content here in this country. And next month we are opening the first engine plant with the capacity of 250 thousand units outside of Germany for Mercedes engines.”

Many Chinese see cars as a sign of success. Yale Zhang is with Automotive Foresight¹³, an industry group. He says the rising demand for top quality automobiles¹⁴ is a sign of China’s rise as an economic superpower.

“This market (is) becoming more like a European or American style.”

Demand has been especially high for larger sport utility vehicles -- SUVs. Karsten Engel is head of the BMW group in China. He says the spacious¹⁵ insides of SUVs appeal to the newly-rich, although some will probably never drive them.

“The ultimate driving machine: You probably experience a lot from the, from the rear seat with your driver, so you, you need more space. You want more space. You want to have the possibility to work in the car.”

That is something Stefan Brungs understands. He is the marketing¹⁶ director for the automaker Bugatti.

“And this is what Chinese have learned and perceived as luxury -- to sit in the back and be chauffeured¹⁷.”

The demand for larger cars is strong. Yet environmental issues and fuel concerns are leading to increased interest in vehicles with better fuel economy. Nissan’s Asia Vice⁹ President Andy Palmer.

“Four years ago, when we introduced the, the concept of an electric car, most of, most of our colleagues in the industry thought we’d lost our minds. Now it doesn’t look so stupid, you know?

For now, observers say new hybrid¹⁸ and electric technology is not a major force in the Chinese market. New information shows sales of SUVs are up nearly 50 percent from a year ago. And experts say SUV sales are likely to double by 2015.

And that’s “As It Is.” We hope you enjoyed our program today.

1 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

2 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

3 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

4 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

5 Mandarin   

n.中国官话，国语，满清官吏；adj.华丽辞藻的

参考例句：

• Just over one billion people speak Mandarin as their native tongue.大约有十亿以上的人口以华语为母语。
• Mandarin will be the new official language of the European Union.普通话会变成欧盟新的官方语言。

6 promenade   

n./v.散步

参考例句：

• People came out in smarter clothes to promenade along the front.人们穿上更加时髦漂亮的衣服，沿着海滨散步。
• We took a promenade along the canal after Sunday dinner.星期天晚饭后我们沿着运河散步。

7 cater   

vi.(for/to)满足，迎合；(for)提供饮食及服务

参考例句：

• I expect he will be able to cater for your particular needs.我预计他能满足你的特殊需要。
• Most schools cater for children of different abilities.大多数学校能够满足具有不同天资的儿童的需要。

8 AIRWAYS   

航空公司

参考例句：

• The giant jets that increasingly dominate the world's airways. 越来越称雄于世界航线的巨型喷气机。
• At one point the company bought from Nippon Airways a 727 jet. 有一次公司从日本航空公司买了一架727型喷气机。

9 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。

10 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

11 affordability   

可购性

参考例句：

• Performance-Based Logistics Affordability: Can We Afford Categorical Conversion to Performance-Based Acquisition? 基于性能的后期的可承受性：能否担负得起向基于性能的采办的无条件的转变？
• There would be no crisis of affordability, as't for food or clothing. 就想食物与服装一样，因为供给没有危机。

12 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。

13 foresight   

n.先见之明，深谋远虑

参考例句：

• The failure is the result of our lack of foresight.这次失败是由于我们缺乏远虑而造成的。
• It required a statesman's foresight and sagacity to make the decision.作出这个决定需要政治家的远见卓识。

14 automobiles   

n.汽车( automobile的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• When automobiles become popular,the use of the horse and buggy passed away. 汽车普及后，就不再使用马和马车了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Automobiles speed in an endless stream along the boulevard. 宽阔的林荫道上，汽车川流不息。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

15 spacious   

adj.广阔的，宽敞的

参考例句：

• Our yard is spacious enough for a swimming pool.我们的院子很宽敞，足够建一座游泳池。
• The room is bright and spacious.这房间很豁亮。

16 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• 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。

17 chauffeured   

v.受雇于人的汽车司机( chauffeur的过去式 )

参考例句：

• He was chauffeured to all his meetings. 他由司机开车送去参加所有的会议。
• He was chauffeured away soon thereafter with no public statement. 在那之后他没有做出任何公开声明，很快被车送离。 来自互联网

18 hybrid   

n.(动，植）杂种，混合物

参考例句：

• That is a hybrid perpetual rose.那是一株杂交的四季开花的蔷薇。
• The hybrid was tall,handsome,and intelligent.那混血儿高大、英俊、又聪明。