VOA慢速英语2021--计算机芯片短缺冲击制造商

A computer chip shortage has left several manufacturing industries struggling. Makers² of products such as video game consoles, smartphones and cars are among those affected³.

Computer chips are small devices that contain electrical circuits and are used in computers and other electronics.

The shortage began in December. At that time, many manufacturers misjudged demand for products like laptop computers and smartphones. Sales for these internet devices sharply increased during the coronavirus health crisis.

Whirlpool is an international company based in the United States. It is one of the world's largest manufacturers of home products like ovens and refrigerators. Whirlpool China chief Jason Ai said the company's exports from China to Europe and the United States have decreased by as much as 25 percent in recent months.

Whirlpool cannot get enough microcontrollers: simple chips used in over half of its products. Ai said the company is struggling to meet the demand for appliances, while trying to fill "an explosion of export orders."

"It's a perfect storm," he said.

Other manufacturers are also struggling because of the chip shortage. Hangzhou Robam Appliances Co. Ltd. is a Chinese home goods maker¹. It had to delay the release of a new stove part by four months because it could not get enough microcontrollers.

Dan Ye is the company's marketing⁴ director. He said many of its products are built for high technology homes, "so of course we need a lot of chips."

With the shortage, companies are now having to compete to buy remaining chips to secure their own supplies.

Ye said that it is easier for the company to find chips in China than in other countries.

"Domestic chips can satisfy our needs completely," he said.

To deal with the shortage of microprocessors⁵ and memory chips, Dreame Technology cut its budget and hired extra employees just to communicate with chip suppliers. The company makes vacuum cleaners.

Dreame has also been forced to test chips that could serve as alternatives to the ones it normally uses.

Marketing director Frank Wang, said Dreame also is investing in some computer chip suppliers.

"We're working to have deeper control of our suppliers," he said.

Words in This Story

console –n. a flat surface that contains the controls for a machine or a piece of electronic equipment

circuit –n. a device providing a complete path for an electrical current

appliance –n. an electrical machine that is used in people's houses to perform a job

perfect –adj. complete

domestic –adj. relating to or made in your own country

alternative –n. something that can be chosen instead of something else

1 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

2 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

4 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。

5 microprocessors   

微（信息）处理机( microprocessor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This sort of work would have been inconceivable before the advent of microprocessors. 在微处理机问世之前这种工作是难以想象的。
• In microprocessors, the name used for the IEEE interface bus standard. 微处理机中，IEEE接口总线标准的名字。