VOA标准英语2009年-Ford Posts $1 Billion Third-Quarter Profit

By Robert Raffaele
Washington
04 November 2009
The Ford¹ Motor Company posted a third-quarter profit of almost $1 billion US. The U.S. automaker said Monday it expects to be "solidly profitable" in 2011. Meanwhile, General Motors announced its first monthly increase in US sales in almost two years. The news is triggereing hopes that the U.S. auto² industry will recover.

Ford reported a net income of almost $1 billion in the third quarter - its first operating profit since early 2008. It was the only major U.S. automaker not to file for bankruptcy³ this year.

 
Alan Mulally
Ford's Chief Executive Alan Mulally says the company expects to be "solidly profitable" in 2011. "Clearly the move from break-even or better to solid profitability - it means that we'll be making money on all of our vehicle operations," he said.

Ford benefitted from a government program that offered car buyers rebates⁴ if they traded in their older vehicles for more fuel-efficient models.

"Cash for Clunkers" helped Ford cut costly⁵ incentives⁶ and raise production.

Among the U.S. "Big Three" automakers, Ford alone declined to take billions of dollars in government loans. GM and Chrysler received bailouts and are still struggling after emerging from bankruptcy.
 
"The public, you know, views Ford a lot more favorably now than they ever have for not taking the government bailout money," Mike Anderson, who owns a Ford dealership⁷ said.

Ford began cutting costs and slashing⁸ jobs several years ago. It has also come up with new models that are popular with consumers.

A recent [Consumer Reports] survey ranked 90 percent of Ford's models as "above average or better" in terms of quality.

 
Jeremy Anwyl
Jeremy Anwyl is chairman of the online car buying website Edmunds. "When you look at where Ford was two or three years ago, versus⁹ where they are today, they have absolutely turned the corner," Anwyl says, "and the signs for them moving into next year, I think, are positive."

But Ford's troubles are far from over. The company is carrying more than $23 billion in debt and is not predicting a profit for 2010.

Members of the United Auto Workers who work at Ford overwhelmingly rejected a proposed agreement for more concessions¹⁰ to the company.

The plan would have brought Ford's labor¹¹ costs in line with those of General Motors and Chrysler.

1 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。

2 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。

3 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。

4 rebates   

n.退还款( rebate的名词复数 )；回扣；返还（退还的部份货价）；折扣

参考例句：

• The VAT system offers advantages, such as rebates on exports. 增值税有其优点，如对出口商品实行回扣。 来自辞典例句
• In more recent years rate rebates have been introduced for households. 近年地方税的减免已适用于家庭。 来自辞典例句

5 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

6 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

7 dealership   

n.商品特许经销处

参考例句：

• The car dealership has a large inventory of used cars. 这家汽车经销商拥有数量庞大的二手车。
• A key to this effort is the experience in the dealership. 达到这个成果的关键是销售的体验。

8 slashing   

adj.尖锐的；苛刻的；鲜明的；乱砍的v.挥砍( slash的现在分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减

参考例句：

• Slashing is the first process in which liquid treatment is involved. 浆纱是液处理的第一过程。 来自辞典例句
• He stopped slashing his horse. 他住了手，不去鞭打他的马了。 来自辞典例句

9 versus   

prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下

参考例句：

• The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
• The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。

10 concessions   

n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权

参考例句：

• The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工，公司将不得不作出一些让步。
• The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。

11 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。