经济学人精读笔记14：苹果公司对中国有Plan B吗？
经济学人精读笔记14：苹果公司对中国有Plan B吗？
标签（空格分隔）： 经济学人
Part 1
iPhoney war
Does Apple's boss have a Plan B in China?
A more immediate threat may be a Chinese reprisal for the Trump administration's decision in May, on national-security grounds, to stop American companies from supplying Huawei, China's tech champion (and the biggest seller of smartphones in China), with chips, software and other technology. A Chinese consumer boycott of Apple products could accelerate their shift towards other, cheaper brands.
苹果的忧患意识
苹果公司的老板在中国有备用计划吗？
5月，特朗普政府以国家安全为由，阻止美国公司向中国科技巨头华为(中国最大的智能手机销售商)提供芯片、软件和其他技术。中国对此的反击是更直接的威胁。若中国消费者抵制苹果产品，可能会加速他们转向其它更低价的品牌。
- 【标题解读】plan B 也就是“B计划” 或是“备用计划”
一提起Plan B，我们第一个会想到郭敬明导演的《小时代》系列电影中的情节。林萧倾尽全力为ME公司策划了一场在江边举办的时装发布会，结果因为雨雪天气温度过低，导致江面结冰，一切准备全吹了。这时候顾里二话不说直接撑起了时装发布会另一个在室内的场地，这就是Plan B。
- 【长难句分析】A more immediate threat /may be/ a Chinese reprisal /for the Trump administration's decision in May, on national-security grounds, to stop American companies from supplying Huawei, China's tech champion (and the biggest seller of smartphones in China), with chips, software and other technology.
*搞懂这句话的关键就在于分清楚这几个介词分别和谁做搭配，下面我们一步步来拆解。
*主干：A threat主语+ may be 系动词+ a reprisal表语，意为“威胁是反击”。
*reprisal for the Trump administration's decision中国对于川普决策的报复
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reprisal for sth. 固定搭配，意为“报复…”
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reprisal n.[rɪˈpraɪzl] a violent or aggressive act towards sb because of sth bad that they have done towards you 报复；报复行动= retaliation They did not want to give evidence for fear of reprisals.他们因为害怕报复而不想作证。
*on national-security grounds 插入语
- on … grounds 以…为由 He retired from the job on health grounds . 他因健康原因退职。
ground作名词除了“地面”还有“充分的理由”这个意思，比如：You have no grounds for complaint. 你没有理由抱怨。
*decision to stop American companies from supplying Huawei
decision to do sth. 做某事的决定,是decide to do sth.的名词形式
stop sb/sth. from doing sth. 阻止某人做某事
*China's tech champion (and the biggest seller of smartphones in China)做同位语，对前面的Huawei作进一步的解释说明
*supply Huawei with chips, software and other technology
supply A with B 向A大量供应B比如：Foreign governments supplied the rebels with arms. 一些外国政府向反叛者提供武器。
immediate adj. [ɪˈmi:diət] nearest in relationship or rank （关系或级别）最接近的，直系的，直接的
He is my immediate superior (= the person directly above me) in the company. 他在公司里是我的顶头上司。
【相关表达】拓展几个与ground有关的在阅读中常见的词组，也是很好的写作模仿范例。
- in the near/immediate future soon不久后；在不久的将来
The recession shows no signs of easing in the immediate future.这次经济衰退没有迹象表明马上就会缓和。
- thick/ thin on the ground 为数众多（或不多）；数目巨大（或微小）；众多（或稀少）
比如：Customers are thin on the ground at this time of year. 一年里这个季节顾客很少。
- get sth off the ground（使）顺利开始，开始发生
Without more money, the movie is unlikely to get off the ground. 没有更多的资金，这部影片难以顺利开拍。
- give/lose ground to sb/sth 退让；让步；失利
They are not prepared to give ground on tax cuts. 他们不准备在减税方面让步。
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chip 芯片
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boycott [ˈbɔɪkɒt] v. to refuse to buy something, use something, or take part in something as a way of protesting 抵制，排斥，杯葛; 拒绝参加
boycott foreign goods 抵制外货
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accelerate vt. & vi. (使)加快, (使)增速
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shift towards 向…转型/变换；更替变换；更替
Yet there is a sound commercial logic behind Nestl é's shift towards health and nutrition. 然而,在雀巢转型成为保健、营养型公司的背后有一套行之有效的商业逻辑.
Part 2
Because of the trade tensions, Citi, a bank, has halved its forecast for iPhone sales in China in the second half of this year, from almost 14.5m to 7.2m units. Others reckon that Apple could offset Chinese losses by luring customers away from Huawei in other countries-but only if it could continue to churn them out in Chinese factories.
由于贸易紧张，今年下半年，花旗银行将iPhone在中国的销量预期减半，从1450万部降至720万部。其他人则认为，苹果可以通过吸引其他国家的客户离开华为来抵消中国的损失，但前提是苹果能够继续在中国工厂大量生产产品。
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halve [hæv] v. to reduce something by a half 将…减半,由half 变型而来
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sales forecasts 销售预测
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in the second half of +年份 某年的下半年
in the first half of +年份 某年的上半年
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units n. 单位
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offset [ˈɒfset]~ sth (against sth) to use one cost, payment or situation in order to cancel or reduce the effect of another 抵消；弥补；补偿
Prices have risen in order to offset the increased cost of materials.为补偿原料成本的增加而提高了价格。
- lure sb. away (from)… 诱惑某人离开…
Computer games are luring youngsters away from their lessons.计算机游戏诱惑着青少年，分散了他们的学习注意力。
It's very difficult to lure talent away from Silicon Valley.要吸引人才离开“硅谷”是很困难的。
- churn sth out (informal, often disapproving)to produce sth quickly and in large amounts （粗制滥造地）大量生产，大量炮制
She's been churning out novels for twenty years.二十年来她写了很多粗制滥造的小说。
【类似表达】关于“粗制滥造，大量生产”的表达：
grind sth out 大量生产（常指粗制滥造）
She grinds out romantic novels at the rate of nine a year.
她以一年五部的速度胡乱拼凑低劣的爱情小说。
pump sth out 大量生产（或制造） ；大量提供，大量供应; 连续播放:
Our cars pump out thousands of tonnes of poisonous fumes every year.我们的汽车每年排放出数千吨的有毒尾气。
crank sth out 大量地快速制造；（尤指）粗制滥造
We have to crank out publications in order to receive funding. 为了获得资金,我们只能重复出版这些内容.
Part 3
Although Apple has tentatively started production of some iPhones in India for local customers, it appears if anything to have increased its China exposure, even as Mr Trump's trade bluster has intensified. According to a review of Apple's top 200 suppliers by the Nikkei Asian Review, a Japanese publication, last year those from China (41) exceeded those from America (37) for the first time-though Apple stresses the importance of its American supply chain.
尽管苹果公司已初步开始在印度为当地客户生产部分iphone，但似乎此举增加了苹果在中国的业务，即便特朗普的贸易咆哮有所加剧。根据《日经亚洲评论》对苹果前200家供应商的评估，去年来自中国的供应商(41家)首次超过了来自美国的供应商(37家)——尽管苹果在强调美国供应链的重要性。
- tentatively 初步地，暂时地
tentative adj.(of an arrangement, agreement, etc. 安排、协议等) not definite or certain because you may want to change it later 不确定的；不肯定的；暂定的
We made a tentative arrangement to meet on Friday. 我们暂定星期五见面。
tentative conclusions 初步结论
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exposure n. 暴露, 显露
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bluster v.[ˈblʌstə(r)] to talk in an aggressive or threatening way, but with little effect 气势汹汹地说话，咄咄逼人，威吓（但效果不大）
‘I don't know what you're talking about, ’ he blustered.
“我不知道你到底在说什么！”他气势汹汹地说。
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intensified vt. & vi. (使)增强, (使)加剧
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exceeded v. 越出；超过
Part 4
China has recently released draft cyber-security regulations that cover threats to national security and supply chains. Andrew Gilholm of Control Risks, a consultancy, says these could be weaponised against big American firms in China if the situation deteriorates.
中国最近发布了网络安全条例草案，涵盖了对国家安全和供应链的威胁。咨询公司化险集团的安德鲁·吉洛姆表示，如果形势恶化，这些武器可以用来对付在华的美国大公司。
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released v. 已发布；释放
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draft n.[drɑ:ft] a rough written version of sth that is not yet in its final form 草稿；草案；草图
I've made a rough draft of the letter. 我已经写好这封信的草稿。
This is only the first draft of my speech.这只是我演讲的初稿。
the final draft (= the final version) 定稿/终稿
- cover最常见的意思就是“包含，包括”了，它还有几个有趣的意思：
1.表示动词“足以支付；够付” 比如： $100 should cover your expenses. 100元该足够支付你的费用了。 Your parents will have to cover your tuition fees. 你的父母得支付你的学费。
2.表示动词“给…上保险”名词“保险”
比如：Are you fully covered for fire and theft? 你是否买了足够的火险和盗窃险？
accident cover事故保险
cover against accidental damage意外损害保险
3.表示名词“（书刊的）封面，封皮”
the covergirl 就是我们说的“封面女郎”
4.表示名词“套子；罩子”
比如我们说的“被罩”就是quilt cover
同时the covers [复数] 就表示“床单；床罩；毯子；被子”
- weaponise [ˈwɛpəˌnaɪz ] v.使…武器化; 把…改装成武器; 把…用作弹药库
They were close to weaponizing ricin - a lethal plant toxin.
他们快把蓖麻毒素——一种致命的植物毒素——研发成武器了。
- deteriorate [di’tiəriəreit] v.~ into sth to become worse 变坏；恶化；退化
Her health deteriorated rapidly, and she died shortly afterwards. 她的健康状况急剧恶化，不久便去世了。
The discussion quickly deteriorated into an angry argument.这场讨论迅速演变成愤怒的争吵。
