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Unit8CorporationandCompetitioncontentTextorganizationPre-listeningVocabularyanddifficultsentencesexerciseTextB4123541235Backgroundknowledge6ListenandRespond:Listentoashortpassageentitled“competition”.Thewordsandphrasesintheboxmaybeofsomehelp.1.encourages,survive,servicesandproducts;2.illegal,kills;3.shrinking,increasing,declining;4.businessalone,entranceexaminations;5.advances,separates,win-winsituation.Backgroundknowledge1.Ford2.GeneralMotor3.Wal-MartStores4.Kmart1.AbriefintroductiontoFordCompanyFordMotorbeganamanufacturingrevolutionwithitsmassproductionassemblylinesintheearly1900s.Nowthecompanyhasfirmlyestablisheditsstatusasoneoftheworld’slargestmakersofcarsandtrucks.ItmakesvehicleswithsuchbrandsasFord,Lincoln,andMercury.AmongitsbiggestsuccessesaretheredesignedFordMustangandF-Seriespickup.Fordownsa33%stakeinMazdaandalsocontrolstheLandRover,Jaguar,andVolvonameplatesthroughPremierAutomotiveGroup.TheFordfamilyownsabout40%ofthecompany’svotingstock.BeforeReading_4.11BeforeReading_4.13BeforeReading_4.14BeforeReading_4.15BeforeReading_4.16GeneralMotorsWal-MartKmartBeforeReading_4.17BeforeReading_4.18BeforeReading_4.19BeforeReading_4.20BeforeReading_4.212.AvideoclipaboutHenryFordScriptHenryFordwastheleadingmanufacturerofAmericanautomobilesintheearly1900s.Herevolutionizedtheyoungautomobileindustrybydevelopingtheassemblylinemethodofproduction.Bymanufacturinghisownpartsanddevelopingahugesystemofconveyorstobringthepartstotheassemblyline,Fordreducedthecostsofmanufacturingautomobiles.AndFordpassedonmuchofthesavingscreatedbyassemblylineproductiontohiscustomers.In1908whentheFordMotorCompanyintroducedtheModelT,itcost$850.By1924,assemblylineinnovationshelpedreducethepriceofaModelTto$290.Anautomobilewasnowwithinreachoftheaveragefamily.SofarGeneralMotors(GM)hassteeredaroundcompetitorstoremaintheworld’sNo.1makerofcarsandtrucks,withbrandssuchasBuick,Cadillac,Chevrolet,GMC,Pontiac,Saab,andSaturn.GMalsoproducescarsthroughitsHolden,Opel,andVauxhallunits.GMalsohasstakesinSuzukiMotor,andGMDaewooAuto&Technology.SubsidiaryGMACprovidesfinancing.GMhasbeensellingoffnon-coreassetsincludingstakesinFiatandFujiHeavyIndustries(Subaru),aswellasitslocomotivemanufacturingbusiness.LikeitsUScounterpartsFordMotorandChrysler,GMisinthemidstofrestructuringitssprawlingNorthAmericanoperations.BeforeReading_4.22BeforeReading_4.23BeforeReading_4.24BeforeReading_4.25BeforeReading_4.27Wal-MartStoresisanirresistible(oratleastunavoidable)retailforcethathasyettomeetanyimmovableobjects.BiggerthanEurope’sCarrefour,Tesco,andMetroAGcombined,itistheworld’sNo.1retailer,withabout6,775stores,includingsome1,075discountstores,2,250combinationdiscountandgrocerystores,and580warehousestores(SAM’SCLUB).About60%ofitsstoresareintheUS,butWal-Martisexpandinginternationally;itistheNo.1retailerinCanadaandMexico.ItownsamajoritystakeinJapaneseretailerSEIYU.Wal-MartalsohasoperationsinAsia,Europe,andSouthAmerica.FounderSamWalton’sheirsownabout40%ofWal-Mart.BeforeReading_4.31BeforeReading_4.32BeforeReading_4.33BeforeReading_4.34KmartisachainofdepartmentstoresintheUnitedStates,PuertoRicoandGuam.ThechainmergedwithSearsin2005,creatingtheSearsHoldingsCorporation.KmartalsoexistsinAustraliaandNewZealandasKmartAustralia,althoughitnowsharesnocurrentrelationwiththeAmericanstoresexceptinnameafterUSequityintheAustralianbusinesswaspurchasedinthelate1970s.BeforeReading_4.41BeforeReading_4.44PartDivisionoftheTextPart1Part2Part3Althoughfree-marketcompetitionisoftendescribedas“cutthroat”and“wasteful,”competitionandcooperationexistsidebysideinfree-marketeconomy.Competitionarisesfromscarcitywhilecooperationbecomesappropriatewhencoordinatedeffortsandknowledgeofmanypeoplearenecessarytoachievethecommongood.Notallformsofcompetitionandcooperationarebeneficial,butincompetitivemarkets,firmscompetebymeansofservingthecustomersaswellastheycanandonlythosewhocooperatebestcansurvive.Part4Farfromunderminingcooperation,free-marketcompetitionenhancescooperation.1~34~67~910Difficultsentencesandvocabulary(1~3)1.“Dog-eat-dog”rivalriesarefueledby“greedyself-interests”operatingaccordingto“thelawofthejungle”inwhich“survivalofthefittest”istheonlyrule.Whatdothephrases“thelawofthejungle”and“survivalofthefittest”mean?a.“Thelawofthejungle”meanseveryonecaresforhimselfonly.b.“Survivalofthefittest”meansonlythestrongestcreatureswillstayalive.TranslatethesentenceintoChinese.贪婪的私利”遵循“丛林法则”中“适者生存”这唯一的一条定律，使“互相倾轧”的竞争变本加厉。Vocabularyandexpressions:cutthroat:adj.veryfierce,cruel,orunprincipled*Attherootoftheproblemswiththeoldsystemwascut-throatcompetition.那是一笔残酷无情的生意。Thatisacutthroatbusiness.rivalry:n.[+with/between]thestateorconditionofcompeting*Mostofthekillingsresultfromgangrivalry.•TherehasalwaysbeenintenserivalrybetweenNewZealandandAustralia.Collocations:intense/acute/bitter/fierce/keen/strongrivalrybetween……激烈竞争siblingrivalry手足相争fuel:vt.tomakesth.,especiallysth.bad,increaseorbecomestronger*Hiswordsfuelledherangerstillmore.这个预算会加剧通货膨胀，降低我们的生活水平。Thisbudgetwillfuelinflationandcutourlivingstandard.pulltogether:(ofagroupo