Apple posts better-than-expected quarterly results

    SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Apple Inc. on Tuesday reported sales and profit that both easily beat analysts¹' expectations(期望,预期), citing strong demands for its products.
    For its fiscal² 2011 first quarter ended on Dec. 25, 2010, Apple posted revenue of 26.74 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 71 percent from the same period a year earlier.
    Net income reached 6 billion dollars or 6.43 dollars per share, compared with 3.38 billion dollars or 3.67 dollars per share in the year-ago quarter.
    Wall Street analysts had expected profit of 5.40 dollars a share on revenue of 24.43 billion dollars, according to Thomson Reuters.
    Apple said that sales of its iPhone and Macintosh computer hit new records in the most recent three months, which included the holiday shopping season.
    The company sold 16.24 million units of iPhone in the quarter, representing a jump of 86 percent year-on-year. Sales of Macs increased 23 percent to 4.13 million units.
    During the quarter, Apple also sold 7.33 million iPad tablet computers, more than analysts（分析员） had estimated.
    Sales of iPod media players dropped to 19.45 million units, a decline of 7 percent from the year-ago quarter, Apple said.
    Reactions from investors³ indicated that the results helped to partially⁴ offset⁵ concerns about the news that Apple's chief executive officer (CEO) Steve Jobs will take another medical leave of absence.
    Jobs, 55, announced on Monday that the company's board of directors had granted him medical leave so that he can focus on his health.
    However, the CEO and Apple didn't disclose in details about Jobs' health conditions or how long he will be on leave from the company's day to day operations, raising new concerns about the uncertainty⁶ of Apple's future.
    Apple's shares closed more than 2 percent lower at 340.65 dollars Tuesday, but then hit an all-time high above 347 dollars in extended trading after the earnings⁷ results were released, according to reports by business news TV channel CNBC.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

1 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

2 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

3 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

4 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

5 offset   

n.分支，补偿；v.抵消，补偿

参考例句：

• Their wage increases would be offset by higher prices.他们增加的工资会被物价上涨所抵消。
• He put up his prices to offset the increased cost of materials.他提高了售价以补偿材料成本的增加。

6 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

7 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。