Coca-Cola apologizes for chlorine-tainted drinks

 　　TAIYUAN, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Coca-Cola Shanxi Beverages² Co. Ltd. on Friday announced the resignation of its general manager and the suspension of several employees after admitting traces of chlorine were found in some of its drinks.

　　The company also made a public apology and said it has taken active corrective measures as the chlorine was mistakenly added during a routine pipe maintenance procedure.

　　"We regret that our core values were not met by some individuals at our Shanxi plant. And we sincerely apologize for causing unnecessary concerns among our consumers," said David G. Brooks³, president of Coca-Cola Greater China and Korea at a media briefing in Taiyuan, capital city of north China's Shanxi Province.

　　Despite the chlorine traces found, Brooks said the nine batches⁴ of beverages made between Feb. 4 and Feb. 8 are up to national standards and pose no harm to human health.

　　The beverage¹ giant's bottling plant in Shanxi was asked to suspend production and take corrective actions last Saturday after being found guilty of "other production management non-conformities to relevant regulations," according to a statement issued by Shanxi Provincial⁵ Bureau of Quality and Technology Supervision⁶.

　　"We have taken a number of corrective actions to address these matters," said Brooks, adding that these issues were isolated⁷ to this one plant in China.

　　The company also said consumers who have bought the suspect drinks could exchange them for new ones or ask for a refund⁸.

　　The plant's suspension doesn't and won't affect the company's business in China, according to Brooks.

　　"We have completed all actions required after the watchdog's detailed⁹ investigation¹⁰ last week, and production in the Shanxi branch is expected to resume in the near future," he said.

　　China, the third-biggest and a critical growth market for Coca-Cola, accounts for 8 percent of the company's global sales by volume.

1 beverage   

n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料

参考例句：

• The beverage is often colored with caramel.这种饮料常用焦糖染色。
• Beer is a beverage of the remotest time.啤酒是一种最古老的饮料。

2 beverages   

n.饮料( beverage的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• laws governing the sale of alcoholic beverages 控制酒类销售的法规
• regulations governing the sale of alcoholic beverages 含酒精饮料的销售管理条例

3 brooks   

n.小溪( brook的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Brooks gave the business when Haas caught him with his watch. 哈斯抓到偷他的手表的布鲁克斯时，狠狠地揍了他一顿。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Ade and Brooks exchanged blows yesterday and they were severely punished today. 艾德和布鲁克斯昨天打起来了，今天他们受到严厉的惩罚。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 batches   

一批( batch的名词复数 )； 一炉； （食物、药物等的）一批生产的量； 成批作业

参考例句：

• The prisoners were led out in batches and shot. 这些囚犯被分批带出去枪毙了。
• The stainless drum may be used to make larger batches. 不锈钢转数设备可用来加工批量大的料。

5 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

6 supervision   

n.监督，管理

参考例句：

• The work was done under my supervision.这项工作是在我的监督之下完成的。
• The old man's will was executed under the personal supervision of the lawyer.老人的遗嘱是在律师的亲自监督下执行的。

7 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

8 refund   

v.退还，偿还；n.归还，偿还额，退款

参考例句：

• They demand a refund on unsatisfactory goods.他们对不满意的货品要求退款。
• We'll refund your money if you aren't satisfied.你若不满意，我们愿意退款给你。

9 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

10 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。