常春藤解析英语【55】星巴克传奇(在线收听

Starbucks: 14,000 Stores in 43 Countries and Still Growing 星巴克传奇

by Luke Dodds

Chances are you've enjoyed a cup of coffee from Starbucks. Since the opening of the first Starbucks in 1971 as a vendor of high-quality coffee beans and brewing equipment, the company has expanded to become the most popular coffeehouse chain in the world. Its 14,000 stores in 43 countries sell coffee beverages, beans, teas, brewing equipment, pastries, and more. How did this happen?

Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz took over the company in 1987. He recognized an untapped market in busy individuals in urban areas who could afford fine coffees. In 1995, Schultz hired Anna Niess and Will Chassaing to redesign his booming chain. In addition to laying the groundwork for Starbucks' well-known symbols and distinctive style, they created a program that led to opening one store per day throughout the 1990s.

One thing that makes Starbucks so popular is the company's vision of their stores as a "third place" to spend time in addition to work and home. It's a cozy environment that serves as a meeting place. This attracts a loyal following of customers that come not only to drink coffee, but to relax, work, socialize, and attend cultural events.

Schultz still sees a great deal of potential for his company. Starbucks plans to have 40,000 stores worldwide with 20,000 in the US and Canada. Starbucks is not always welcomed with open arms, of course. The store located inside Beijing's Forbidden City was finally closed in July 2007 due to protests that it was trampling on Chinese culture. Despite this setback, the company has been a huge success and is now a household name around the world.

单字小铺

1. vendor n. 摊贩
2. brewing a. 烹煮的;酿造的
brew vt. 煮,泡(茶、咖啡)
3. expand vi. 扩张
4. chain n. 连锁店
5. beverage n. 饮料
6. pastry n. 糕饼
7. untapped a.(资源、市场等)未开发的
8. urban a. 城市的
rural a. 农村的
9. distinctive a. 有特色的
10. vision n. 先见,洞察力
11. cozy a. 舒适的
12. following n. 一批支持者
13. potential n. 潜力,潜能 & a. 有潜力的
14. protest n. 抗议
15. setback n. 挫折

词组小铺

1. can/cannot afford + N/to V  负担得起∕不起……
2. in addition to + N/V-ing  除了……之外
= besides + N/V-ing
3. lead to + N/V-ing  导致∕造成……

原来如此

1. Chances are + (that) 子句  有……的可能
= It is likely + that 子句
例: Chances are that Tommy will win the speech competition again.
(汤米很有可能再度赢得演讲比赛。)

2. take over...  接管……
例: I took over the club after Rachel decided to quit.
(瑞秋决定辞职后,我接管了这个俱乐部。)

3. booming a. 蓬勃发展的
boom vi. 繁荣,蓬勃发展
例: Our town is booming. We've doubled in size in the last ten years.
(我们的小镇蓬勃发展。过去十年来规模拓展了一倍。)

4. lay the groundwork for...  为……奠定基础
groundwork n. 基础,根基
例: Mr. Lee is trying to lay the groundwork for our future education in this class.
(李老师试着为我们班的未来教育打下基础。)

5. serve as...  用来作为……;当作……
= function as...
例: For me, playing basketball serves as a way to relax.
(对我来说,打篮球是放松的一种方式。)

6. socialize vi. 交际;社交
socialize with...  与……来往∕交际
例: The old man hates to socialize with his neighbors.
(那位老先生很讨厌和自己的邻居来往。)

7. welcome sb with open arms  热烈欢迎某人
例: My old boss welcomed me with open arms when I returned to the company.
(当我回公司时,以前的老板张开双臂欢迎我。)

8. trample vi. 蹂躏;伤害
trample on...  蹂躏∕伤害……
例: Tom said his ex-girlfriend trampled on his feelings and was never kind.
(汤姆说前女友践踏他的感情,从没对他好过。)

9. be a household name  家喻户晓的人∕物
例: Nike is now a household name around the world.
(耐吉现在是全球家喻户晓的品牌。)

中文翻译

你可能曾经享用过一杯星巴克的咖啡。自从第一家星巴克于 1971 年以小贩的型态开始贩卖优质咖啡豆与滴滤器具至今,星巴克已扩展成全球最受欢迎的连锁咖啡厅,在 43 个国家共一万四千间分店中贩卖咖啡饮品、咖啡豆、茶、滴滤式咖啡机、糕饼及其它产品。这一切是怎么发生的呢?

星巴克董事长霍华‧萧兹在 1987 年接管了这家公司。他在喝得起优质咖啡的忙碌都市人中,发现了一个未开发的市场。1995 年,萧兹聘请安娜‧尼丝与威尔‧查萨英为这间蓬勃发展的连锁店重新设计风格。除了为星巴克著名的标志与特色奠定基础之外,他们还创造出一套方案,使他们在 1990 年代每一天就开一家新分店。

让星巴克如此受欢迎的原因之一在于,它将自己定位为工作与家庭之外,第三个消磨时间的地方。它环境舒适,是聚会的好去处。这吸引了一群忠实的老主顾,不只为喝咖啡而来,也为了放松、工作、社交或参加文化活动而来。

萧兹仍然看见公司有许多潜力。星巴克计划在全球开设四万家分店,其中两万家在美国与加拿大。当然,并不是所有人都张开双臂欢迎星巴克。位在北京紫禁城内的星巴克,就因破坏中华文化的反对声浪于 2007 年 7 月关门大吉。尽管受到这波挫折,星巴克还是极为成功,成为全球家喻户晓的品牌。

  原文地址:http://www.tingroom.com/lesson/cctjxyy/126319.html