2006年VOA标准英语-Bill Gates to Scale Back Duties at Microsoft

By Mil Arcega
Washington, DC
19 June 2006
 
watch Gates Retire report

Bill Gates (file photo)   
  
Bill Gates, the man who built the world's largest software company, says he will give up his daily management duties at Microsoft in two years to devote more time to his charitable foundation. As VOA's Mil Arcega reports, Gates' departure is expected to have little impact on the software company but a tremendous one on the health of people in developing countries.

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At age 50, he's already revolutionized the computer industry, and now Bill Gates says he wants to change the world again -- in a different way.

"The change we're now seeing today is not a retirement¹, it's just a re-ordering of my priorities," said Mr. Gates at the announcement.

Speaking at Microsoft headquarters in Seattle, Gates said he was relinquishing² his day-to-day management role at Microsoft in order to commit himself full-time³ to more charitable pursuits.

"Smart, committed people with the right support and vision can have a huge impact; it's about using technology, not just for the privileged few but for everyone."

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said it was time for the 50-year-old billionaire to leave the company he founded to become, in his words, "the greatest philanthropist of all time."

Bill and Melinda Gates look on as a physician examines a baby in an African hospital (file photo)  
  
Over the last decade, Gates has worked to improve health conditions in Third World countries.  Eleven years ago, Gates and his wife Melinda created the Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation to eradicate⁴ killer⁵ diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria⁶.

"If you take just some of the basic medicines we have here, the vaccinations⁷ that we have,” said Melinda, “we so take for granted for our children, measles⁸, hepatitis B, and you take those advances to Africa, you can change a child's life."

Some analysts⁹ believe Gates' departure from daily operations will have little impact on Microsoft's overall business strategy.  Matthew Fordahl, the Technology Editor at the Associated Press says, regardless of what happens, Gates' legacy¹⁰ as founder¹¹ of the world's most popular computer operating system is already assured.

 
Matthew Fordahl
  
"The fact that he is staying with the company as chairman, means that people will continue to associate his face with Microsoft,” said Mr. Fordahl. “As far as the business community goes, Bill Gates has been a polarizing figure, some people dislike his tactics, but everyone agrees that he has been successful.

And Fred Vogelstein, senior writer at Wired Magazine says he has no doubt the world's richest man, now worth an estimated $50 billion, has the resources to achieve his goals. 

 
Fred Vogelstein
  
"He will be engaged.  He has the money to make things happen and he has the brain power to make sure that things get done the way he wants them done."

With assets of more than $29 billion -- more than the gross domestic product of some third world countries -- the Gates' foundation is the world's largest philanthropic organization -- donating more than $10 billion since 1995.  

1 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

2 relinquishing   

交出，让给( relinquish的现在分词 )； 放弃

参考例句：

• The international relinquishing of sovereignty would have to spring from the people. 在国际间放弃主权一举要由人民提出要求。
• We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. 我们很明白，没有人会为了废除权力而夺取权力。 来自英汉文学

3 full-time   

adj.满工作日的或工作周的，全时间的

参考例句：

• A full-time job may be too much for her.全天工作她恐怕吃不消。
• I don't know how she copes with looking after her family and doing a full-time job.既要照顾家庭又要全天工作，我不知道她是如何对付的。

4 eradicate   

v.根除，消灭，杜绝

参考例句：

• These insects are very difficult to eradicate.这些昆虫很难根除。
• They are already battling to eradicate illnesses such as malaria and tetanus.他们已经在努力消灭疟疾、破伤风等疾病。

5 killer   

n.杀人者，杀人犯，杀手，屠杀者

参考例句：

• Heart attacks have become Britain's No.1 killer disease.心脏病已成为英国的头号致命疾病。
• The bulk of the evidence points to him as her killer.大量证据证明是他杀死她的。

6 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

7 vaccinations   

n.种痘，接种( vaccination的名词复数 )；牛痘疤

参考例句：

• Vaccinations ensure one against diseases. 接种疫苗可以预防疾病。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I read some publicity about vaccinations while waiting my turn at the doctor's. 在医生那儿候诊时，我读了一些关于接种疫苗的宣传。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 measles   

n.麻疹，风疹，包虫病，痧子

参考例句：

• The doctor is quite definite about Tom having measles.医生十分肯定汤姆得了麻疹。
• The doctor told her to watch out for symptoms of measles.医生叫她注意麻疹出现的症状。

9 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。

10 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

11 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。