【中級(jí)口譯】英譯漢模擬題(2)(雙語)

For most of the 1990s, CEOs of Old Economy companies struggled to turn slow-moving organizations into nimbler, more flexible outfits. The truth is, real transformations are the exception rather than the rule. Changing the core values, the attitudes, and the fundamental relationships of a vast organization is overwhelmingly difficult.// Enron tumbled down. Enron didn't fail because of improper accounting or alleged corruption at the top. It also failed because of its entrepreneurial culture---- the very reason Enron attracted so much attention and acclaim. Too much emphasis on earnings growth and individual initiative, coupled with a shocking absence of the usual corporate checks and balances.// What constitutes entrepreneurial culture? In the narrow sense, it refers to some fundamental spirit and agglomerating force that come into being in the production and management practices of an enterprise, as well as the common values and norms of behavior shared by the whole staff.// In the broad sense, entrepreneurial culture also includes the culture of specific personnel in the enterprise, namely, the cultural psychological structure and cultural quality of the executives of the enterprise as well as the cultural behavior of the staff members.//

A major appeal of investing in bonds is that they provide investors with a steady stream of income and guarantee the repayment of the loan in full at maturity. Bonds also appeal to investors because of their scope for capital appreciation. Take for instance a fall in interest rates, in this case bonds which were issued when interest rates were high will become increasingly valuable and as the bond price rises, this provides profit for bond sellers.// In addition, if interest rates had fallen significantly over a period of time, economic growth would be stimulated as lower borrowing costs and savings rates would encourage businesses to invest and households to consume. In such a low interest-rate environment, it may still be good for investors to consider investing some money in bonds because they will be able to achieve a higher return than cash deposits.// Equities and government bonds are well suited to some investors. Younger investors will benefit from equity capital growth because they are generally investing for the longer term and not unduly concerned with the lack of immediate yield. Investors concerned with avoiding risk will be prepared to accept the relatively low yields now available on government bonds.// But many investors fall somewhere between these two extremes. In recent years, financial markets have become increasingly polarized between growth and security. Investors looking for medium and low risk are increasingly turning to the corporate bond market as an alternative to equities and government bonds.//

Silicon Valley is a magnet to which numerous talented engineers, scientists and entrepreneurs from overseas flock in search of fame and fast money and to participate enthusiastically in a technological revolution whose impact on mankind will surely surpass the epoch-making European Renaissance and Industrial Revolution of the bygone age.// The valley's professionals are among the most hardworking people anywhere. A 15-hour day and 7-day week is not uncommon, especially during the start-up stage. They would give up social life, and curtail?their family life too, in order to pursue the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It is this single-minded pursuit of excellence, supported by strong ethos of teamwork and esprit de corps, that sustain them until their mission is accomplished.// Paper qualification, though useful, is not a be-all-and-end-all. More weight is given to a candidate's proven abilities and aptitude for the job. This is amply demonstrated by industry icons like Apple's Jobs and Wozniak and Microsoft's Gates, all college dropouts who might not have emerged in a qualification-conscious community.// While racial prejudice no doubt still exists in the United States, it is hardly discernible?in the Valley. What counts most is one's vision and track record, and not one's nationality, skin color or creed. This, together with its multiracial society, informal lifestyle and agreeable climate, lures foreigners to its shores.//