【读学英语】抢先版第二期：英国政府对米国公司说不？
【读学英语】抢先版第二期：英国政府对米国公司说不？Hello, it's Tim Y here.
如果一家米国大食品公司强行收购一家中国大食品公司，你觉得中国政府会如何反应？
如果中国政府反对这项收购，你觉得网上舆论会支持还是反对中国政府？
会不会遭到米国公司、米国政府甚至于中国网民“以行政手段干涉商业行为”的强烈抨击？
现在，让我们来看看正在英国发生的这种事情吧。
糖果食品业米国老大、世界第二大的Kraft公司对英国最大的糖果企业Cadbury公司的强行收购和反收购事件已经闹了几个月了。Kraft本周二大幅提高收购价后，Cadbury董事会宣布全票通过决议，同意接受收购出价，并推荐股东们接受。前不久Cadbury董事们保卫英国186年标志性老公司的豪言壮语余音未散，金元大炮一响，尘埃就已经落定。董事们毕竟还是经济动物啊。
不过此事非纯商业活动那么简单，很快就有政治大人物出场了。要知所为何事，请看昨天泰晤士报快讯：
From The Times
January 19, 2010
Gordon Brown warns America's Kraft over Cadbury job cuts
The trade union Unite has warned that Kraft plans at least 10,000 job cuts worldwide
Robert Lindsay and Ian King, Deputy Business Editor
GordonBrown today fired a warning shot at Kraft, outlining his determinationto secure jobs at Cadbury, the 186-year old maker of Dairy Milkchocolate, which has agreed to be taken over by the American companyfor £11.9 billion.
The Prime Minster was speaking after theboard of Cadbury, which employs 45,000 staff including 9,000 in the UK,announced that it would recommend an 850p a share offer from Kraft,ending one of the City's most fiercely contested bid battles.
Thetrade union Unite has warned that Kraft plans at least 10,000 job cutsworldwide to slash costs and repay the cash it will need to borrow forthe deal.
Mr Brown said this morning: “The one thing I want tosay is this: we are determined that the levels of investment that takeplace in Cadburys in the United Kingdom are maintained.
“Andwe are determined of course, that at a time when people are worriedabout their jobs, that jobs in Cadbury can be secure,” he added.
Kraft was at pains today to reassure Cadbury’s staff about the takeover.
IreneRosenfeld, chairman and chief executive of Kraft, said: "We have greatrespect for Cadbury's brands, heritage and people. We believe they willthrive as part of Kraft Foods."
Roger Carr, chairman of Cadbury,added: "We believe the offer represents good value for Cadburyshareholders and are pleased with the commitment that Kraft Foods hasmade to our heritage, values and people throughout the world."
Thetakeover — which Lord Mandelson, the Business Secretary, had stronglyopposed — is likely to be seen as something of a landmark in theBritish corporate sector.
Lord Mandelson, who was unable tointervene in the bid process, nonetheless warned Kraft last month: “Ifyou think that you can come here and make a fast buck you will findthat you face huge opposition from the local population . . . and fromthe British Government.”
The deal ends a proud history forCadbury as an independent company. The chocolate maker, famous forbrands such as Dairy Milk and Wispa, dates back to 1824 when JohnCadbury, a Birmingham Quaker, began selling cocoa-based drinks in histea and coffee emporium.
The deal was struck after Kraft, whichowns Milka and Toblerone, agreed to increase the cash element of itsoffer, from 300p to 500p, cutting the proportion of its own US-listedshares on the table.
The offer that values the business at 840pa share, plus a 10p special dividend. Shares in Cadbury rose by 3.65per cent, up 29.5p, to 837p in early trading.
Kraft bought Terry’s, another well-know British chocolate company, in 1993 and closed its York factory two years later.
Thetakeover bid has created a huge outpouring of resentment againstforeign takeovers of British companies, particularly in Cadbury’sBirmingham birthplace. In the past four years, more than £292 billionhas been spent by foreign companies buying British rivals.
Duringthe past decade, household names such as P&O, O2, Abbey, BAA,Jaguar Land Rover, the glass manufacturer Pilkington and the steelmakerCorus have all succumbed to foreign takeovers, along with a clutch ofelectricity and water companies. But few have aroused as strongfeelings or emotions as the Cadbury bid.
Kraft suffers from apoor reputation among many in the food industry because it makes mostof its money from processed cheese and meat. It originally tabled a£10.9 billion bid for Cadbury in September last year. The bid wenthostile in November as Kraft made its proposals direct to Cadbury’sshareholders over the heads of its board.
However, Cadbury and its shareholders strongly resisted, obliging Kraft to raise its terms.
TheTakeover Panel confirmed this morning said that Hershey and Ferreromust either make a firm offer for Cadbury or admit they will not enterthe fray by Monday, January 25.
Ferrero, the maker of Nutella,has already indicated it will not make an offer for the company.Hershey is understood to be more likely to compete with Kraft forcontrol of the British confectioner, but few believe that Hershey canoutgun Kraft, which is five times its size.
Comments
Martin Akehurst wrote:
What the hell can Brown do? He's grabbing a populist cause that he has no possibility whatsoever of solving.
January 19, 2010 11:09 GMT on community.timesonline.co.uk
Colin S wrote:
Desperate statement from a desperate man.
January 19, 2010 11:08 GMT on community.timesonline.co.uk
Geoffrey Woollard wrote:
I'mwith Peter Mandelson on this one. Cadbury is an iconic brand ofwonderful chocolate that is proudly British. The shareholders' interestis important, but not all-important. I would have been very doubtfulabout Hershey and I am doubtful that Kraft can add anything to Cadburyand the Americans may do harm. And, besides, as a Cambridgeshire man, Icannot forget the company's association with Chivers Hartley at Histon.
January 19, 2010 11:04 GMT on community.timesonline.co.uk 问题：
1. Kraft和Cadbury的中文名称是什么？
2. "...ending one of the City's most fiercely contested bid battles."里，the City是什么意思？
3. "The trade union Unite has warned that..."里，The trade union Unite是什么意思？
4. 代表政府说话的是哪几个人？他们是什么职位？
5. "The deal was struck after Kraft, which owns Milka and Toblerone, agreed to increase the cash element of its offer, from 300p to 500p, cutting the proportion of its own US-listed shares on the table."里，"cutting the proportion of its own US-listed shares on the table" 是什么意思？
6. 哪句话说明了英国人对此次收购的情绪？
7. Kraft名声如何？哪句话说明了其名声？
8. "The Takeover Panel confirmed this morning said that Hershey and Ferrero must either make a firm offer for Cadbury or admit they will not enter the fray by Monday, January 25."
上句里，Hershey and Ferrero是什么？
9. 从最后三条读者评论里，可以看出他们对政府干预有信心还是没有信心？
10. 英国政府反对收购的原因和理由是什么？
(Tim Y) 问题有点多，但这篇文章基本上难点不是很多。可能对有些文化背景不了解会造成理解困难。 ...没翻译啊 本帖最后由 zhongdong_wang 于 2010-1-21 09:36 编辑
第一期试用版都出了那么多问题，问题至今楼主尚未圆满解决，怎么就转移战场来这里了呢？既然这样，楼主就从这一期开始扎扎实实做事，既然开楼，就要负起责任来。像你这样只管把题目一放、答案一放，这样的学习楼就谁都能开得了。第一期试用版，那里我们继续没解决的问题。
我说也怪，怎么这个读学英语楼可以一期开一楼，难道版主I'm_zhcn有故意厚此薄彼之作弊嫌疑不成
Q69)这样就难免让人怀疑是故意合起火来耍弄那些看了帖子认认真真想学习英语的人了。
贴一下原文，贴一下答案，而不给出这些个答案怎么来的过程，对语汇基本义和转义意脱节的现象也不给与讲解，就能每期开一个楼，像蟑螂拉屎一样。
哎，这世道Q23) 读学英语抢先版第一期：google想恐怖化中国？[解答见95楼]
http://bbs.m4.cn/thread-217480-1-1.html 楼主，先支持下。我能尝试翻译么？到时候多指教。 第一期试用版都出了那么多问题，问题至今楼主尚未圆满解决，怎么就转移战场来这里了呢？既然这样，楼主就从 ...
zhongdong_wang 发表于 2010-1-21 09:35 http://bbs.m4.cn/images/common/back.gif
王先生，我知道你也许看我比较好笑，因为我的底子实在太差。
我想的是学习，不是疑问，你也许很棒，我也想和你学习。
我可以和你说句话么？就是我同意你的意见，我们可不可以用另一个角度看？
也许简单点比较适合我这样的初学者。 问题：
1. Kraft和Cadbury的中文名称是什么？
卡夫和吉百利
2. "...ending one of the City's most fiercely contested bid battles."里，the City是什么意思？
CADBURY 所在的城市
3. "The trade union Unite has warned that..."里，The trade union Unite是什么意思？
贸易工会
4. 代表政府说话的是哪几个人？他们是什么职位？
GordonBrown , the 186-year old maker of Dairy Milkchocolate,
Roger Carr, chairman of Cadbury
Lord Mandelson, the Business Secretary,
5. "The deal was struck after Kraft, which owns Milka and Toblerone, agreed to increase the cash element of its offer, from 300p to 500p, cutting the proportion of its own US-listed shares on the table."里，"cutting the proportion of its own US-listed shares on the table" 是什么意思？
削减KRAFT自己在美国公司的股份部分
6. 哪句话说明了英国人对此次收购的情绪？
Mr Brown said this morning: “The one thing I want tosay is this: we are determined that the levels of investment that takeplace in Cadburys in the United Kingdom are maintained.
“Andwe are determined of course, that at a time when people are worriedabout their jobs, that jobs in Cadbury can be secure,” he added.
7. Kraft名声如何？哪句话说明了其名声？
Kraft suffers from apoor reputation among many in the food industry because it makes mostof its money from processed cheese and meat.
8. "The Takeover Panel confirmed this morning said that Hershey and Ferrero must either make a firm offer for Cadbury or admit they will not enter the fray by Monday, January 25."
上句里，Hershey and Ferrero是什么？
Ferrero, the maker of Nutella
Hershey ,the British confectioner
9. 从最后三条读者评论里，可以看出他们对政府干预有信心还是没有信心？
没有信心
10. 英国政府反对收购的原因和理由是什么？
1. Kraft和Cadbury的中文名称是什么？
卡夫，吉百利
2. "...ending one of the City's most fiercely contested bid battles."里，the City是什么意思？
伦敦金融城，起源于伦敦商业——经营——金融的老城区，伦敦股票交易所和英格兰银行坐落于此，后来又有很多国际银行和金融机构在英国或者欧洲的总部设立于此。
3. "The trade union Unite has warned that..."里，The trade union Unite是什么意思？
英国工会联盟，有超过两百万的会员。
4. 代表政府说话的是哪几个人？他们是什么职位？
Gordon Brown - the Prime Minister
Peter Mandelson - the Business Secretary
5. "The deal was struck after Kraft, which owns Milka and Toblerone, agreed to increase the cash element of its offer, from 300p to 500p, cutting the proportion of its own US-listed shares on the table."里，"cutting the proportion of its own US-listed shares on the table" 是什么意思？
减少其中用公司的美国上市股票置换的部分。
在这个deal里的consideration是用cash+Kraft的ordinary share折合，Kraft现在增加了其中的现金部分。
6. 哪句话说明了英国人对此次收购的情绪？
The takeover bid has created a huge outpouring of resentment against foreign takeovers of British companies, particularly in Cadbury’s Birmingham birthplace.
7. Kraft名声如何？哪句话说明了其名声？
Kraft suffers from a poor reputation among many in the food industry because it makes most of its money from processed cheese and meat.
8. "The Takeover Panel confirmed this morning said that Hershey and Ferrero must either make a firm offer for Cadbury or admit they will not enter the fray by Monday, January 25."
上句里，Hershey and Ferrero是什么？
两者都是巧克力糖果商，分别来自美国和意大利。
9. 从最后三条读者评论里，可以看出他们对政府干预有信心还是没有信心？
没有。
10. 英国政府反对收购的原因和理由是什么？
裁员，使日渐没落的英国（食品）工业雪上加霜。 巨支持楼主。
做题的时候感觉回到了学生时代的reading comprehensive.
看了楼主的其他帖子，觉得还是有些水平，而且对英国的社会生活比较了解（有些东西没有深入其中是不能了解的），比如说stand still，简直说得太对了！
——真是平凡之中见真章。 楼主，先支持下。我能尝试翻译么？到时候多指教。
ms_justice 发表于 2010-1-22 04:25 http://bbs.m4.cn/images/common/back.gif
尽量直接从英语理解，翻译成汉语后再理解是阻碍进步的重大障碍。 1. Kraft和Cadbury的中文名称是什么？
卡夫，吉百利
2. "...ending one of the City's most fiercely cont ...
joyee 发表于 2010-1-23 01:58 http://bbs.m4.cn/images/common/back.gif
得分：9/10 巨支持楼主。
做题的时候感觉回到了学生时代的reading comprehensive.
看了楼主的其他帖子，觉得还是有些 ...
joyee 发表于 2010-1-23 02:08 http://bbs.m4.cn/images/common/back.gif
厉害! 向你学习! 楼主的答案呢??? 楼主的答案呢???
wyd2008 发表于 2010-1-26 17:07 http://bbs.m4.cn/images/common/back.gif
忙于正式版的准备工作，这期参考答案要延迟几天。其实楼上的答案几乎和我的一样，你可以参考。
Tim
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