蘋果下一步要干嘛？

蘋果下一步要干嘛？

蘋果公司（Apple）在中國面臨激烈的市場競爭，不過，它計劃在中國開設一個新的研發(fā)中心，集中所有的研發(fā)工程師。

測試中可能遇到的詞匯和知識：

bolster 支持；支撐['b??lst?]

tough 艱苦的，困難的[t?f]

crackdown 鎮(zhèn)壓['kr?kda?n]

fiscal year 財務年度

閱讀馬上開始，建議您計算一下閱讀整篇文章所用的時間，對照下方的參考值就可以評估出您的英文閱讀水平。

如果您讀完全文用時為： 那么，您的閱讀速度相當于 每分鐘閱讀的英文單詞數(shù)

4分52秒 母語為英語者的朗讀速度 140

2分24秒 母語為英語的中學生的閱讀速度 250

1分9秒 母語為英語的大學生的閱讀速度 350

0分6秒 母語為英語的速讀高手 1000

Apple to open first R&D centre in China（662words）

By Tim Bradshaw in San Francisco

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Apple plans to open its first research and development centre in China later this year, the latest in a series of steps to bolster its presence in a vital region as sales slow down.

Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, revealed the plans to increase investment in local R&D during a meeting this week with Zhang Gaoli, China’s vice premier.

The move comes after Apple reported that revenues fell one-third in the latest quarter in Greater China, where Apple faces growing competition from local smartphone makers such as Huawei and Oppo as well as tougher economic conditions.

The new R&D centre will be made up of both new and existing staff. Apple already has 9,000 staff in China, roughly half of whom work in its 42 retail stores in the country. Over the past four years Apple has doubled the number of corporate offices in China to 45.

“We look forward to expanding our operations in China with a new research and development centre as we continue to grow our talented team here,” Apple said, without specifying the scale of staffing or financial investment in the effort.

“The centre will open later this year, bringing together our engineering and operations teams in China as we develop advanced technologies and services for our products, both for our customers in China and around the world,” Apple added.

Even as revenues slide, Apple is increasing its investment in future products and international expansion. Last month, the US tech group revealed a 26 per cent increase in its quarterly R&D spending to $2.6bn, a record 6 per cent of revenues. Its annual R&D spending is now approaching $10bn.

In May, Apple invested $1bn in Didi Chuxing, a Chinese car-hailing service — an unusual move for a company that has typically favoured much smaller deals. As well as providing a strategic partnership as a secretive Apple team works on developing its own car, the investment was widely seen as an attempt to build goodwill with the Chinese government after a series of setbacks in the region.

Earlier this year, Apple’s iTunes movies and iBooks services were blocked in China as part of a wider crackdown on foreign content. Apple also lost a patent case in Beijing that threatened to block sales of the iPhone 6.

“The new centre is also aimed at strengthening relationships with local partners and universities as we work to support talent development across the country,” Apple said.

In last month’s earnings call Mr Cook stressed the “l(fā)ong-term opportunity” in China, where sales grew 55 per cent to $40bn during the first three quarters of Apple’s fiscal year. Revenues from its books and movies stores in China were “l(fā)ess than $1m” before they were blocked, he added.

請根據(jù)你所讀到的文章內容，完成以下自測題目：

1. Which one is not right about Apple?

A. open its first R&D centre in China

B. have 800 staff in China

C. revenues fell one-third in the latest quarter

D. compete with Huawei and Oppo

2. How many corporate offices in China that Apple has?

A. 26

B. 42

C. 45

D. 90

3. When will the R&D centre open in China?

A. open middle of this year

B. open in 2017

C. open later this year

D. open beginning of 2018

4. How much does Apple invest in Didi Chuxing?

A. $1bn

B. $10bn

C. $2.6bn

D. $40bn

[1] 答案 B. have 800 staff in China

解釋：蘋果在中國有著9000名員工。

[2] 答案 B. 42

解釋：蘋果在中國的辦事處有42個。

[3] 答案 C. open later this year

解釋：蘋果在中國的第一家研發(fā)中心預計在2016后半年開放。

[4] 答案 A. $1bn

解釋：蘋果為滴滴出行投資了十億。