通过阅读学词汇CET-6（23）

时间：2006-12-22 06:39:17

（单词翻译:单击）

Unit Twenty-three
Capital and Labour

　　In the last half of the nineteenth century “capital” and “labour” were enlarging and perfecting their rival organizations on modern lines. Many an old firm was displaced by a limited liability company with a bureaucracy of salaried managers. The change met the technical requirements of the new age by engaging a large professional element and prevented the decline in efficiency that so commonly spoiled the fortunes of family firms in the second and third generation after the energetic founders1. It was moreover a step away from individual initiative, towards collectivism and municipal and state-owned business. The railway companies, though still private business managed for the benefit of shareholders3, were very unlike old family business. At the same time the great municipalities went into business to supply lighting4, trams and other services to the taxpayers5.
　　The grown of the limited liability company and municipal business had important consequences. Such large, impersonal6 manipulation of capital and industry greatly increased the numbers and importance of shareholders as a class, an element in national life representing irresponsible wealth detached from the land and the duties of the landowners; and almost equally detached from the responsible management of business. All through the nineteenth century, America, Africa, India, Australia and parts of Europe were being developed by British capital, and British shareholders were thus enriched by the world’s movement towards industrialization. Towns like Bournemouth and Eastbourne sprang up to house large “comfortable” classes who had retired7 on their incomes, and who had no relation to the rest of the community except that of drawing dividends9 and occasionally attending a shareholders’ meeting to dectate their orders to the management. On the other hand “shareholding10” meant leisure and freedom which was used by many of the later Victorians for the highest purpose of a great civilization.
　　The “shareholders” as such had no knowledge of the lives, thoughts or needs of the workmen employed by the company in which he held shares, and

the paid manager acting11 for the company was in more direct relation with the men and their demands, but even he had seldom that familiar personal knowledge of the more patriarchal system of the old family business now passing away. Indeed the mere12 size of operations and the numbers of workmen involved rendered such personal relations impossible. Fortunately, however, the increasing power and organization of the trade unions, at least in all skilled trades, enabled the workmen to meet on equal terms the managers of the companies who employed them.

 

rival n.1.竞争对手 2.可与匹敌的人a.竞争的,对抗的 vt.与…竞争
rivalry n.竞争,竞赛,对抗
[联想词]               contend vi.1.争夺 2.搏斗 vt.声称,主张

displace vt.1.取代,替代 2.迫使…离开家园

liability n.1.责任 2.负债,债务 3.不利条件
[联想词]               handicap n.(身体或智力方面的)缺陷vt.妨碍,使不利
               hinder vt.阻碍,妨碍

bureaucracy n.1.官僚主义 2.政府机构,官僚

engagement n.1.订婚,婚约 2.约会

energetic a.精力充沛的,充满活力的
[联想词]    brisk a.1.轻快的,生气勃勃的 2.兴隆的,繁忙活跃的
               robust13 a.强壮的,健康的
              limp a.软弱的,无生气的,无精神的

initiative n.1.主动性 2.主动的行动,倡议 3.主动权
[联想词]               initiate14 v.1.开始,创造,发起 2.使初步了解 3.接纳新成员 n.新加入组织的人

municipal a.市的,市政的
municipality n.自治市;市政当局

shareholder2 n.股票持有人,股东
shareholding a.股权

tram n.有轨电车
[联想词]               locomotive n.机车

consequence n.1.结果,后果 2.重要(性),重大
consequent a.作为结果的,随之发生的

manipulate vt.1.操纵,控制,影响 2.熟练操作,使用
manipulation n.1.操作,使用 2.操纵,控制

detach vt.拆卸,使分开,使分离

dividend8 n.1.红利,股息 2.回报,效益 3.被除数

patriarchal a.1.家长的,父权制的 2.(动植物等)古老的

 
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1 founders 863257b2606659efe292a0bf3114782c     
n.创始人( founder的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • He was one of the founders of the university's medical faculty. 他是该大学医学院的创建人之一。 来自辞典例句
  • The founders of our religion made this a cornerstone of morality. 我们宗教的创始人把这看作是道德的基石。 来自辞典例句
2 shareholder VzPwU     
n.股东，股票持有人
参考例句：
  • The account department have prepare a financial statement for the shareholder.财务部为股东准备了一份财务报表。
  • A shareholder may transfer his shares in accordance with the law.股东持有的股份可以依法转让。
3 shareholders 7d3b0484233cf39bc3f4e3ebf97e69fe     
n.股东( shareholder的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • The meeting was attended by 90% of shareholders. 90%的股东出席了会议。
  • the company's fiduciary duty to its shareholders 公司对股东负有的受托责任
4 lighting CpszPL     
n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光
参考例句：
  • The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
  • The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。
5 taxpayers 8fa061caeafce8edc9456e95d19c84b4     
纳税人，纳税的机构( taxpayer的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • Finance for education comes from taxpayers. 教育经费来自纳税人。
  • She was declaiming against the waste of the taxpayers' money. 她慷慨陈词猛烈抨击对纳税人金钱的浪费。
6 impersonal Ck6yp     
adj.无个人感情的，与个人无关的，非人称的
参考例句：
  • Even his children found him strangely distant and impersonal.他的孩子们也认为他跟其他人很疏远，没有人情味。
  • His manner seemed rather stiff and impersonal.他的态度似乎很生硬冷淡。
7 retired Njhzyv     
adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的
参考例句：
  • The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
  • Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。
8 dividend Fk7zv     
n.红利，股息；回报，效益
参考例句：
  • The company was forced to pass its dividend.该公司被迫到期不分红。
  • The first quarter dividend has been increased by nearly 4 per cent.第一季度的股息增长了近 4%。
9 dividends 8d58231a4112c505163466a7fcf9d097     
红利( dividend的名词复数 )； 股息； 被除数； （足球彩票的）彩金
参考例句：
  • Nothing pays richer dividends than magnanimity. 没有什么比宽宏大量更能得到厚报。
  • Their decision five years ago to computerise the company is now paying dividends. 五年前他们作出的使公司电脑化的决定现在正产生出效益。
10 shareholding d50815e5b4fdfade1f68dd62ed15450a     
n.股权
参考例句：
  • Shareholding commercial banks must exercise an independent system of board of directors. 股份制商业银行必须实行独立董事制度。 来自互联网
  • Asset re-structuring: to conduct shareholding reform for high quality assets. 资产重组：对优质资产进行股份制改造。 来自互联网
11 acting czRzoc     
n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的
参考例句：
  • Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
  • During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。
12 mere rC1xE     
adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过
参考例句：
  • That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
  • It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。
13 robust FXvx7     
adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的
参考例句：
  • She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
  • China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。
14 initiate z6hxz     
vt.开始，创始，发动；启蒙，使入门；引入
参考例句：
  • A language teacher should initiate pupils into the elements of grammar.语言老师应该把基本语法教给学生。
  • They wanted to initiate a discussion on economics.他们想启动一次经济学讨论。

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