Report 1 苹果公司筹谋未来
Wors Tips
unveil v.公之于众 gadget n.小装置，小设备
dwellon 细想，沉湎 theFlintCentre 弗林特演艺中心
techaeon 科技狂潮 maelstrom n.极度混乱，漩涡
snazzyadj.时髦的，新潮的 aplethoraof 过多的，大量的
Cupertino n.库比蒂诺（苹果电脑全球总公司所在地，位于美国旧金山）
Listen to the following recording and answer questions 1-3.
1）A.all Apple’s existing products
B.new Macintosh computer
C.two new iPhones and a wearable device，called the Apple Watch
D.the next chapter in Apple’s story
2）A.It’s a combination of software，services，data and a plethora of partners.
B.It’s a channel of information
C.It’s a combination of Apple’s and Microsoft’s technology.
D.It’s an integration of hardware and software.
3）A.$ 99 B.$ 249 C.$ 349 D.$ 149
听力原文
APPLE prides itself on constantly re-imagining the future，but even the world’s leading gadget-maker likes to dwell on the past too.Thirty years ago Steve Jobs commanded the stage at the Flint Centre for the Performing Arts near Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino to show off the new Macintosh computer.On September 9th Mr Jobs’s successor，Tim Cook，held a similar performance in the same location to thunderous applause.Those invited were given a chance to play with the gadgets presented on stage：two new iPhones and a wearable device，called the Apple Watch.“This is the next chapter in Apple’s story，”he said，sounding much like the young Mr.Jobs in 1984.
iPad sales have weakened in recent quarters and the iPhone，launched a tech aeon ago in 2007，still generates more than half of the firm’s revenues.Yet lost in the maelstrom of snazzy new gadgets，applause and photos was an important shift：this week’s announcements showed that Apple’s future will be less about hardware and more about its “ecosystem”—a combination of software，services，data and a plethora of partners.
If Apple were simply a hardware-maker，there would be reason to worry.It is losing market share to rivals such as Samsung of South Korea and Xiaomi of China，which make cheaper devices，and to Google’s Android operating system，which runs on 71% of the world’s smartphones.Apple’s average selling price is $ 609，compared with $ 249 for smartphones worldwide.
As with Apple’s existing products，much effort went into the watch’s design.people can send their heartbeat to other watch-wearers—as a new sort of expressive message.But starting at $ 349，and only usable in conjunction with an iPhone，it looks unlikely to be a serious competitor to other expensive watches
At the same time，Apple is trying to become more open to partners—a big change for the firm.The new openness does not only apply to technology.Mr.Cook has let outsiders join his inner circle，hiring executives from retail and other industries to expand Apple’s expertise.He has also overseen the largest acquisition in Apple’s history，the $ 3 billion purchase in May of Beats，a headphones and music-streaming company.For its new payment system it teamed up with big retailers，such as Whole Foods and Walgreens，and credit-card firms，including MasterCard and Visa.
Questions：
1.What new gadgets were unveiled by Apple Company on September 9th？
2.What do we learn about Apple’s“ecosystem”from the report？
3.According to the report，how much at least do we have to pay for an Apple Watch？
参考译文
苹果公司以能够不断勾画未来蓝图而自豪，但即使作为世界上最顶尖的小型设备制造商，苹果也难免沉溺于过去。三十年前，史蒂芬·乔布斯在弗林特演艺中心（位于库比蒂诺的苹果公司总部附近）展示Macintosh电脑；今年9月，乔布斯的继任者，蒂姆·库克，在同一个舞台面对千万热情观众举行了一个类似的产品展示活动。被邀请到的人有机会试用展台上的设备：两台新款iPhone和一款叫作Apple Watch的可佩戴手表。像当年的乔布斯一样，库克说：“这是苹果的下一篇章！”
然而，iPad近几季的销量已有所下降。于2007年发布的iPhone掀起了一段科技狂潮，它至今仍然占据苹果公司收入的半壁江山。然而，在充斥着时髦的新产品、掌声、美图的狂潮中，被人忽略的是苹果的重大转型：本周发布会表示苹果未来的重心将从硬件转移到“生态系统”——一个集软件、服务、数据、众多合作伙伴于一体的有机系统。
如果苹果只是一家简单的硬件制造商，那么情况是让人担忧的。苹果的市场份额正在缩小，相反韩国的三星和中国的小米因为价格低廉而占据着越来越多的市场份额，并且谷歌的安卓操作系统占领了全球70%的智能手机。据市场调研公司IDC的数据，苹果手机的平均售价为609美元，而全球智能手机均价为249美元。
与现有的产品一样，苹果为设计这款手表做出了很大努力。人们可以将心率数据发送给其他的手表用户。但是它的售价为349美元起，而且只能与iphone联合使用，这使得它难以敌对其他名贵手表。
与此同时，苹果正尝试向合作伙伴们更开放——这对苹果是个好机会。这种新的开放制度不局限于技术层面。库克已经允许外界人士参与它的内部圈子，并且聘请零售和其他行业的管理者来拓展苹果公司的业务。库克见证了苹果史上最大的一宗并购：苹果于今年5月斥资30亿美元收购了Beats（一家生产耳机和音乐流媒体的公司）。至于其新开发的支付体系，苹果将与各大零售商进行合作，如有机食品连锁店Whole Foods和沃尔格林，以及信用卡公司，包括万事达卡和Visa卡。
参考答案
1.C 2.A 3.C