【新闻精讲】

To make business sense, Apple's cars would need to earn returns comparable to those of its existing products.
商业要更好地运作，苹果研发的iCar就要赚取高于它现有产品的利润。
Make sense
合理 （to be reasonable）
This deal clearly makes sense in the long term.
existing products
现有产品
Too many companies have failed because they merely whitewashed an existing product and hoped the consumer didn’t notice nothing was new.
太多的公司失败因为他们只是粉饰一下现存的产品而希望用户不会注意到实际上没有任何改变。

But gross profit margins like Apple's current 40% or so are something most large-scale carmakers can only dream of.
但苹果现有的总利润率为40%左右，这是大多数大型汽车制造商梦寐以求的。
Gross
1. 总地
例：Interest is paid gross, rather than having tax deducted.
利息按总额来付，没有扣除税收。
2. 严重地 grossly
例：Funding of education had been grossly inadequate for years.
多年来教育资金严重不足。

At BMW, one of the most profitable of these, such margins are around 20%.
宝马是利润率最高的汽车制造商之一，但是也只能达到20%左右。
Margin
1. 利润
2. 边缘
例：...the low coastal plain along the western margin.
…沿着西部边缘地带的低洼海岸平原。
3. 余地
例：The money is collected in a straightforward way with little margin for error.
这笔钱是直接募集上来的, 几乎没有出错的余地。

An even more important factor is that, as demonstrated by all this week's attention on Volkswagen, cars are more heavily regulated than consumer electronics.
正如这周公众对大众汽车的关注证明，汽车业相比消费类电子产品面临更严格的监管，这是更为重要的影响因素。
Regulate
控制 (尤指通过规则)
例：Under such a plan, the government would regulate competition among insurance companies so that everyone gets care at lower cost.
根据这样一个计划，政府会控制保险公司之间的竞争，这样每个人都能以较低价格获得保险。

Compliance with safety standards and emissions rules is likely to be more rigorously enforced in future.
在未来会更加严格地执行相关措施——满足安全标准、符合排放规则。

Compliance
遵从
例：Inspectors were sent to visit nuclear sites and verify compliance with the treaty.
监察员被派去参观核址并核实条约的遵守情况。
Emission 排放
Rigorous
严格缜密的
例：The selection process is based on rigorous tests of competence and experience.
挑选过程是建立在对能力和经验严格缜密的考核的基础之上的。

That is a tricky prospect for even the most experienced carmaker, let alone an industry newbie.
即便对最有经验的汽车制造商而言，前景依然艰难，更不用说行业新手了。

Tricky
难对付的
例：Parking can be tricky downtown.
在市中心停车会很难。
let alone
更不用说；更别提
例句:This kind of animal is rare anywhere in the world, let alone in china.
这种动物慢说国内少有，在全世界也不多。
Newbie 新手

The firm's capabilities in mobile devices will be an advantage, as cars become ever more connected to the internet.
随着汽车与互联网的关系愈发密切，苹果在移动设备上的能力将会成为一个优势。

Advantage
1. 有利条件，优势
例：They are breaking the law in order to obtain an advantage over their competitors.
他们为了获得超越其竞争对手的有力条件在违犯法律。
2. 利用 (某事物)
例：I intend to take full advantage of this trip to buy the things we need.
我打算充分利用这次旅行来购买我们需要的物品。

But the risks associated with connected cars are of a different order to those with mobile phones.
但是如果发生危险，联网汽车比联网手机的后果更加严重。

Associate
1. 联系起来
例：Through science we've got the idea of associating progress with the future.
通过科学我们已有了将进步与未来联系起来的观念。
2. 伙伴
例：...the restaurant owner's business associates.
…该餐馆老板的商业伙伴们。
3. 副的 (用在级别或头衔前，表示稍有不同或略低的)
例：Mr. Lin is associate director of the Institute.
林先生是该研究所的副主任。

This week it was revealed that malware had infiltrated some of the smartphone apps sold in Apple's store, including two of the most popular apps in China.
本周据有关消息，有恶意软件入侵了苹果商店贩售的部分智能手机应用，其中包括两款在中国最流行的应用。

Malware 恶意软件
Infiltrate
渗入; 潜入 (某地方或组织)
例：Activists had infiltrated the student movement.
激进分子已经渗入学生运动。

This was embarrassing but not disastrous.
这使得苹果陷入窘况，但不至于损失惨重。
If similar malware got into an Apple car, the results could be deadly.
如果相似的恶意软件入侵的是苹果汽车，那么结果将是致命的。

Embarrass
使...陷入麻烦
例：Aides spoke of disposing of records that would embarrass the governor.
助手们谈到了要处理掉那些会给州长找麻烦的记录。
Deadly 致命
a deadly disease currently affecting dolphins.
…目前影响海豚的一种致命疾病。
Embarrassing< disastrous < deadly

Such concerns are not enough to discourage tech firms from driving at full speed into the car business.
这样的担心并不足以阻止众多科技公司全力以赴进军汽车业。
Leading the way is Tesla, a maker of upmarket electric vehicles set up by Elon Musk, a successful tech entrepreneur.
这条路上的引领者是特斯拉——一家由成功的科技企业家埃隆。马斯克建立的高端电动汽车制造商。

set up
1. 安排; 创建
例：The two sides agreed to set up a commission to investigate claims.
双方同意成立一个委员会，调查索赔问题。
2. 调试 (设备、机器等)
例：Setting up the camera can be tricky. 调试相机可能会很费事。
3. 设置; 成立 setting up
The government announced the setting up of a special fund.
政府宣布设置了一项特别基金。

Google is working on a self-driving vehicle and an operating system for cars, and recently hired a former motor-industry executive to run its autonomous car project.
谷歌正在研发自主驾驶汽车和汽车的操作系统，并在近日聘请了一位前汽车行业的执行官来运行这个自主经营的汽车项目。

self-driving vehicle 自动驾驶汽车
例句:Your money now backs a prototype self-driving vehicle.
你们的钱现在资助着一辆无人驾驶汽车的样车。
Autonomous
独立自主的
例：He treated us as autonomous individuals who had to learn to make up our own minds about issues.
他视我们为独立个体，必须学会自主处理问题。

Apple's decision to enter the motor industry may be fuelled in part by not wanting to leave Google with control of the dashboard and cars' operating systems.
苹果之所以进军汽车业，原因之一可能是不想将对汽车仪表盘和汽车操作系统的控制权交予谷歌。

Their rivalry is turning into a road race.
他们的竞争正在转向汽车业。
Fuel 加剧
例：The result will inevitably fuel speculation about the prime minister's future.
该结果将不可避免地加剧人们对首相前途的猜测。
turn into 成为；转变为
road race
公路赛