当地时间1月2日，苹果公司宣布下调2019财年第一财季的营收预期。苹果首席执行官蒂姆·库克在致投资人的信中表示，诸多因素造成公司营收不及预期，包括中国市场销售不佳、iPhone 销售低于预期等。
《纽约时报》指出，此次为苹果公司16年来首次下调营收预期。随着全球智能手机市场出现饱和，苹果手机销量增速已连续多年放缓。去年底，在苹果公司宣布从下季度起将停止报告 iPhone 等设备的具体销量时，投资者便开始担心这一趋势将会加剧。
尽管苹果将“锅”甩给中国，但却有美媒注意到，苹果的竞争对手华为表现“亮眼”。据《纽约时报》报道，市场研究公司 Counterpoint 的数据显示，与苹果第三季度 iPhone 全球销量增长基本持平相比，中国品牌华为仍实现了增长——第三季度，华为在中国销量增长13%，在海外增长60%。
智能手机时代的到来“成就”了苹果公司这个“英雄”。随着时代的变化，苹果还能维持这一神话吗？
本篇课程首发于2019年1月6日，选自 The New York Times
文本难度：
话题难度：
Apple drops iPhone bombshell on already reeling stock market
① Apple acknowledged that demand for iPhones is waning, confirming investor fears that the company's most profitable product has lost some of its luster.
② The reckoning came in a letter from Apple CEO Tim Cook to the company's shareholders.
③ Cook said Apple's revenue for the October-December quarter — including the crucial holiday shopping season — will fall well below the company's earlier projections and those of analysts, whose estimates sway the stock market.
④ Cook traced most of the revenue drop to China, where Apple has faced tougher competition from home-team smartphone makers such as Huawei and Xiaomi.
⑤ Analysts believe Apple miscalculated by continuing to roll out high-priced phones in China, creating an opening for rivals with less costly alternatives that still worked well.
⑥ Cook also acknowledged that consumers in other markets aren't buying as many of the latest iPhones, released last fall, as Apple had anticipated — a factor that could stem from a starting price of $1,000 for Apple's top-of-the-line iPhones.
▍生词好句
drop a bombshell /ˈbɒmʃel, ˈbɑːmʃel/: 公布爆炸性消息
reel /rɪəl/: vi. 蹒跚，踉跄；迷惑，震惊；晕眩，天旋地转
acknowledge /əkˈnɒlɪdʒ, əkˈnɑːlɪdʒ/: vt. 承认；认可
wane /weɪn/: vi. 减弱，减少；月亏
profitable /ˈprɒfɪtəbəl, ˈprɑːfɪt̬əbəl/: adj. 赚钱的；有利可图的
lose luster /ˈlʌstə, ˈlʌstər/: 失去光彩
reckoning /ˈrekənɪŋ/: n. 判断，看法；估算，估计
shareholder /ˈʃeəˌhəʊldə, ˈʃerˌhoʊldər/: n. 股东
revenue /ˈrevənjuː/: n. (公司、机构的) 收益，收入；(政府的) 税收
fall well below: 远低于
projection /prəˈdʒekʃən/: n. (对于未来情况的) 预测；(对过去的) 估算
sway /sweɪ/: vt. 影响，使动摇；统治，控制
trace sth. to: 追究；追溯
tougher competition: 更激烈的竞争
tough /tʌf/: adj. 强壮的，坚强的；棘手的，难办的
home-team: adj. 本土的；主队的，主场球队的
miscalculate /mɪsˈkælkjəleɪt/: vi. 判断错误；误算
roll out: 推出 (新产品或服务)
high-priced: adj. 高价的；昂贵的
alternative /ɒlˈtɜːnətɪv, ɑːlˈtɜːrnətɪv/: n. 替代品；可供选择的事物
anticipate /ænˈtɪsɪpeɪt/: vt. 预期；预料
stem from: 源于；由……引起
top-of-the-line: adj. (同类商品中) 最好的；顶级的
▍词汇拓展
1. drop a bombshell: 公布爆炸性消息
My friend dropped the bombshell that she had cancer.
我的朋友宣布了她患癌症的惊人消息。
2. reel: vi. 蹒跚，踉跄；迷惑，震惊；晕眩，天旋地转
· to waver or fall back (as from a blow)
Andy reeled away from the bar and knocked over his stool.
安迪踉跄着离开吧台，把凳子都撞倒了。
I'm still reeling from the shock of hearing about it.
我现在仍然因为听到这个消息而震惊不已。
The room reeled before my eyes and I fainted.
房间在我眼前旋转起来，随即我就晕了过去。
3. acknowledge: vt. 承认；认可
· 同义词 admit
Claire acknowledged that she was guilty.
克莱尔承认有罪。
acknowledge an employee's achievements (老板) 认可员工的成绩
acknowledge one's success 认可某人的成功
4. wane: vi. 减弱，减少；月亏
· 表示“下降”的词：decline/drop/fall/decrease
wax and wane 月亮阴晴圆缺；盈亏；盛衰枯荣 (ups and downs)
5. lose luster: 失去光彩
· add luster: 增光添彩
· lackluster: adj. 无光泽的；缺乏生气的
There'll be a celebrity guest to add luster to the occasion.
将有一位贵宾为这一庆典增光添彩。
6. reckoning: n. 判断，看法；估算，估计
By my reckoning, we have 12,000 clients.
据我估计，我们有1.2万名客户。
7. shareholder: n. 股东
· stakeholder: n. 利益相关者；参股者
二者的区别：Shareholders are always stakeholders in a corporation, but stakeholders are not always shareholders. A shareholder owns part of a public company through shares of stock (hence the name), while a stakeholder has an interest in the performance of a company for reasons other than stock performance or appreciation.
8. fall well below: 远低于
Tonight temperatures will fall well below freezing point.
今晚温度将远降至冰点以下。
9. sway: vt. 影响，使动摇；统治，控制
He's easily swayed.
他很容易动摇。
Don't ever be swayed by fashion.
不要受时尚左右。
10. trace sth. to: 追究；追溯
· 同义表达 attribute sth. to
The leak was eventually traced to a broken seal.
最后查出泄漏是由于密封处破裂所致。
11. home-team: adj. 本土的；主队的，主场球队的
· home-grown/local/domestic
12. roll out: 推出 (新产品或服务)
· 同义词 launch
13. high-priced: adj. 高价的；昂贵的
· 同义词 expensive/costly
14. alternative: n. 替代品，可供选择的事物
I had no alternative but to report him to the police.
除了向警方举报他，我别无选择。
15. stem from: 源于；由……引起
All my problems stem from drink.
我所有的问题都是酗酒引起的。
16. top-of-the-line: adj. (同类商品中) 最好的；顶级的
top-of-the-line laptop 顶级配置的电脑
top-of-the-line product 顶尖产品
▍责任编辑
李焕、武志琳、章晓丹
