Elon Musk's China Factory—Now a Field, Soon a Plant—Aims to Pump Out Its First Tesla This Year
plant /plɑːnt, plænt/: n. 工厂；车间 (factory)
aim to do sth: 计划/打算做某事
pump out: 大量生产/提供
1 ) Tesla Inc. started construction of its new China factory, the first wholly foreign-owned car plant in the country and crucial to the Californian electric-auto maker's goal to scale up production.
Inc. /ɪŋk/: abbr. 股份有限公司 (incorporated)
construction [kənˈstrəkʃ(ə)n] n.建造；建筑业；装配；构思；建筑物；解释；结构；结构体
wholly foreign-owned: 外商独资的
(be) crucial to: [ˈkruʃəl] 对……至关重要的 (vital/critical/essential)
electric auto/vehicle [ˈviək(ə)l]/car: 电动汽车
goal [ɡoʊl] n.球门；球篮；进球得分；目标
scale up: 增加；放大；提高
2 ) With the ceremonial groundbreaking at the plant east of downtown Shanghai this week, Tesla now faces a race to start local production to take advantage of robust demand for electric vehicles in the world's biggest auto market.
ceremonial /ˌserəˈməʊniəl/: adj. 有仪式性的
groundbreaking /ˈɡraʊndˌbreɪkɪŋ/: n. 动工 adj. 有突破性的；开创性的
downtown /ˌdaʊnˈtaʊn/: adj./adv. 在/朝市中心的 (地)
local /ˈləʊkəl/: adj. 本地的；本土的
take advantage of: 利用
robust /rəʊˈbʌst/: adj. 强劲的；富有活力的
demand [dəˈmænd] vt.强烈要求；盘查；需要 n.要求；需求；付款请求
vehicles [ˈviək(ə)l]
3 ) In China, Tesla has the opportunity to rev up, capitalizing on the government's support for electric vehicles and well-to-do Chinese car-buyers who are captivated by Tesla's technology and enamored of Mr. Musk's entrepreneurial risk-taking.
opportunity [ˌɑpərˈt(j)unədi] n.机遇；机会
rev up /rev/: (使) 加速/更积极
capitalize on /ˈkæpɪtəlaɪz/: 充分利用；从……中获得更多的好处
well-to-do /ˌweltəˈduː/: adj. 富裕的 (well off)
be captivated by /ˈkæptɪveɪt, ˈkæptəveɪt/: 为……而着迷；倾心于……的
be enamored of/with /ɪˈnæməd/: 为……而着迷；倾心于…的
entrepreneurial /ˌɒntrəprəˈnɜːriəl/: adj. 具有企业家素质的；创业的
risk-taking [rɪsk ˈtekɪŋ] adj.冒风险的
4 ) China is central to Telsa's aim of graduating from niche startup to mainstream global auto maker.
be central to: 对……来说很重要
graduate from A to B: 从 A 转变成 B
niche /niːʃ, nɪtʃ/: adj. 小众的；细分的
mainstream /ˈmeɪnstriːm/: adj. 主流的；大众的
5 ) Being the first to go it alone will make Tesla a bellwether in the Chinese auto sector, as other companies weigh the costs and benefits of sticking with their established joint-venture partnerships.
go it alone: 单干；独自过活
bellwether /ˈbelˌweðə, ˈbelˌweðər/: n. 风向标；领头羊
sector [ˈsɛktɚ, -ˌtɔr] n.部门;领域;扇形;防御地区
weigh /weɪ/: vt. 权衡
weigh the costs and benefits: 权衡利弊
benefit [ˈbɛnəfɪt] n.益处；好处；募捐活动；救济金；额外待遇 vt.有益于 vi.获益
stick with: 坚持；继续做
established /ɪˈstæblɪʃt/: adj. (因长期存在而) 已确立的；老牌的
joint-venture [dʒɔɪnt 'ventʃə] n.合资企业
partnership [ˈpɑrtnərˌʃɪp] n.合伙关系；合伙企业；合伙人身份
▍词汇拓展
1. aim to do sth: 计划/打算做某事
We aim to finish by Friday.
我们力争星期五之前完成。
2. pump out: 大量生产/提供
· to pump out something means to produce or supply it continually and in large amounts
3. wholly foreign-owned: 外商独资的
wholly/completely: adv. 完全地；彻底地
foreign-owned company 外资公司
foreign-owned bank 外资银行
joint venture 合资企业
4. scale up: 增加；放大；提高
· scale: n. 称；天平
How do you scale up your business?
你怎么样去扩大规模？
economies of scale 规模经济
5. groundbreaking: n. 动工 adj. 有突破性的；开创性的
groundbreaking ceremony 动工仪式
groundbreaking research 开拓性的研究
6. robust: adj. 强劲的；富有活力的
He is a very robust person.
他非常强壮健康。
robust economic growth 强劲的经济增长
7. be captivated by: 为……而着迷；倾心于……的
同义表达：
be enamored of/with
be fascinated/charmed/enchanted by
8. entrepreneurial: adj. 具有企业家素质的；创业的
· entrepreneur: n. 企业家
9. bellwether: n. 风向标；领头羊
Paris remains the bellwether of fashion industry.
在时装业，巴黎仍然保持着领头羊的地位。
YLYK is still the bellwether of online English teaching and learning.
友邻优课依然是在线英语教学的领头羊。
