美国习惯用语 782 cash cow
2013-08-07来源:和谐英语
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几年前,苹果电脑公司推出了便携式数码多媒体播放器iPod,结果赚的钱比电脑还多,成了苹果公司的cash cow. 前不久,苹果公司又推出了iPhone, 结果需求不如预期的那么旺盛,看来iPhone没有变成苹果公司的又一头cash cow.
你见没见过那种一刻也不闲着,而且注意力很难集中的孩子?在美国,这种孩子很多都会被诊断为ADHD, 注意力缺陷多动症。让我们听听下面这个记者是怎么说的。
例句-1:Over 2.5 million children in the U.S. today are being treated for a condition known as ADHD. As a result, pharmaceutical companies have responded by producing a variety of drugs to control their hyperactivity. These have generated so much profit for the industry that they have become a cash cow.
他说:美国现在有250多万个孩子接受ADHD的治疗。因此,制药公司纷纷开发生产各种药物,帮助控制他们的症状。这些药物为医药行业创造了巨大的盈利,成了他们的摇钱树。
虽然很多家长觉得这些药物简直就是救星,但是围绕这类药也存在不少争议。不过毫无疑问的是,它们确实是各大药品公司的cash cow.
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我叔叔是个生意人,他开了一个自行储存处,把一个个小库房租出去,供人们存放东西。有些音乐家为了不打扰邻居,也租库房排练。叔叔最近告诉我,就这么个小生意,纯利润竟然高达35%到40%,简直就是cash cow. 看来我也应该参一股。
对了,英国足球明星大卫.贝克汉姆大家肯定都知道。他不久前来美国踢球。有个球迷提出了这样的问题,
例句-2:When David Beckham joined the L.A. Galaxy, he created a lot of attention. Americans who had never watched soccer suddenly started buying tickets. But will he be worth the millions that the team paid for him in years to come? Is he their cash cow?"
他说:大卫.贝克汉姆加盟洛杉矶银河队,引起了大家的普遍关心。很多从来不看足球的美国人也突然间开始购买球票了。银河队为了把他弄到手,花了数百万美元。在今后几年里,贝克汉姆能成为他们的摇钱树吗?
这一点,恐怕我们还要拭目以待。