CNN互動英語 05月號/2021 第248期讀墨電子書

※點選附件zip檔，下載朗讀MP3   Chip Crunch 全球車用晶片荒  台灣成關鍵力量 Nations Turn to Taiwan amidst Global Microchip Shortage KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR It’s so easy to take them for granted—the tiny, silicon-based semiconductors that fuel our modern lives, our smartphones, our laptops and our cars. Now, the average car has between 50 to 150 chips that are used to monitor important engine and safety systems along with GPS navigation or driver assistance when you try to parallel park. But when the pandemic hammered auto sales last year, top chipmakers shifted capacity away from carmakers to gadgetmakers—resulting in a critical shortage of car chips that’s been called “chipageddon.” EMMANUEL BULLE, SENIOR DIRECTOR, EMEA CORPORATES, FITCH RATINGS One million cars could actually be lost in the coming months. That’s quite a lot. If you take the average value of a car, which might be, say, what, 20,000, 30,000, maybe, dollars, it would actually lead to about 20 to 30 billions [billion] in lost revenue. KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR There is a growing list of automakers cutting production because of the chip crunch. In Japan, you have Subaru, Toyota, Honda and Nissan, and in the U.S.—Ford and GM. Now, in a statement, GM says this, quote, “Despite our mitigation efforts, the semiconductor shortage will impact GM production in 2021. We’re currently assessing the overall impact, but our focus is to keep producing our most in-demand products.” As the chip crunch disrupts production, analysts say it may delay a global recovery in the auto sector. U.S. senators are urging the White House to take action. In a letter sent earlier this month, 15 U.S. senators from auto-producing states warned that the shortage threatens their post-pandemic economic recovery.  It’s also a diplomatic issue. To resolve the shortage, the U.S. is working with Taiwan, home of TSMC—the world’s largest contract chipmaker. The Taiwan chip giant says the auto chip shortage is its top priority, saying this, quote, “TSMC is currently expediting these critical automotive products through our wafer fabs. While our capacity is fully utilized with demand from every sector, TSMC is reallocating our wafer capacity to support the worldwide automotive industry,” unquote. As Taiwan pledges help, a warning [came] from the other chipmaking giant in Asia. Samsung Electronics says the auto chip shortage could hit smartphones, and if you’re planning a new purchase, consider this. EMMANUEL BULLE, SENIOR DIRECTOR, EMEA CORPORATES, FITCH RATINGS If you need something, just buy it now if it’s on [in] stock. Otherwise, unfortunately, you will have to wait another three to six months, according to our latest working estimates. KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR Huge ripple effects are being felt across tech, auto manufacturing and the global economy—all from a tiny piece of silicon. Kristie Lu Stout, CNN, Hong Kong. CNN主播  克莉絲蒂．魯．史道 很容易把它們視為理所當然——那些驅動著我們的現代生活、我們的智慧型手機、我們的筆電和我們的汽車，小小的、以矽為基料的半導體。如今一般的汽車有介於五十至一百五十個晶片，用來監控重要的引擎和安全系統，還有GPS導航或是當你要路邊停車時的駕駛輔助。不過當去年疫情大流行重挫汽車銷售時，主要的晶片製造商將產能從汽車製造商轉往裝置製造商——引發了被稱為「晶片末日」的車用晶片嚴重短缺。 惠譽信評歐洲、中東、非洲區企業部資深主任  艾曼紐．布理 接下來幾個月實際上可能會損失一百萬輛車。那還挺多的。如果你取一輛車的平均價值，那可能約莫是兩萬、三萬美元，這其實會造成約兩百到三百億的營收損失。 CNN主播  克莉絲蒂．魯．史道 因為晶片吃緊而減產的汽車製造商名單越來越長。在日本，有速霸陸、豐田汽車、本田汽車和日產汽車，在美國則有福特和通用汽車。通用汽車在一份聲明中這麼說：「儘管我們努力緩解，半導體短缺將會對通用汽車二○二一年的生產帶來衝擊。我們目前正在評估整體的衝擊，但我們的重點是持續生產我們需求度最高的產品。」 由於晶片吃緊打亂生產，分析師說這可能會延緩汽車業的全球復甦。美國參議員敦促白宮採取行動。在本月稍早發出的一封信中，十五名來自汽車製造州的美國參議員警告，這波短缺對他們的後疫情時代經濟復甦構成威脅。 這也是一項外交議題。為了解決短缺，美國正與全球最大的代工晶片製造商台積電所在的台灣合作。台灣這家晶片巨擘說，車用晶片短缺是該公司的首要之務，並表示：「台積電目前正透過自家的晶圓廠加速生產這些關鍵的車用產品。雖然台積電的產能因來自各領域的需求而滿載，我們正在重新調配晶圓的產能，以支援全球汽車產業。」 台灣承諾相助之際，亞洲另一家晶片巨擘提出警訊。三星電子表示，車用晶片短缺恐衝擊智慧型手機，所以如果你正打算新買一台，這點要考慮。 惠譽信評歐洲、中東、非洲區企業部資深主任  艾曼紐．布理 如果你需要什麼東西，有存貨的話就現在買吧。否則，根據我們最新的工作估計，很不幸地，你將得再等三到六個月。 CNN主播  克莉絲蒂．魯．史道 整個科技業、汽車製造業和全球經濟都感受到了巨大的漣漪效應——全都是來自小小的一片矽。 本台記者克莉絲蒂．魯．史道，在香港的報導。 -- 焦點話題：流血事件；屠殺BLOODSHED / 擱淺RUN AGROUND / 抵制；杯葛  BOYCOTT / 旅遊泡泡TRAVEL BUBBLE CNN全球瞭望 - 美國參議院通過新冠病毒紓困法案US Senate Passes COVID-19 Relief Bill - 教宗到伊拉克進行歷史性的參訪The Pope Makes Historic Visit to Iraq - 歐洲開始生產Sputnik V 疫苗Europe Begins Production of Sputnik V Vaccine 毅力號完成登陸火星終極任務A Mission of Perseverance：NASA’s Latest Rover Makes a Daring Touchdown on Mars 觀測火星靠這些！毅力號科技大公開A Martian Snapshot：How High-Tech Cameras Will Help “Perseverance” Survey the Red Planet 全球車用晶片荒  台灣成關鍵力量Chip Crunch：Nations Turn to Taiwan amidst Global Microchip Shortage 新聞片語通：描繪美好前景；塑造樂觀形象paint a rosy picture CNN主編教你唸：知名博物館名稱 閉館也沒閒著  羅浮宮進行大改造Art Awakening：Artworks at the Louvre Get Refurbished While the Museum Is Closed 單字聯想地圖：參觀博物館 商用空中計程車  預計2023年啟動服務Hail to the Sky：Volocopter Airborne Taxi Seeks Approval for Operation 全方位搞懂CNN：串流霸主保衛戰  網飛強力進軍亞洲市場Netflix Bets Big on Asia CNN專訪熱情率真的網壇獨行俠  謝淑薇Punchy on and off the Court：Hsieh Su-Wei Wins Over Tennis Audiences with Her Skills, Personality and Positivity 談天說地話英文：好萊塢電影中的勵志金句 哈利與梅根的後皇室生活A Post-Royal Life：Harry and Meghan Write a New Chapter in Their Lives after Leaving the Monarchy 新冠病毒疫情是怎麼在美國發展的？World-Changing Disease：The Timeline of the Coronavirus Pandemic 知識大圖解：新冠病毒採檢站怎樣運作？How a coronavirus test site works 後疫情時代  各國入境規定大不同Flight-Mare：Richard Quest Navigates the Obstacles of Pandemic Travel 熱門強片：時尚惡女 庫伊拉CRUELLA 奇岩、洞穴、地下城  令人驚豔的土耳其世界遺址A Subterranean Wonder：Discovering the Underground Marvels of Cappadocia, Turkey