It was an international drug dealing case, one that involved a lot of money and a lot of violence. Agents who had entered the organization had worn wires and collected evidence for years. A conviction(法庭判决) depended on an accurate translation of their tape recordings. “Five languages were involved, “says Liz Elting, 44, one of the owners of TransPerfect, the translation company chosen for the job. “The slightest mistake could mean the criminals would go free.”
When Elting started her business 18 years ago with Phil Shawe, both were attending New York University’s Stern School of Business. Neither realized just how many situations would require their services. TransPerfect’s 4,000 linguists(通晓外语的人) cover more than 100 languages.
Getting Ahead with Liz Elting
What inspired you to start TransPerfect?
When I was eight, my dad bought a KFC in Portugal. Unfortunately, the Portuguese didn’t want anything American. They thought my dad was a CIA spy! That taught me how fast things can change. I’ve studied in Spain and worked in Venezuela. This business is the perfect combination of my love for languages, cultures and business.
Is the staff multilingual?
Many are. I speak French and Spanish. My partner, Phil, who is American, likes to say he speaks English on a good day.
What languages are requested most often?
Spanish and Japanese. Chinese, Middle Eastern, Indic(South Asia), and Eastern Europeans are on the rise.
How difficult is it to manage such a diverse workforce（员工团队）?
Our challenge is to be culturally appropriate in every country. When we hand our year-end bonuses in the US, for example, we have to remember that in India, bonuses are given in the fall.
Any advice for someone starting a business?
Get started before you have kids. In the beginning, I didn’t know how to do this business on the side. I wasn’t married, didn’t have kids, and wasn’t concerned about balancing my work and personal life. Now, with strong managers in place, I can spend more time with my family (husband Michael Burlant and sons Zachary, nine and Jacob, seven), traveling and playing baseball.
小题1:What is the purpose of the first paragraph?
A．To report on an international drug dealing case.
B．To encourage people to start a business before they have kids.
C．To present the importance of learning foreign languages.
D．To introduce Liz Elting and her company TransPerfect.小题2:What does the underlined word “wires” mean in the passage?
A．A type of clothes costing a lot of money.
B．A piece of equipment designed to record messages.
C．Thin metal worn to protect yourself against violence.
D．A organization symbol made of thin metal.小题3:Neither realized just how many situations would require their services. is ______________.
A．a company that offers international legal services
B．one which has branches in countries all over the world
C．one whose staff all have to speak several languages.
D．a company whose services are in great demand.小题4:It can be inferred that _______________.
A．Liz learned that love is the answer to problems of cultural misunderstanding
B．Liz started her company with a schoolmate at the age of 18.
C．The success is simply a little beyond Liz and her partner’s expectations
D．Liz and Phil are now strong managers with rich experience.
