魁北克政府出手相救
The coronavirus pandemic has forced the Montreal-based entertainment firm Cirque du Soleil to suspend shows around the world and lay off nearly 3,500 employees.
新冠疫情重創蒙特婁太陽馬戲團，演出被迫取消並遣散近3500名員工。
coronavirus(n.)新冠病毒pandemic(n.)大規模流行病epidemic(n.)force(n.)(v.)力氣;武力;逼迫;迫使military force軍力work force勞動力entertainment(n.)娛樂entertain(v.)娛樂;招待firm(n.)公司;商號=companysuspend(v.)暫停;中止;勒令停止Schools have been suspended since January.The student was suspended for fighting.lay off(v.)遣散;資遣The firm has laid off its employees.nearly(adv.)將近employee(n.)員工employer(n.)僱主employ(v.)僱用I am employed as a teacher.
The Quebec government has offered a loan to the company to help rebuild its operations as the firm is deep in debt.
魁北克政府借出貸款，協助負債累累的馬戲團重整。
offer(v.)提供loan(n.)(v.)貸款I got a loan from the bank.The bank loaned me the money.rebuild(v.)重建operation(n.)運作;手術be in debt負債debtor(n.)債務人
Famed for its acrobatic performance, the 36-year-old company has been highly successful and profitable over the years, but now it has been seriously hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
太陽馬戲團以其雜技表演聞名，過去36年來一直都很成功且獲利極高，但這次仍不敵疫情的衝擊。
fame(n.)名氣;聲譽be famed for sth以...聞名=be known foracrobatics(n.)雜技acrobat(n.)雜技表演者acrobatic(adj.)雜技相關的performance(n.)表演;表現;性能He got fired for his poor performance.high-performance carsperform(v.)表演;表現performer(n.)表演者highly(adv.)非常;高度地highly paid高薪highly-educated高學歷highly recommend非常推薦successful(adj.)成功的success(n.)成功profit(n.)利潤profitable(adj.)可獲利的unprofitable(adj.)不可獲利的seriously(adv.)嚴重地;認真地;嚴肅地She is seriously ill.seriously injuredI am seriously thinking of leaving.hit(v.)(n.)打擊;影響;受歡迎的事物The village has been hit by the flood.The TV show was a hit in 1990s.
CEO Daniel Lamarre said in a release, with zero revenues since the forced closure of all of their shows due to Covid-19, the management had to act decisively to protect the company’s future.
執行長拉馬雷在新聞稿中指出，疫情導致所有演出被迫取消，公司因而處於零收入狀態，管理階層必須採取果斷行動以保護公司的未來。
CEO=Chief Executive Officer執行長release(n.)聲明;公布release(v.)釋出;公開Her latest album will be released next week.release of anger or tensionrevenue(n.)營收;稅收close(v.)關閉;結束The firm closed last year.close the meeting結束會議close the deal成交closure(n.)關閉;倒閉due to=由於;因為because ofmanagement(n.)管理manage(v.)管理act(v.)採取行動;行為Stop acting like a child.decisively(adv.)果決地decisive(adj.)決定性的;果斷的decision(n.)決定decide(v.)決定protect(v.)保護protection(n.)保護protective(adj.)保護性的future(n.)(adj.)未來I always plan for the future.future plan
A group of Cirque’s shareholders has agreed to take over the debt and invest US$300 million to restart the business.
有一群太陽馬戲團的股東已同意接管債務，並投入3億美元重啟劇團運作。
shareholder(n.)股東share(n.)股份;份額agree(v.)同意disagree(v.)反對take over接管;接手;代班I will take over my colleague’s position when she leaves.Could you take over my shift?invest(v.)投資invest moneyinvest time and energyrestart(v.)重啟
In addition, up to US$20 million has been invested to assist affected employees.
另外也將投入2千萬美元救濟被資遣的員工。
in addition除此之外up to接近於assist(v.)協助、援助assistant(n.)助理office assistant行政助理personal assistant個人助理affect(v.)影響The disease affects mainly children.
Cirque du Soleil plans to rehire most of the laid-off employees once the pandemic shutdowns have ended.
太陽馬戲團計畫一旦疫情好轉，就會重新聘用被資遣的員工。
rehire(v.)重新聘用once(conj.)一旦...就...shutdown(n.)關閉;暫停運作end(v.)結束
The CEO said that touring shows could resume next year as soon as the situation allows for it.
執行長表示，一旦情況允許，巡演將在明年回歸。
tour(n.)旅遊;觀光;巡視;巡迴tour guide導遊The Queen is making a tour of Europe.I went on a tour in Japan.touring show巡演resume(v.)中斷後重新開始as soon as一...就I knew something was wrong as soon as I saw her.as soon as possible儘快situation(n.)情況;情形;處境the situation has become worse.I was put in a difficult situation.allow for...考量到...We should allow for the possibility that it might rain tomorrow.