數十萬英國旅客滯留海外
On September 23, Thomas Cook, the world’s oldest travel agency, finally shut down after 178 years in operation.
全球最老的旅行社湯瑪士庫克（Thomas Cook），終於在營運178年之後，於9月23日關門大吉。
shut down關閉、停止運作
It went into liquidation with immediate effect, after its failure to secure a staggering ￡1.1 billion bailout package. Its collapse could leave hundreds of thousands of British vacationers stranded abroad and have a disastrous impact on tourism sector in the UK and elsewhere.
在無法取得11億英鎊的鉅額金援後，該旅行社已聲請破產清算，這可能造成數十萬英國旅客滯留海外，並對英國及其他地區的觀光產業帶來衝擊。
go into liquidation走破產清算程序failure(n.)失敗secure(v.)設法得到staggering(adj.)令人震驚的bailout(n.)（通常指從經濟上）幫助（某人或機構）脫離困境collapse(n.)破產、倒閉stranded(adj.)滯留的make or have an impact on 產生影響sector(n.)部門、領域、行業
After the breakdown of negotiations between Thomas Cook CEO Peter Fankhauser and prospective lenders, the British government prepared a rescue fleet of over 40 jumbo jets, ready to bring 160,000 British vacationers back to their home country.
在湯瑪士庫克執行長法蘭克豪瑟（Dr. Peter Fankhauser）與一些可能的籌資者協商破局後，英國政府準備了一組有40架大型噴射機的救援隊，要將16萬出國度假的英國旅客帶回家。
negotiation(n.)協商
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab guaranteed that none of the Brits currently on vacation with Thomas Cook would be left abroad.
英國外交大臣藍韜文（Dominic Raab）保證，不會有任何一名受湯瑪士庫克影響的英國旅客被留在國外。
guarantee(v.)保證
The rescue effort followed a recent incident in a Tunisian hotel, where some British tourists were held hostage, as it were, because they refused to pay extra fees to cover what the hotelier said was owed by Thomas Cook. The security guards had no choice but to shut the gate until they paid up.
這項救援行動發生在突尼斯酒店（Tunisian hotel）事件之後，當時一些英國旅客拒付湯瑪士庫克積欠的額外款項，該酒店的保全只好將大門關上，將一些英國旅客扣留，直到他們付清餘款。
hostage(n.)人質hold sb. hostage= sb. be held hostageas it were可以說是、在一定程度上pay up（不情願地）付清欠款、償還欠款
The British government is now contacting such hotels and informing them that they will be paid through an insurance scheme.
英國政府目前正聯繫突尼斯酒店，表示會透過保險方案付費。
Meanwhile, the collapse of the once-reigning tour giant could hit tourism sectors not only in the UK, but also in Spain, Greece, and Turkey, where some hotels operate exclusively with Thomas Cook. In addition, the company has approximately 200 hotels in its portfolio.
同時，曾經是業界巨頭的湯瑪士庫克一夕倒閉，不但衝擊英國的旅遊業，也影響了西班牙、希臘跟土耳其，這些國家中，有些飯店僅與湯瑪士庫克合作營運。除此之外，該旅行社旗下還有近200家飯店。
collapse(n.)破產、倒閉reign(v.)主宰、支配
Analysts say Thomas Cook could not make it through the crisis because its business model is outdated.
分析師指出，湯瑪士庫克的商業模式已經過時，以致於無法撐過此次危機。
outdated(adj.)過時的
The advent of the Internet has ushered in an era where everyone can arrange their own vacations without agents. It is perhaps little wonder that Thomas Cook ran up a $2.1 billion debt that brought its business journey to an end.
網路的出現讓這個時代的人們都可以規劃自己的假期，不需要旅行社專員的幫助，湯瑪士庫克累積了21億的債務，為自己的營運劃下句點，似乎不讓人意外。
advent(n.)出現usher(v.)引導little wonder=it is not really surprisingit is little wonder that... = little wonder (that)...= no wonder (that)..=it is no wonder that...run up積欠帳款或債務