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VOA标准英语2012--More Women Starting Businesses in US

时间:2012-10-30 01:20:04

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More Women Starting Businesses in US

A few decades ago, this truck would likely have belonged to a company owned by a man. But it actually belongs to Barbara Ayers.

She is president and CEO of Apple Transfer, based in Fredericksburg, Virginia, which helps move households and businesses all across the United States, and overseas.

Ayers started the company with her brother in 1988.

"We started out, it was just my brother and me, and we actually had one small truck," Ayers recalls. "He did the moving, and I took care of the office."

Today, she oversees1 a fleet of trucks and a large storage facility, and employs up to 100 people during peak moving season.

Ana Harvey of the U.S. Small Business Administration says women-owned businesses in the U.S. are flourishing.

"If you think about 1979, only 5 percent of privately2 owned businesses in this country were owned by women," Harvey notes. "So here we are, in almost 2013, and 30 percent of the privately owned businesses are owned by women."

Harvey says the trend started with legislation passed in the 1970s.

"Back then, there was an act passed that allowed women to actually get a loan without having a male co-signer. That really made a difference in terms of women business ownership," Harvey adds.

And then, says Harvey, there's the economy which has suffered. Many of the women who've been laid off have decided3 to take matters into their own hands and become business owners.

Harvey, who used to be a small business owner herself, says the federal government is there to help women in a number of ways. "Last year we helped about 160,000 women with business plans, marketing4 plans, social media interactions, everything that you need to build a business," Harvey explains.

Barbara Ayers says special federal government programs offered to small, female-owned companies have helped her procure5 government contracts. And it has opened doors in areas that have traditionally been closed to women.

"I'm in the trucking industry and so I'm a novelty because this is traditionally a male-dominated industry," Ayers notes. "So I sometimes find resistance. No reflection on men, but it is just the attitude and the thought of the way that it was."

But Ayers says it has all been worthwhile and adds that it is a tremendous feeling of pride when sees one of her own trucks on the highway.

That feel of pride is being shared by more and more American women entrepreneurs. 


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1 oversees 4607550c43b2b83434e5e72ac137def4     
v.监督,监视( oversee的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • She oversees both the research and the manufacturing departments. 她既监督研究部门又监督生产部门。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The Department of Education oversees the federal programs dealing with education. 教育部监管处理教育的联邦程序。 来自互联网
2 privately IkpzwT     
adv.以私人的身份,悄悄地,私下地
参考例句:
  • Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
  • The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。
3 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
4 marketing Boez7e     
n.行销,在市场的买卖,买东西
参考例句:
  • They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
  • He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。
5 procure A1GzN     
vt.获得,取得,促成;vi.拉皮条
参考例句:
  • Can you procure some specimens for me?你能替我弄到一些标本吗?
  • I'll try my best to procure you that original French novel.我将尽全力给你搞到那本原版法国小说。

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