AlibabascrisisofferssoberinglessonforforeignfirmsinChinaThereisnobetterphrasetodescribe（whatChinase-commercegiantAlibabaGroupisgoingthrough）thanapopularChineseidiom:Misfortunesnevercomealone.Formonths,theHangzhou-basedcompanyhadbeenunderintensescrutinyfromChineseregulatorsoveritsproblematicbusinesspractices.Thenadesperatepleaforjusticefromafemaleemployee,whoaccusedhermanagerofrape,onceagaindraggedthecompanyintoafirestorm.Itremainstobeseen(wherethecaseisheadedandhowitwillimpactAlibaba）,butthelatestscandal,coupledwiththerecentregulatoryscrutiny,hasclearlyposed（whatcouldbeoneofthebiggestcrisesforthee-commercebehemoth）sinceitsfoundingin1999.Itisalsoclear（thatthecompanyssacredstatusthroughoutcorporateChinaiscollapsing）,（asthepublicsidolizationofthecompanyquicklyturnsintoskepticismandscrutiny）.Forothercompanies,especiallyforeignbusinessesoperatinginChina,Alibabascrisisisnotatheatricalshow（thattheycanenjoyonthesidelines）.Instead,thisshouldbeasoberinglessonabout（whatnottodoinarapidlychangingChinesemarket）.AlibabascrisisbothinthelatestscandalanditsregulatorytroublesreflectedchangesintheChinesemarket,（whereregulatorycrackdownonunfairbusinesspracticeswillonlyintensifyandconsumerexpectationforcorporationsfarexceedsitscapitalsuccess）.(AsChinasinternetmarketaswellasitsconsumersmatures),thedays(whenChineseconsumersareeasilyimpressedbyacorporationsscaleandsuccessandblindlyidolizeabrand)haveevidentlycometoanend.Today,Chineseconsumersincreasinglyjudgebrandsnotonlyovertheirbusinessesandservicesbutalsotheirpositiveroleinthesociety.Morethanever,Chineseconsumersdemandtheirrightsandvaluestoberespectedbybusinesses.ThatshiftshouldbecrystalclearforallbusinessesinChina,includingmultinationals,(someofwhichhaverunintoserioustroubleintheChinesemarketrecently).Itisignoranceofsuchashiftthatcausedtroublesforsomeofthesecompanies,suchasTesla,(whichdrewfiercebacklashoveritshandlingofaconsumerscomplaints).TheproblemforsomeotherforeigncompaniessuchasH&Maremuchmoreserious.InH&Mscase,bybanningcottonfromChinasXinjiangregionatthebehestofforeignpoliticians,thecompanywasnotonlyignorantoftheshiftintheChinesemarketbutalsoarrogantenoughtothink(thatitcandisrespectChineseconsumersandkeepmakingmoneyinChina).UnderstandingthemarketandconsumersshouldbethetoppriorityofanysuccessfulbusinessnotonlyinChinabutaroundtheworld.Abidingbythelawsandregulationsandrespectingconsumersrightsandvaluesshouldalsobethemostimportantthingforcompanieswherevertheyoperate.Ifforeigncompaniescanfocusonthat,theyarenotonlywelcome,butwillalsobesuccessfulintheChinesemarket.1. sober 使清醒 sobering 令人清醒的，发人深省的2. intense 强烈的，紧密的3. regulatory scrutiny 行政监管4. plea 请求5. accuse 起诉，控告 6. behemoth 巨大的 7. sacred 神圣的 8. idolization o偶像化，盲目崇拜9. exceed 超过10. backlash 反冲，抵制 boycott11. behest 要求12. arrogant 自大的，傲慢的13. priority 特权14. abide 遵守1. Apart from the regulator scrutiny, what caused the Alibabas trouble? A. a plea from a female employee B. its problematic business practices C. its ignorance and arrogance D. its disrespect to its customers2. According to the author, what attitude should other companies hold to the Alibabas lesson? A. they should enjoy on the sidelines. B. they should learn a lesson and be sorbed C. put criticism on it D. should ignore the rapid change in Chinese market3. What is the changes happening in the Chinese market? 4. What will the consumers put into consideration when judging a brands? a. b. c. 5. whats the opinion of the author for the success of a company in the new period? 阿里巴巴危机给在华外国公司提供了发人深省的教训对于中国电商巨头阿里现在的处境，用广为流行的中国成语“祸不单行”一词来形容再合适不过了。几个月来，总部位于杭州的阿里因商业不当操作受到了中国监管机构的严格审查。随后，阿里女员工指控其领导性侵，不顾一切伸张正义，将公司再次推向了风口浪尖。目前尚不清楚事态将会如何发展，以及对阿里将会造成多大影响，但最新的丑闻再加上监管审查显然让这家电商巨头陷入了其中一场自199