At Eastfield Mill（压榨机、磨坊）/mil/, a compact（紧凑的、紧密的）/kәm'pækt/ machine was built（语境补充词）/bɪlt/ to automate（自动化）/'ɔ:tәmeit/ the cutting of durable（持久的、耐用的）/'djurәbl/ textile（织的、纺织的）/'tekstail/. Each batch（一次所烘的面包、一次所制之量）/bætʃ/ passed under a steel blade（叶片、刀锋）/bleid/, around an oval（椭圆形）/'әuvәl/ coil（线圈、盘绕）/kɒil/, and onto cardboard（薄纸板）/'kɑ:dbɒ:d/. One morning a sharp crack（裂缝、爆裂声）/kræk/ interrupted production. A cable（电缆、海底电报）/'keibl/ shook, a brass（黄铜、黄铜制品）/bræs.brɑ:s/ bolt（门闩、螺钉）/bәult/ rolled beside a copper（铜、警察）/'kɒpә/ cord（绳索、束缚）/kɒ:d/, and the workforce（劳动力；全体员工）/ˈwərkˌfɔrs/ had to step back（后退）/stɛp bæk/. Team leader Rita hit the curb（抑制、勒马绳）/kә:b/ switch before the breakdown（崩溃、故障）/'breikdaun/ could become a blast（一阵风、爆炸）/blæst/.

Technician（技师）/tek'niʃәn/ Mo studied the blueprint（蓝图、设计图）/'blu:'print/ and began to locate（找出、设于）/'lәukeit/ the defect（缺点）/di'fekt/. The machine used a silicon（硅）/'silikәn/ sensor（检测器）/'sensә/ to keep each cut within the norm（在标准范围内）/wɪˈθɪn ðə nɔrm/. Its reading was deficient（不足的、不充分的）/di'fiʃәnt/, while pressure in a small chamber（室、房间）/'tʃeimbә/ had begun（语境补充词）/ˈbeɪgən/ to inflate（使膨胀、使得意）/in'fleit/. Mo used a handy（便利的、敏捷的）/'hændi/ hammer（锤、铁锤）/'hæmә/ to free a bent（爱好）/bent/ gear（齿轮、工具）/giә/, then checked the furnace（火炉、熔炉）/'fә:nis/, crane（鹤、起重机）/krein/, and hardware（硬件、五金器具）/'hɑ:dwєә/ harness（马具、挽具状带子）/'hɑ:nis/. He found a flaw（缺点、裂纹）/flɒ:/ where cement（水泥、胶结剂）/si'ment/ dust had mixed with dye（颜料、染料）/dai/ and formed a hard heap（堆积、装满）/hi:p/ around the sensor.

Rita said, “Management（语境补充词）/ˈmænɪʤmənt/ wants this line to thrive（繁荣、兴旺）/θraiv/, but we cannot manufacture（制造、假造）/.mænju'fæktʃә/ safely while the strain（紧张、拉紧）/strein/ is rising.” Mo replied, “The repair is tangible（可触摸的、有实体的）/'tændʒәbl/: replace the sensor, grind（磨、碾）/graind/ the rough edge, and tighten（勒紧、使变紧）/'taitn/ the bolt.” Safety officer Grace added, “Before restart（重新开始、重新启动）/.ri:'stɑ:t/, we need rational（理性的、合理的）/'ræʃәnl/ evidence that every hazard（冒险、危险）/'hæzәd/ is under control（受控制）/ˈəndər kənˈtroʊl/.”

They weighed a kilogram（语境补充词）/ˈkɪləˌgræm/ of test material and ran（语境补充词）/ræn/ it at low horsepower（以低功率）/æt loʊ ˈhɔrˌspaʊər/. The new sensor responded, but a loose cord began to curl（拳曲、鬈发）/kә:l/ near the blade. Mo stirred（骚动、轰动）/stә:/ cooling fluid and reinforced the cable. His next task was to fit a fresh harness（安装新的安全带）/fɪt ə frɛʃ ˈhɑrnɪs/. Rita had to keep everyone clear（让所有人远离危险区）/kip ˈɛvriˌwən klɪr/ while the crane lifted a timber（木材、木料）/'timbә/ guard. The team did not discriminate（区别、差别待遇）/dis'krimineit/ between permanent staff and temporary workers; every person received the same safety explanation. A solemn（严肃的、郑重的）/'sɒlәm/ pause followed each test, and no one allowed enthusiasm to replace measurement（尺寸、度量）/'meʒәdmәnt/.

The final readings were stable, yet a chill（寒冷、寒意）/tʃil/ remained in the workshop and Grace resisted a spontaneous（自然的、自发的）/spɒn'teiniәs/ restart. She asked the team to innovate（改革、创新）/'inәuveit/ responsibly（语境补充词）/rɪˈspɑnsəbli/ and record why the line had deteriorated（(使)恶化）/di'tiәriәreit/. Their answer was simple: the factory had tried to mechanize（使机械化）/ˈmɛkəˌnaɪz/ one stage without updating dust control. Rita approved a limited run（有限试产）/ə ˈlɪmɪtɪd rən/ only after the sensor passed inspection（通过检查）/pæst ˌɪnˈspɛkʃən/. The cable, blade, and coil passed inspection as well. The mill could now manufacture again without hiding the earlier（语境补充词）/ˈərliər/ defect. Productivity（生产力）/.prәudʌk'tiviti/ mattered, but the decision showed that a keen（挽歌、痛哭）/ki:n/ workforce and rational process were more valuable than speed and far more likely to thrive.