Hotel

Last year the firm became the world's most valuable ..after it bought ...,a rival, for $.. The combined venture now has ...brands under its umbrella. That is too many: some compete for the same customers in the same places.

So ...will probably spend much of this year expunging overlapping costs and properties.

Still, the company will be bullish when it announces first-quarter results later today.

Hotels are benefiting from the strong economy, and the development pipeline is bulging—..rooms by the most recent count.

But...,boss, reckons the Trump administration's attempt to raise America's drawbridge has deterred many foreigners .

expunge: vt. get rid of

bullish: adj. confident

bulge: vi. increase rapidly

raise the drawbridge: closed-door policy

deter: vt. discourage sb. from doing sth.

be wary of: pay attention to

lure: vt. attract

lucrative: adj. producing a lot of profits

acquisition and merger: 并购

synergy: n. 合力

closed-door policy: 闭关锁国

beggar-thy-neighbors: 以邻为壑

keep a wary eye on sth. / sb.: If you keep a wary eye on sth. or sb., you are cautious about them and watch them to see what they will do or what will happen to them.

sharing economy

tit-for-tat: adj. 针锋相对的

"Motivate them, train them, care about

them, and make winners out of them.

They'll treat the customers right. And

if customers are treated right,

they'll come back."

John Willard Marriott