教甄◆英文科題庫下載題庫

   Steinway & Sons’ pianos provide an example of excellent craftsmanship. Founded in 1853 by Henry D. Steinway, the company has bee making pianos the same way for over 150 years. All 12,000 parts of the piano are installed by hand. Each piano takes a year to make. All of this is done to fulfill Henry Steinway’s ideal to “build the best piano possible.”

   In the 1900s, cars ran poorly. They were noisy and needed frequent repairs. But in1907 Henry Royce designed a car that was both quiet and reliable. He partnered with Charles Rolls to make the “Silver Ghost,” a car that ran so smoothly it hardly made a noise. It also performed well on endurance tests. In one test, it went over 14,000 miles without stopping for maintenance. “Take the best that exists and make it better. When it does not exist, design it,” Henry Royce once said about achieving excellence.          Excellent products stand the test of time. Rolls-Royce cars and Steinway pianos are built to last for generations. When choosing materials and parts for their products, both companies carefully select the most durable. For example, Steinway makes the rim of their pianos out of 18 layers of hardwood.                Admittedly, Rolls-Royce cars and Steinway pianos are expensive. Excellence in all things comes with a price. But the quality is what lasts over time. Henry Royce once said, “The quality remains long after the price is forgotten.”