Why read this: This B2 profile gives students a clear way into a real news story about leadership at one of the world's most famous companies. The article keeps the original spine — Tim Cook is preparing to step down, and John Ternus is the most likely successor — and lets students see how a single leadership change connects to bigger issues like AI strategy, US tariffs and the public image of powerful figures. Reading it builds awareness that business news is rarely just about one person; it is about the choices that person will have to make.
What to notice: Notice how the journalist uses small details to make larger points. The wired-headphones moment, for example, is not just a charming story — it is evidence that Apple still cares about its older customers and that its leaders pay attention to what is on the shop wall. Pay attention to hedging language too, such as 'probably', 'reportedly', 'seems' and 'may need to'. These words show that the writer is being careful with claims rather than uncertain. Finally, notice how the analyst's quote shifts the article briefly from reporting to expert opinion.
Skills practised: Students practise inferring a writer's view when it is not stated directly, and weighing evidence from anecdotes alongside expert quotation. They work with B2-level subordinate clauses, modal hedging ('may', 'could', 'would') and concessive linkers such as 'even with', 'however' and 'nevertheless'. Vocabulary work focuses on multi-word business terms — 'stepping down', 'product launch', 'defensive strategy', 'AI bubble' — which are common in news writing but often opaque to learners. The comprehension questions ask students to reread specific sentences, identify the article's main idea, and evaluate Apple's AI strategy with evidence.
Apple's Next Boss: Can John Ternus Keep the Magic Going?
Apple's likely new CEO is calm and product-focused, but he must handle AI competition, Trump's tariffs and a public hungry for personality.
Tap any green word in the article to see its meaning.
Apple has probably been planning this change for years. Tim Cook, now 65, is reportedly thinking about stepping down: leaving a senior position—usually to retire or hand over to a successor — 卸任. Several possible successorssuccessor: A person or thing that immediately follows another in holding an office or title — 接续者 were mentioned in the press, but one name has stuck: 51-year-old John Ternus, the firmfirm: A business or company, especially a small one. — 公司；商行's vice president: the executive ranking just below the president of a company — 副总裁 of hardwarehardware: the physical components of a computer system, or tools and equipment used in construction — 硬件；五金器具, who has worked at Apple for 25 years.
I met Ternus informally in the UK and asked him whether he was really the next CEO of Apple. He laughed and gave a smooth, polite reply that did not actually answer the question, then began praisingpraise: To give praise to; to commend, glorify, or worship — 赞扬 Cook's leadershipleadership: The action of leading a group of people; the ability to lead. — 领导力；领导层. He was friendly and well prepared, but he never once said anything unplanned. Apple is famously good at controlling its message, even in small private meetings.
Even with its enormous success, Apple faces serious challenges, and how Ternus handleshandle: To manage or deal with a situation, person, or task. — 处理；应对 them will shape the company's future. The firm has chosen a leader much like Cook: calm, steadysteady: Firmly fixed, supported, or balanced; regular and continuous. — 稳定的；平稳的 and reliable. Co-founderco-founder: a person who started a company together with others — 联合创始人 Steve Jobs was famous for being brilliant but also angry and difficult to work with, while Cook and Ternus appear far quieter. Like many large techtech: Technology, especially as applied to a particular industry; a technology company or sector — 科技 firms, Apple has also still never appointedappoint: To formally choose someone for a position, role, or responsibility. — 任命；指定；委派 a woman as its chiefchief: Most important; main or principal — 主要的 executiveexecutive: A senior manager in a business or organisation; the branch of government responsible for implementing laws. — 高管；行政人员.
Ternus is affectionatelyaffectionately: In an affectionate manner — 亲切地 called a product guy: an executive whose passion is the product itself, not finance or operations — 产品型高管, and he says he likes to be hands-on: actively involved in the practical work, not just supervising — 亲力亲为 with the design teams. Cook was first known as the operations expert, but he too follows hardware closelyclosely: In a way that involves careful attention to detail; in a way that is near in distance or relationship. — 紧密地；密切地. When we met, Ternus was fascinatedfascinate: To evoke an intense interest or attraction in someone — 深深吸引 by my old BBC audioaudio: Relating to sound, especially recorded or transmitted sound. — 音频的；声音的 recorderrecorder: An apparatus for recording; a device which records — 录音机, turning it over and admiring its buttons. I joked that I had borrowed wired headphones: headphones that connect with a cable, not wirelessly — 有线耳机 from his team, and he replied, very seriously, that Apple still sold them. A colleague later said Cook had spotted the same headphones in a European Apple Store and confirmed they were still popular.
Cook's last major product launch: the public release of a new product — 产品发布, the Vision Pro VR headset: a virtual-reality headset worn over the eyes — VR头显, has not been a success. It arrived years after rivalsrival: A person or thing competing with another for the same objective or superiority. — 对手；竞争者 and cost roughlyroughly: Approximately; in a way that lacks precision or gentleness. — 大约；粗略地 ten times more. The bigger test for Ternus, however, is artificialartificial: Made or produced by human beings rather than occurring naturally — 人造的；人工的 intelligence, an area where Apple has been criticisedcriticise: To find fault (with something) — 批评 for reacting too slowly. The company usually moves with great care, and that patient approachapproach: A way of dealing with a situation or problem; a method — 方法；途径 helped the 2007 iPhone redefineredefine: To define again or differently — 重新定义 the smartphone market. Eventually Apple added ChatGPT and Gemini to its operating systems: the core software that runs a phone or computer — 操作系统, choosing partners rather than building its own AI.
Susannah Streeter, an investmentinvestment: The action of investing money for profit; something worth buying because it may be profitable — 投资 expert at Wealth Club, said Apple has not spent heavily on AI. She expects Ternus to continue this defensive strategy: a cautious approach that protects existing strengths rather than betting big — 防御型策略, which seems sensible if the AI bubble: an overvaluation of AI companies that may collapse — AI泡沫 burstsburst: To break open or apart suddenly and forcefully, typically as a result of internal pressure; to appear or happen suddenly. — 迸发. Other tech giants have placed enormous betsbet: A wager, an agreement between two parties that a stake (usually money) will be paid by the loser to the winner (the winner being the one who correctly forecast the outcome of an event) — 赌注 on AI, and one of the next stages may be physical: robots designed to look and move like humans. Should Apple build one? Its devices are famous for their elegantelegant: Graceful and stylish in appearance or manner; pleasingly clever and simple. — 优雅的；精致的 design, but a working robot does not need to look beautiful — it simply needs to work.
Ternus also has a political challenge: he must work with a US president who often changes his mind without warning. Cook has carefully described himself as politically neutralneutral: Not supporting either side in a conflict; having no strongly marked characteristics. — 中立的；中性的, but he still donated to Trump's inauguration fund: money raised to pay for a US president's swearing-in ceremony — 就职典礼基金 and gave him a statue with a 24-karat gold base. Apple was neverthelessnevertheless: In spite of that; notwithstanding; however. — 然而；尽管如此 hit by Trump's tariffstariff: A system of government-imposed duties levied on imported or exported goods; a list of such duties, or the duties themselves — 关税；关税制度, since it has not fullyfully: Completely or entirely; to the greatest possible extent. — 完全地；充分地 moved its production out of China. Even so, Trump praised Cook warmly in a long social media post: a message published on a social network — 社交媒体帖子 this week, calling him an incredible guy.
Finally, Ternus must decide how much of his private life he is willingwilling: Ready, eager, or prepared to do something. — 愿意的；乐意的 to share. Cook revealedreveal: To make something previously secret or unknown publicly known. — 揭示；透露 in 2014 that he was gaygay: Sexually attracted to people of the same sex, especially used of men. — 同性恋的 but has otherwiseotherwise: In different circumstances; in other respects; or else. — 否则；除此之外 kept his personal life out of view. Ternus, a formerformer: Having previously been a particular thing; of an earlier time. — 以前的；前任的 swimming champion, once admitted he was not much of a role model: a person whose behavior others should imitate — 榜样 for work-life balance: the healthy split between work hours and personal life — 工作与生活平衡. In a culture that wants its most powerful figures to seem real, he may need to open up: to share personal feelings or information more freely — 敞开心扉 more — or at least learn to play the part convincingly.
Apple has probably been planning this change for years. Tim Cook, now 65, is reportedly thinking about stepping down: leaving a senior position—usually to retire or hand over to a successor — 卸任. Several possible successorssuccessor: A person or thing that immediately follows another in holding an office or title — 接续者 were mentioned in the press, but one name has stuck: 51-year-old John Ternus, the firmfirm: A business or company, especially a small one. — 公司；商行's vice president: the executive ranking just below the president of a company — 副总裁 of hardwarehardware: the physical components of a computer system, or tools and equipment used in construction — 硬件；五金器具, who has worked at Apple for 25 years.
I met Ternus informally in the UK and asked him whether he was really the next CEO of Apple. He laughed and gave a smooth, polite reply that did not actually answer the question, then began praisingpraise: To give praise to; to commend, glorify, or worship — 赞扬 Cook's leadershipleadership: The action of leading a group of people; the ability to lead. — 领导力；领导层. He was friendly and well prepared, but he never once said anything unplanned. Apple is famously good at controlling its message, even in small private meetings.
Even with its enormous success, Apple faces serious challenges, and how Ternus handleshandle: To manage or deal with a situation, person, or task. — 处理；应对 them will shape the company's future. The firm has chosen a leader much like Cook: calm, steadysteady: Firmly fixed, supported, or balanced; regular and continuous. — 稳定的；平稳的 and reliable. Co-founderco-founder: a person who started a company together with others — 联合创始人 Steve Jobs was famous for being brilliant but also angry and difficult to work with, while Cook and Ternus appear far quieter. Like many large techtech: Technology, especially as applied to a particular industry; a technology company or sector — 科技 firms, Apple has also still never appointedappoint: To formally choose someone for a position, role, or responsibility. — 任命；指定；委派 a woman as its chiefchief: Most important; main or principal — 主要的 executiveexecutive: A senior manager in a business or organisation; the branch of government responsible for implementing laws. — 高管；行政人员.
Ternus is affectionatelyaffectionately: In an affectionate manner — 亲切地 called a product guy: an executive whose passion is the product itself, not finance or operations — 产品型高管, and he says he likes to be hands-on: actively involved in the practical work, not just supervising — 亲力亲为 with the design teams. Cook was first known as the operations expert, but he too follows hardware closelyclosely: In a way that involves careful attention to detail; in a way that is near in distance or relationship. — 紧密地；密切地. When we met, Ternus was fascinatedfascinate: To evoke an intense interest or attraction in someone — 深深吸引 by my old BBC audioaudio: Relating to sound, especially recorded or transmitted sound. — 音频的；声音的 recorderrecorder: An apparatus for recording; a device which records — 录音机, turning it over and admiring its buttons. I joked that I had borrowed wired headphones: headphones that connect with a cable, not wirelessly — 有线耳机 from his team, and he replied, very seriously, that Apple still sold them. A colleague later said Cook had spotted the same headphones in a European Apple Store and confirmed they were still popular.
Cook's last major product launch: the public release of a new product — 产品发布, the Vision Pro VR headset: a virtual-reality headset worn over the eyes — VR头显, has not been a success. It arrived years after rivalsrival: A person or thing competing with another for the same objective or superiority. — 对手；竞争者 and cost roughlyroughly: Approximately; in a way that lacks precision or gentleness. — 大约；粗略地 ten times more. The bigger test for Ternus, however, is artificialartificial: Made or produced by human beings rather than occurring naturally — 人造的；人工的 intelligence, an area where Apple has been criticisedcriticise: To find fault (with something) — 批评 for reacting too slowly. The company usually moves with great care, and that patient approachapproach: A way of dealing with a situation or problem; a method — 方法；途径 helped the 2007 iPhone redefineredefine: To define again or differently — 重新定义 the smartphone market. Eventually Apple added ChatGPT and Gemini to its operating systems: the core software that runs a phone or computer — 操作系统, choosing partners rather than building its own AI.
Susannah Streeter, an investmentinvestment: The action of investing money for profit; something worth buying because it may be profitable — 投资 expert at Wealth Club, said Apple has not spent heavily on AI. She expects Ternus to continue this defensive strategy: a cautious approach that protects existing strengths rather than betting big — 防御型策略, which seems sensible if the AI bubble: an overvaluation of AI companies that may collapse — AI泡沫 burstsburst: To break open or apart suddenly and forcefully, typically as a result of internal pressure; to appear or happen suddenly. — 迸发. Other tech giants have placed enormous betsbet: A wager, an agreement between two parties that a stake (usually money) will be paid by the loser to the winner (the winner being the one who correctly forecast the outcome of an event) — 赌注 on AI, and one of the next stages may be physical: robots designed to look and move like humans. Should Apple build one? Its devices are famous for their elegantelegant: Graceful and stylish in appearance or manner; pleasingly clever and simple. — 优雅的；精致的 design, but a working robot does not need to look beautiful — it simply needs to work.
Ternus also has a political challenge: he must work with a US president who often changes his mind without warning. Cook has carefully described himself as politically neutralneutral: Not supporting either side in a conflict; having no strongly marked characteristics. — 中立的；中性的, but he still donated to Trump's inauguration fund: money raised to pay for a US president's swearing-in ceremony — 就职典礼基金 and gave him a statue with a 24-karat gold base. Apple was neverthelessnevertheless: In spite of that; notwithstanding; however. — 然而；尽管如此 hit by Trump's tariffstariff: A system of government-imposed duties levied on imported or exported goods; a list of such duties, or the duties themselves — 关税；关税制度, since it has not fullyfully: Completely or entirely; to the greatest possible extent. — 完全地；充分地 moved its production out of China. Even so, Trump praised Cook warmly in a long social media post: a message published on a social network — 社交媒体帖子 this week, calling him an incredible guy.
Finally, Ternus must decide how much of his private life he is willingwilling: Ready, eager, or prepared to do something. — 愿意的；乐意的 to share. Cook revealedreveal: To make something previously secret or unknown publicly known. — 揭示；透露 in 2014 that he was gaygay: Sexually attracted to people of the same sex, especially used of men. — 同性恋的 but has otherwiseotherwise: In different circumstances; in other respects; or else. — 否则；除此之外 kept his personal life out of view. Ternus, a formerformer: Having previously been a particular thing; of an earlier time. — 以前的；前任的 swimming champion, once admitted he was not much of a role model: a person whose behavior others should imitate — 榜样 for work-life balance: the healthy split between work hours and personal life — 工作与生活平衡. In a culture that wants its most powerful figures to seem real, he may need to open up: to share personal feelings or information more freely — 敞开心扉 more — or at least learn to play the part convincingly.
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
According to the article, why did the journalist's meeting with John Ternus suggest he is likely to become the next CEO?
- 02
Why does the analyst Susannah Streeter describe Apple's AI approach as sensible?
- 03
What is the main idea of the article as a whole?
- 04
How does the journalist suggest that Apple controls its public image, even in private meetings? Use evidence from the article.
Suggested length: ~80 words
- 05
Evaluate whether Apple's slow, careful approach to artificial intelligence is the right strategy for John Ternus to continue. Support your answer with evidence from the article.
Suggested length: ~80 words
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
According to the article, why did the journalist's meeting with John Ternus suggest he is likely to become the next CEO?
- 02
Why does the analyst Susannah Streeter describe Apple's AI approach as sensible?
- 03
What is the main idea of the article as a whole?
- 04
How does the journalist suggest that Apple controls its public image, even in private meetings? Use evidence from the article.
Suggested length: ~80 words
- 05
Evaluate whether Apple's slow, careful approach to artificial intelligence is the right strategy for John Ternus to continue. Support your answer with evidence from the article.
Suggested length: ~80 words