英语时文泛读 Current News Articles for Extensive Reading

1. 英语时文泛读Current News Articles for Extensive Reading BOOK III

2. US Domestic and International Politics

3. I. Overview • This unit contains three articles on US politics. Read them and think about the US’s role in international affairs and how China should properly handle its relationship with the US.

4. Structure • The US with its power plays a vital role on the world stage. The three articles in this unit respectively describe its politics from the international, bilateral and domestic perspective.

5. If Bush Ruled the World It’s a criticism of Bush’s National Security Strategy statement and foreign policy. If Bush really ruled the world, what would happen? Text A

6. It analyzed China-US relationship from the economic aspect and concluded that both sides had strong interests in maintaining and strengthening the relationship. Sino-US Relations: The Economic Aspect Text B

7. It talks about the presidential election of 2008 in the US while Hillary Clinton and Barrack Obama were competing for the Democratic nomination. All in the Families Text C

8. Focus of this session

9. II. Text A If Bush Ruled the World • Main Idea of the Text • The article criticizes Bush’s National Security Strategy statement and the foreign policy of the Bush Administration.

10. Author William Pfaff is a globally respected political commentator and author on international relations, contemporary history and U.S. policy. He is published in five countries and his column is syndicated by Tribune Media Services. Pfaff’s sometimes controversial opinions on international law, long-term U.S. policies and American foreign relations are noted for their deep concern with the influence of history on today’s affairs and their attention to the moral complexities of international politics and action. Background Information

11. Source The International Herald Tribune is a widely read English language international newspaper. It combines the resources of its own correspondents with those of The New York Times and is printed at 33 sites throughout the world, for sale in more than 180 countries. The IHT is part of The New York Times Company. It has been based in Paris since its founding in 1887. Background Information

12. Neoconservatism is a right-wing political philosophy that emerged in the United States from the rejection of the social liberalism, moral relativism, and New Left counterculture of the 1960s. The term neoconservative was originally used as a criticism against liberals who had “moved to the right”. Cultural Notes

13. Geopolitics is the study that analyzes geography, history and social science with reference to spatial politics and patterns at various scales (ranging from the level of the state to international). It examines the political, economic (see geoeconomics) and strategic significance of geography, where geography is defined in terms of the location, size, function, and relationships of places and resources. Cultural Notes

14. The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) is a British research institute (or think tank) in the area of international affairs. It describes itself as “the world’s leading authority on political-military conflict”. Since 1997 its headquarters have been Arundel House (see the picture), in London. The IISS was founded in 1958, with its original focus nuclear deterrence and arms control. The institute claims that it “was hugely influential in setting the intellectual structures for managing the Cold War.” Cultural Notes IISS London Office IISS Washington Office

15. Osama bin Laden Considered the world’s foremost terrorist, Osama bin Laden is the leader of a terrorist organization known as Al-Qaeda, or “The Base.” Bin Laden is the alleged perpetrator of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center, damaged part of the Pentagon, and resulted in a plane crash in Pennsylvania. At first he denied involvement in the attacks, referring to them, through an aid, as “punishment from Allah.” In recent years he has taken responsibility for “inspiring” the events of Sept. 11, 2001. Cultural Notes

16. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was a Jordanian militant Islamist who ran a militant training camp in Afghanistan. He became known after going to Iraq and being responsible for a series of bombings, beheadings and attacks during the Iraq War Cultural Notes

17. Language Points Key Words & Expressions • deduce (para. 3): • (from) to reach (a conclusion about something) by reasoning; conclude (that); infer 推论, 推断 • e.g. • deduce a conclusion from these facts （从这些事实推出结论） • e.g. • On the basis of the evidence we deduce that he is guilty. （根据这些证据，我们推论他是有罪的。 ）

18. Language Points • pre-emption (para. 6): • the right of a government to intercept and seize for its own purposes goods or property of the subjects of another state while in transit, esp in time of war 先发制人 • e.g. • True, the Bush Administration officials have said that pre-emption can take nonmilitary forms． （诚然，布什政府的官员已说了先发制人可以采取非军事方式。）

19. Language Points • hedge against (para. 11): • to hinder, obstruct, or restrict；or try to protect yourself against possible problems 限制，妨碍; 采取措施以防… • e.g. • Any well-managed business will hedge against price increases. （任何一家管理完善的企业都会采取措施防范价格上涨。 ） • hedge 做名词 的相关例句： • Buying a house is the best hedge against inflation （买房子是防止通货膨胀的最佳措施。 )

20. Language Points • at one’s peril (para. 12): • do sth at one’s peril’ is often used to warn sb that what they intend to do is very dangerous. 用于告诫要做的事情风险很大 • e.g. • Keep off at your peril! （走开点，否则危险自负。） • e.g. • He told us we would be taking that old boat out at our peril. （他告诉我们说我们乘那条旧船出去风险很大。）

21. Language Points • reserve the right (para. 13): • to keep for oneself or retain one’s right to do sth. 保留……的权力 • e.g. • I reserve the right to question these men later. （我保留以后质询这些人的权力。）

22. Language Points • hone (para. 4): • to improve your skill at doing something, especially when you are already very good at it 锤炼，训练 • e.g. • He set about honing his skills as a driver. （他已开始着手训练，进一步提高自己的驾驶技术。） • e.g. • She honed her delivery by long practice. （她花了好长时间练习发言。）

23. Language Points • be enjoined to (para. 14): • be ordered to 被命令…… • enjoin 的其他用法： • enjoin silence on sb. 命令某人保持肃静 • enjoin sb. from doing sth. 禁止某人做某事

24. Language Points Difficult Sentences • While Stephen Hadley, Seretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s former deputy, was preparing the strategy statement (or signing off on it), Rice was in Indonesia to “expand a strategic partnership” with Jakarta, a visit described by officials accompanying her as a signal of American “interest in building up (Indonesia) as a major commercial and military power … to help counter the growing influence of China.” (para.8) • 这个句子很长，要注意分清结构。While 引导的为时间状语从句，并起到了承上启下的过渡作用，使文章内容从美国国家安全战略报告方面转向了国务卿莱斯和总统布什的外交努力。 • 句中Jakarta 雅加达为印尼首都，这里借指印尼政府。

25. Language Points • 主句中to “expand a strategic partnership” with Jakarta说明了莱斯访问印尼的目的，而后边其实是一个短语，补充解释了莱斯的随行官员对此行的看法，described by officials accompanying her as a signal of American “interest in building up (Indonesia) as a major commercial and military power … to help counter the growing influence of China.” 是visit 的后置定语 • Sign off on: to show that you approve of a plan or that something is finished by signing an official document 签字同意，通过 • e.g. it was hard to get celebrities to sign off on those issues.

26. Language Points • A few days earlier, Rice and President George W. Bush were in India on the same mission, making a ‘historic’ gesture that conferred on India a nuclear partnership with America and authorized it to keep its nuclear weapons. (para.9) • confer on: bestow on, usually used in connection with honors, e.g., confer a medal on the hero; confer an honorary degree on her. 授予，赐予 • Here it shows the arrogance of the U.S.. Please note the sarcastic tone of the author here.这里显示了美国政府的傲慢。 • 这里也体现了美国政府的双重标准，伊拉克不能有大规模杀伤性武器，伊朗不能发展核武器，而美国为了限制中国，却鼓励印度保有核武器，说明它所作的一切都是为了自己的国家利益，而不是他们像他们喊的口号那样要让世界人民摆脱暴政，享受民主。

27. Language Points • Possibly he in turn will be offered a strategic partnership, provided that Beijing obeys the new U.S. national security strategy, which tells China to “give up old ways of thinking and acting… and (make) the right strategic choices for its people.” (para.11) • 这里的he 指中国国家主席胡锦涛，作者的语气对美国政府仍然是充满讽刺，因此句子中的引用部分凸现了美国政府的傲慢和不切实际 • provided that：used to say that sth will only be possible if something else happens or is done （连词）只要，如果 • e.g. I’ll go provided that my expenses are paid. • 如果我的费用有人代付，我就去。