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Chickens slaughtered in the United States； claim officials in Brussels； are not fit to grace European tables。 No； say the American： our fowl are fine； we simply clean them in a different way。 These days； it is differences in national regulations； far more than tariffs； that put sand in the wheels of trade between rich countries。 It is not just farmers who are plaining。 An electric razor that meets the European Union's safety standards must be approved by American testers before it can be sold in the United States； and an American…made dialysis machine needs the EU's okay before is hits the market in Europe。
As it happens； a razor that is safe in Europe is unlikely to electrocute Americans。 So； ask businesses on both sides of the Atlantic； why have two lots of tests where one would do？ Politicians agree； in principle； so America and the EU have been trying to reach a deal which would eliminate the need to double…test many products。 They hope to finish in time for a trade summit between America and the EU on May 28TH。 Although negotiators are optimistic； the details are plex enough that they may be hard…pressed to get a deal at all。
Why？ One difficulty is to construct the agreements。 The Americans would happily reach one accord on standards for medical devices and them hammer out different pacts covering； say； electronic goods and drug manufacturing。 The EU following fine continental traditions wants agreement on general principles； which could be applied to many types of products and perhaps extended to other countries。
From： The Economist； May 24th； 1997
New words and expressions 生词和短语
slaughter
v。 屠宰
fit
adj。 适合
grace
v。 给。。。增光
tariff
n。 关税
standard
n。 标准
dialysis
n。 分离，分解；透析，渗析
electrocute
v。 使触电身亡
eliminate
v。 消灭
accord
n。 协议
device
n。 仪器，器械
hammer out
v。 推敲
pact
n。 合同，条约，公约
参考译文
布鲁塞尔的官员说，在美国屠宰的鸡不适于用来装点欧洲的餐桌。不，美国人说，我们的家禽很好，只是我们使用了另一种清洗方式。当前，是各国管理条例上的差异，而不是关税阻碍了发达国家之间的贸易。并不仅仅是农民在抱怨。一把符合欧洲联盟安全标准的电动剃须刀必须得到美国检测人员的认可，方可在美国市场上销售；而美国制造的透析仪也要得到欧盟的首肯才能进入欧洲市场。
碰巧在欧洲使用安全的剃须刀不大可能使美国人触电身亡，因此，大西洋两岸的企业都在问，当一套测试可以解决问题时，为什么需要两套呢？政治家在原则上同意了， 因此，美国和欧洲一直在寻求达成协议，以便为许多产品取消双重检查。他们希望尽早达成协议，为5月28日举行的美国和欧洲贸易的最高通级会议作准备。然谈判代表持乐观态度，但协议细节如此复杂，他们所面临的困难很可能使他们无法取得一致。
为什么呢？困难之一是起草这些协议。美国人很愿意就医疗器械的标准达成一个协议，然后推敲出不同的合同，用以涵盖 比如说 电子产品和药品的生产。欧洲人遵循优良的大陆传统，则希望就普遍的原则取得一致，而这些原则适用于许多不同产品，同时可能延伸到其它国家。
Lesson 9
Royal espionage
王室谍报活动
First listen and then answer the following question。
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
What important thing did King Alfred learn when he penetrated the Danish camp of Guthrum？
Alfred the Great acted his own spy； visiting Danish camps disguised as a minstrel。 In those days wandering minstrels were wele everywhere。 They were not fighting men； and their harp was their passport。 Alfred had learned many of their ballads in his youth； and could vary his programme with acrobatic tricks and simple conjuring。
While Alfred's little army slowly began to gather at Athelney； the king himself set out to penetrate the camp of Guthrum； the mander of the Danish invaders。 There had settled down for the winter at Chippenham： thither Alfred went。 He noticed at once that discipline was slack： the Danes had the self…confidence of conquerors； and their security precautions were casual。 They lived well； on the proceeds of raids on neighbouring regions。 There they collected women as well as food and drink； and a life of ease had made them soft。
Alfred stayed in the camp a week before he returned to Athelney。 The force there assembled was trivial pared with the Danish horde。 But Alfred had deduced that the Danes were no longer fit for prolonged battle： and that their missariat had no organization； but depended on irregular raids。
So； faced with the Danish advance； Alfred did not risk open battle but harried the enemy。 He was constantly on the move； drawing the Danes after him。 His patrols halted the raiding parties： hunger assailed the Danish army。 Now Alfred began a long series of skirmishes and within a month the Danes had surrendered。 The episode could reasonably serve as a unique epic of royal espionage！
BERNARD NEWMAN Spies in Britain
New words and expressions 生词和短语
espionage
n。 间谍活动
Alfred
公元871…899 年间任英国国王
Danish
adj。 丹麦的，丹麦人的，丹麦语的
minstrel
n。 中世纪的吟游歌手
wandering
adj。 漫游的
harp
n。 坚琴
ballad
n。 民歌
acrobatic
adj。 杂技的
conjuring
n。 魔术
Athelney
n。 阿塞尔纳（英国一个小岛）
Chippenham
n。 切本哈姆（英国一个城市）
thither
adv。 向那里
Dane
n。 丹麦人
slack
adj。 涣散的
conqueror
n。 征服者
casual
adj。 马虎的，随便的
precaution
n。 预防，警惕
proceeds
n。 所得
assemble
v。 集合
trivial
adj。 微不足道的
prolonged
adj。 持久的
missariat
n。 军粮供应
episode
n。 一个事件，片断
epic
n。 史诗
harry
v。 骚扰
assail
v。 袭击
skirmish
n。 小规模战斗
参考译文
阿尔弗雷德大帝曾亲自充当间谍。他扮作吟游歌手到丹麦军队的营地里侦察。当时，浪迹天涯的吟游歌手到处受欢迎，他们不是作战人员，竖琴就是他们的通行证。阿尔弗德年轻时学过许多民歌，并能穿插演一些杂技和小魔术使自己的节目多样化。
阿尔弗雷德人数不多的军队开始在阿塞尔纳慢慢集结时，他亲自潜入丹麦入侵司令官古瑟罗姆的营地。丹麦军已在切本哈姆扎下营准备过冬，阿尔弗雷便来到此地。他马上发现丹麦军纪律松弛，他们以征服者自居，安全措施马马虎虎。他们靠掠夺附近的地区的财物过着舒适的生活。他们不仅搜刮吃的喝的，而且抢掠妇女，安逸的生活已使丹麦军队变得软弱无力。
阿尔弗雷德在敌营呆了一个星期后，回到了阿塞尔纳。他集结在那里的军队和丹麦大军相比是微不足道的，然而，阿尔弗雷德断定，丹麦人已不再适应持久的战争，他们的军需供应处于无组织状态，只是靠临时抢夺来维持。
因此，面对丹麦人的进攻，阿尔弗雷德没有贸然同敌人作战，而是采用骚扰敌人的战术。他的部队不停地移动，牵着敌人的鼻子，让他们跟着跑。他派出巡逻队阻止敌人抢劫，因而饥饿威胁着丹麦军队。这时，阿尔弗雷德发起一连串小规模的进攻，结果不出一个月，丹麦人就投降了。这一幕历史可以说是王室谍报活动中最精彩的篇章。。
Unit 2
Lesson 10
Silicon valley
硅谷
First listen and then answer the following question。
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
What does the puter industry thrive on apart from anarchy？
Technology trends may push Silicon Valley back to the future。 Carver Mead； a pioneer in integrated circuits and a professor of puter science at the California Institute of Technology； notes there are now work…stations that enable engineers to design； test and produ