The Economist [06] | The world of this week - politics | Part 1

The army took control of Zimbabwe, insisting that its coup was not a coup. The generals wanted to stop Robert Mugabe, the country’s 93-year- old dictator, from passing power to his shopaholic wife, Grace. The most likely person to end up in charge is Emmerson Mnangagwa, who was sacked as vice-president earlier this month.

João Lourenço, the president of Angola, fired Isabel dos Santos, the daughter of his predecessor and Africa’s richest woman, as chairman of the state oil company. Since succeeding José Eduardo dos Santos in September, Mr Lourenço, who vowed to fight corruption, has also dismissed the governor of the central bank, the head of the state diamond company and the boards of all three state-owned media companies.

An earthquake in Iran killed at least 530 people and injured thousands more. Hassan Rouhani, the president, blamed some of the damage on the poor construction of state-built homes. He blamed corruption in a housing scheme initiated by his predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The quake was also felt in Iraq, killing several people and injuring hundreds.

It emerged that last month rebels in Syria allowed the jihadists of Islamic State to leave Raqqa, which was once their putative capital. After four months of intense fighting, the two sides reached a deal that allowed hundreds of IS fighters to escape with their ammunition, preventing immediate bloodshed, but storing up trouble for the future.

France and Germany edged closer towards their ambition to achieve more integration in European defence, signing a pact with 21 other governments in the EU to fund, develop and deploy armed forces. This follows Britain’s decision to quit the EU.

Russia came under attack for allegedly using social media to interfere with Britain’s vote last year on leaving the EU. It was also accused of meddling with Catalonia’s referendum on independence from Spain.

The army took control of Zimbabwe[津巴布韦共和国🇿🇼], insisting that its coup[军事政变] was not a coup.

【coup】/kuː/

a sudden illegal, often violent, taking of government power, especially by part of an army政变；（尤指）军事政变

a military coup军事政变

The generals wanted to stop Robert Mugabe, the country’s 93-year- old dictator[专权者], from passing power to his shopaholic[购物狂] wife, Grace.

【dictator】

a person who gives orders and behaves as if they have complete power独断专行者；专权者

My boss is kind of a dictator.我的老板是个有点独断专行的人。

The most likely[最有可能的] person to end up[最终] in charge is Emmerson Mnangagwa, who was sacked as vice-president earlier this month.

【sack】

to remove someone from a job, usually because they have done something wrong or badly, or sometimes as a way of saving the cost of employing them解雇，开除

They sacked her for being late.因为迟到，他们把她开除了。

He got sacked from his last job.他上一份工作是被解雇的。

João Lourenço, the president of Angola[安哥拉🇦🇴], fired Isabel dos Santos, the daughter of his predecessor[前任] and Africa’s richest woman, as chairman of the state oil company.

【fire】

to remove someone from their job, either because they have done something wrong or badly, or as a way of saving the cost of employing them解雇，开除

She was fired after she was caught stealing from her employer.她因偷雇主的东西时当场被抓而遭解雇。

He was fired from his $165,000 job for poor performance.他因为表现不佳丢掉了他薪资165 000美元的工作。

She has just been fired as editor of the newspaper.她刚刚被炒，丢掉了这家报纸主编的职位。

The company is reducing its workforce by firing 500 employees.该公司将裁员500人以减少雇员人数。

【predecessor】 /ˈpred.ə.ses.ɚ/

someone who had a job or a position before someone else, or something that comes before another thing in timeor in a series前任，前辈；原有事物，前身

My predecessor worked in this job for twelve years.我的前任干这份工作干了12年。

The latest Ferrari is not only faster than its predecessors but also more comfortable.最新款的法拉利赛车不仅比老款的更快，而且更舒适。

Since succeeding[继任] José Eduardo dos Santos in September, Mr Lourenço, who vowed to[发誓] fight corruption[贪污], has also dismissed[解雇] the governor of the central bank, the head of the state diamond company and the boards of all three state-owned media companies.

【succeed】

to take an official job or position after someone else接替，继任；继承

He succeeded his father as editor of the paper.他接替父亲成为了报纸的主编。

When the Queen dies, her eldest son will succeed to the throne.女王去世后，将由其长子继承王位。

【vow】

to make a determined decision or promise to do something发誓，立誓

[ + (that) ] The guerrillas vowed (that) they would overthrow the government.游击队发誓要推翻政府。

[ + to infinitive ] After the awful meals we had last Christmas, I vowed to do more of the cooking myself.自从去年圣诞节我们吃过几顿糟糕的饭之后，我就发誓要自己常做饭。

【corruption】

illegal, bad, or dishonest behaviour, especially by people in positions of power（尤指当权者的）贪污，腐败，堕落

The film is about a young police officer and his struggle to exposecorruption in the force.影片讲述的是一个年轻警察的故事，表现了他是如何克服困难揭露警方内部腐败的。

Political corruption is widespread throughout the country.政治腐败在全国蔓延。

【dismiss】

to remove someone from their job, especially because they have done something wrong（尤指因做错事）使免职，将…解职，解雇

He has been dismissed from his job for incompetence.他因无法胜任工作而被解职。

An earthquake in Iran[伊朗🇮🇷] killed at least 530 people and injured thousands more. Hassan Rouhani, the president, blamed[归咎于] some of the damage on the poor construction[劣质的建造] of state-built homes.

【poor】

not good; being of a very low quality, quantity, or standard粗劣的，蹩脚的；不好的

a poor harvest歉收

Last year's exam results were fairly poor.去年的考试成绩相当差。

I was always very poor at maths at school.我上学时数学一直很差。

Dad had been in poor health for several years.爸爸几年来健康状况一直很差。

At last month's meeting, attendance was poor.上个月的会议出席率很低。

He blamed[指责] corruption in a housing scheme[计划] initiated by his predecessor[前任], Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The quake was also felt in Iraq[伊拉克🇮🇶], killing several people and injuring hundreds.

【scheme】

an officially organized plan or system方案，计划

Under the current marking/mark scheme, you need 90 percent to get an A.

a training/housing/play scheme培训／住房／娱乐活动方案

a pension/savings scheme养老金／储蓄金计划

There's a new scheme in our town for recycling plastic bottles.我们镇上有一个回收利用塑料瓶的新计划。

Class sizes will increase under the new scheme.按照新的体制，班级规模将扩大。

It emerged[真相大白] that last monthrebels[反抗者] in Syria[叙利亚🇸🇾] allowed the jihadists[圣战分子] of Islamic State to leave Raqqa, which was once their putative[被认为存在的] capital.

【emerge】

to become known, especially as a result of examiningsomething or asking questions about it（尤指经过审查或讯问后）被知晓，显露，暴露

The facts behind the scandal are sure to emerge eventually.丑闻背后的真相最终一定会水落石出。

[ + that ] It has emerged that secret talks had been going on between the two companies before the takeover was announced.现在已经真相大白，原来在接管计划宣布之前，两家公司一直在进行秘密会谈。

She's the most exciting British singer to emerge on the pop scene for a decade.她是10年来在流行乐坛中崭露头角的最为激情四射的英国歌手。

【putative】/ˈpjuː.t̬ə.t̬ɪv/

generally thought to be or to exist, even if this may not really be true假定存在的，被认为存在的

The putative leader of the terrorist cell was arrested yesterday.被认定为该恐怖组织头目的人昨天在伯明翰被警方逮捕了。

After four months of intense fighting[激战], the two sides reached a deal[达成一致] that allowed hundreds of IS fighters to escape with their ammunition[弹药], preventing[阻止] immediate bloodshed[流血杀戮], but storing up[积攒] trouble for the future.

【ammunition】

objects that can be shot from a weapon, such as bullets or bombs弹药，军火

a good supply of ammunition充足的弹药供应

a shortage of ammunition弹药短缺

【store sth up】

to keep a lot of something in one place, to be used in the future储存，储藏，储备

We believe that he has been training an army and storing up arms.我们确信他一直在训练军队，储备武器。

France[法国🇫🇷] and Germany[德国🇩🇪]  edged[缓慢发展] closer towards their ambition to achieve more integration[一体化] in European defence [保护], signing a pact[条约协定] with 21 other governments in the EU to fund, develop and deploy[部署] armed forces[武装部队]. This follows Britain’s decision to quit the EU.

【edge】

to move slowly with gradual movements or in gradual stages, or to make someone or something move in this way（使）徐徐移动；（使）缓慢发展

A long line of traffic edged its way forward.一条长长的车龙缓缓向前移动。

Inflation has edged up to five percent over the last two years.在过去两年中，通货膨胀慢慢攀升至5%。

Those who disagreed with the CEO's viewpoint were gradually edged out of (= forced to leave) the company.那些和总经理观点不一致的人慢慢地一个个被迫离开了公司。

【pact】

a formal agreement between two people or groups of people契约；条约；协定

The United States and Canada have signed a free-trade pact.美国和加拿大签署了自由贸易协定。

[ + to infinitive ] Big drug companies plan to form a pact with the National Institutes of Health to share information.

【deploy】

to move soldiers or equipment to a place where they can be used when they are needed部署；调动

The decision has been made to deploy extra troops/more powerfulweapons.目前已经决定部署更多的士兵／更具杀伤力的武器。

Russia[俄罗斯🇷🇺]came under attack[遭受攻击] for allegedly[被指控的] using social media to interfere with[干扰] Britain’s vote last year on leaving the EU. It was also accused of[被指控] meddling with[干涉] Catalonia’s referendum[全民投票] on independence from Spain.

【under attack, consideration, discussion, etc】

in the process of being attacked, considered, discussed, etc.遭受攻击／正在考虑／正在讨论等

The town is under fire (= is being attacked) from the air.该城正遭受空袭。

The proposals are now under consideration by the Board of Governors.理事会正在考虑这些提议。

The situation is still not under control.局势仍然没有得到控制。

【alleged】

said or thought by some people to be the stated bad or illegal thing, although you have no proof被说成的，（尤指在证据不足的情况下）被指控的

It took 15 years for the alleged criminals (= people thought to be criminals) to prove their innocence.那些被指控犯罪的人用了15年时间才证明他们是无辜的。

【referendum】/ˌref.əˈren.dəm/

a vote in which all the people in a country or an areaare asked to give their opinion about or decide an important political or social question（就重大政治或社会问题进行的）全民公决，全民投票

Is it more democratic to hold a referendum, rather than let the government alone decide?进行一次全民公决，而不是由政府自己作出决定，是不是要更民主些？

The army took control of Zimbabwe[津巴布韦共和国🇿🇼], insisting that its coup[军事政变] was not a coup. The generals wanted to stop Robert Mugabe, the country’s 93-year- old dictator[专权者], from passing power to his shopaholic[购物狂] wife, Grace. The most likely[最有可能的] person to end up[最终] in charge is Emmerson Mnangagwa, who was sacked[解聘] as vice-president earlier this month.

João Lourenço, the president of Angola[安哥拉🇦🇴], fired[解聘] Isabel dos Santos, the daughter of his predecessor[前任] and Africa’s richest woman, as chairman of the state oil company. Since succeeding[继任] José Eduardo dos Santos in September, Mr Lourenço, who vowed to[发誓] fight corruption[贪污], has also dismissed[解雇] the governor of the central bank, the head of the state diamond company and the boards of[董事会] all three state-owned media companies.

An earthquake in Iran[伊朗🇮🇷] killed at least 530 people and injured thousands more. Hassan Rouhani, the president, blamed[归咎于] some of the damage on the poor construction[劣质的建造] of state-built homes. He blamed[指责] corruption[贪污腐败] in a housing scheme[计划] initiated by his predecessor[前任], Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The quake was also felt in Iraq[伊拉克🇮🇶], killing several people and injuring hundreds.

It emerged[真相大白] that last monthrebels[反抗者] in Syria[叙利亚🇸🇾] allowed the jihadists[圣战分子] of Islamic State to leave Raqqa, which was once their putative[被认为存在的] capital. After four months of intense fighting[激战], the two sides reached a deal[达成一致] that allowed hundreds of IS fighters to escape[逃跑] with their ammunition[弹药], preventing[阻止] immediate bloodshed[流血杀戮], but storing up[积攒] trouble for the future.

France[法国🇫🇷] and Germany[德国🇩🇪] edged[缓慢发展] closer towards their ambition to achieve more integration[一体化] in European defence [保护], signing a pact[条约协定] with 21 other governments in the EU to fund, develop and deploy[部署] armed forces[武装部队]. This follows Britain’s decision to quit the EU.

Russia[俄罗斯🇷🇺] came under attack[遭受攻击] for allegedly[被指控的] using social media to interfere with[干扰] Britain’s vote last year on leaving the EU. It was also accused of[被指控] meddling with[干涉] Catalonia’s referendum[全民投票] on independence from Spain.

【coup】政变；军事政变

【dictator】独断专行者；专权者

【sack】解雇，开除

【predecessor】前任，前辈；原有事物，前身

【succeed】接替，继任；继承

【vow】发誓，立誓

【corruption】贪污，腐败，堕落

【dismiss】尤指因做错事）使免职，将…解职，解雇

【poor】粗劣的，蹩脚的；不好的

【scheme】方案，计划

【emerge】被知晓，显露，暴露

【putative】假定存在的，被认为存在的

【ammunition】弹药，军火

【store sth up】弹药，军火

【edge】（使）徐徐移动；（使）缓慢发展

【pact】契约；条约；协定

【deploy】部署；调动

【under attack, consideration, discussion, etc】遭受攻击／正在考虑／正在讨论等

【alleged】被说成的，被指控的

【referendum】全民公决，全民投票

interfere with[干扰]

meddling with[干涉]

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