2024年12月大学英语四级听力文章(15)

　　备考英语四级听力是备战考试中的一大挑战，有效的训练提高听力理解和题型应对能力至关重要。新东方在线英语四级听力频道为考生提供“2024年12月大学英语四级听力文章(15)”，助力取得更好成绩。

　　2024年12月大学英语四级听力文章(15)

　　Britain’s May Faces Same Challenges as Thatcher

　　英国总理梅和撒切尔夫人面临同样挑战

　　British Prime Minister Theresa May took office Wednesday, becoming the country’s second woman leader after Margaret Thatcher.

　　英国总理特丽莎.梅本周三就职，梅成为继撒切尔夫人之后第二任女领导人。

　　May was formally appointed by Queen Elizabeth after a meeting at Buckingham Palace. The new prime minister succeeded David Cameron, who stepped down after Britain voted to leave the European Union.

　　在白金汉宫会议之后，梅正式被英国女王伊丽莎白任命。在英国公投退欧之后，戴维梅卡伦辞职，梅这位新总理成功就职。

　　May is already being compared to Thatcher, the iconic former leader known as the “Iron Lady.”

　　梅已经做好了和撒切尔夫人做比较的准备，这位前领导人以“铁娘子”知名。

　　Leading at an important time

　　重要时期，领导英国

　　Thatcher, a Conservative, was Britain’s longest-serving prime minister of the 20thcentury, holding office from 1979 to 1990. Besides being Britain’s first female prime minister, she was also the first woman to lead a major Western democracy.

　　撒切尔夫人，保守党，是英国20世纪最 长任职期总理，任期从1990年到1979年。撒切尔夫人不仅是英国总理，也是西方民主国家领导人。

　　One of the main comparisons between the two women is that May, 59, will be leading Britain through a historically important time. She will be in charge of overseeing the country’s complex transition out of the EU.

　　两位领导人最主要的比较就是梅，59岁，将领导英国渡过重要的历史时期。她将负责监督英国退欧的复杂期。

　　Before last month’s referendum, also referred to as “Brexit,” May campaigned with Cameron for Britain to stay in the EU. Since the vote, she has pledged to help the country “forge a new role for ourselves in the world.”

　　上个月公投之前，也就是退欧之前，梅反对卡梅伦仍留在欧盟。从公投开始，梅已经保证能够帮助英国在世界上成为一个新的角色。

　　Britain’s stock market and currency plunged after the Brexit vote and economists have predicted more challenges ahead. This week, the EU’s economic affairs commissioner warned Britain’s economic growth could drop 2.5 percent as a result of Brexit.

　　在英国公投退欧之后，英国股票市场和货币暴跌，并且经济学家预示前面还有更多的挑战。本周欧盟经济事务官警告英国的经济将会以为退欧降低2.5个百分点。

　　Britain will also be faced with negotiating separate trade and political relationships with EU member nations. Cameron called May “a brilliant negotiator” Wednesday and urged her to maintain close ties with EU states.

　　本周三，英国将会面临和其他欧盟成员关于贸易和政治分离的谈判。卡梅伦称梅为“精明的谈判家”。卡梅伦力劝梅和欧盟保持紧密联系。

　　Earlier this week, May said her goal would be to “negotiate the best deal for Britain in leaving the EU.” She said she would also aim to “make a success” of Brexit.

　　本周之前，梅表示她的目标是为脱离欧盟商谈出最有力的条件。她表明她的目标是成功退欧。

　　Historical parallels

　　历史的相同点

　　It is clear that May will need to rely on her negotiating skills, as well as those of others, to lead Britain through the Brexit process. Thatcher was considered a tough negotiator from day one and she built on that reputation throughout her career.

　　很明确，梅将要依靠她的谈判技巧去脱离欧盟。撒切尔从一开始就被认为是坚韧的谈判家，并且在她的职业生涯扬名万里。

　　Thatcher maintained a firm stance on separatist movements in Northern Ireland. She also used strong language when addressing the Soviet Union and its nuclear expansion during the Cold War.

　　撒切尔从北爱尔兰分离运动中获得了坚固的地位。她也在冷战时期，向前苏联核扩张发表强有力的演说。

　　Whether May will adopt this same approach to her public statements and negotiating style remains to be seen.

　　梅是否会采取相同的公共声明和谈判技巧，还有待发现。

　　On her first day in office, May appointed Boris Johnson, a leading supporter of Brexit, as the new foreign secretary. She is expected to appoint a special minister to guide the Brexit process and be a chief negotiator.

　　在她就职的天，梅任命鲍里斯·约翰逊为新外交部长，鲍里斯·约翰逊为退欧的主要支持者。

　　Perhaps the most interesting parallels the two women share can be seen in a historical context.

　　也许两位女领导人之间最有趣的相同点是历史背景。

　　May faces Brexit uncertainties and a declining economy.

　　梅面临退欧的不确定性和下滑的经济形势。

　　Thatcher came into office at a time when Britain was going through political and economic turmoil. Labor disputes throughout the 1970s led to widespread strikes and high unemployment. There was public anger over high taxes, power shortages and trash in the streets.

　　撒切尔是在英国面临政治和经济混乱时期就任。19世纪70年代导致大范围的罢工和高失业率。重赋，电荒和满街的垃圾导致公众愤怒。

　　In 1976, economic conditions got so bad that Britain’s currency collapsed and nearly led the country into bankruptcy. Thatcher was elected on a platform of fighting the recession and dealing strictly with labor organizations seen as causing unrest.

　　在1976年，经济形势变得愈发恶劣，导致英国货币瓦解并几乎导致国家破产。撒切尔被选举出来和衰退斗争并且在动荡中和劳动组织处理重赋。

　　May will also have to deal with the global problem of terrorism, which has directly hit Britain in the past.

　　梅也将处理全球的恐怖主义问题。在过去，英国曾受到恐怖主义的重创。

　　Thatcher faced persistent terror problems and was targeted herself in a bombing in 1984. Thatcher was not hurt in the attack, which was claimed by the Irish Republican Army.

　　撒切尔面临同样的恐怖袭击问题，并且在1984年曾被作为目标击中。撒切尔在袭击中并且受伤，这场恐怖袭击是由爱尔兰共和军发起的。

　　Just weeks before she took office, Thatcher’s spokesman on Northern Ireland was killed in a car bombing as he drove out of a parking garage. The IRA claimed responsibility for that attack too.

　　在她就任几周前，撒切尔北爱尔兰的新闻发言人在他开出车库时被杀害。IRA同样为此次袭击负责。

　　Both Thatcher and May started as cabinet ministers in Conservative governments before winning as prime minister. Thatcher served as education secretary under the government of Edward Heath.

　　撒切尔和梅在成为总理之前都是保守党的内阁大臣。撒切尔曾为教育部长。

　　In her six years as Home Secretary, May has been in charge of the country’s immigration, citizenship and national security. All of those areas were big issues during the campaigns of both sides during the Brexit debate.

　　在他六年的内政大臣期间，梅负责移民，国籍和国家安全。在退欧辩论和双边竞选期间这些问题都是大问题。

　　I’m Bryan Lynn.

　　布莱恩报道。

　　以上是新东方在线小编带来“2024年12月大学英语四级听力文章(15)”，希望考生们都能取得出色的成绩。