Lesson 08 Trading Standards

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What makes trading between rich countries difficult?

Chickens slaughtered in the United States, claim officials in Brussels, are not fit to grace European tables. No, say the Americans: 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 complaining. 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 it 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 complex 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 then 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.

📝 文章大意

（本文选自《经济学家》杂志。）欧盟官员说美国屠宰的鸡不配上欧洲人的餐桌，美国人则说他们的鸡没问题，只是清洗方法不同。如今妨碍富国之间贸易的，主要已经不是关税，而是各国规章制度的差异：符合欧盟安全标准的剃须刀要经美国检测才能在美国销售，美国制造的透析机也要经欧盟批准才能进入欧洲市场。大西洋两岸的企业都问：一次检测就够了，为什么要检测两次？政客们原则上同意，美欧也一直在谈判，希望在 5 月 28 日的峰会前达成协议，但细节太复杂，未必谈得成。难点之一在于协议的形式：美国希望按产品类别分别签协议，欧盟则希望先就普遍原则达成一致，以便适用于多种产品，甚至推广到其他国家。

标题问题的答案：富国之间贸易的主要障碍是各国规章制度的差异，而不是关税。

📚 核心单词

单词 音标 词性 含义 文中用法
slaughter /ˈslɔːtə(r)/ v. 屠宰 Chickens slaughtered in the US
grace /ɡreɪs/ v. 为……增光，使优美 fit to grace European tables
fowl /faʊl/ n. 家禽 our fowl are fine
regulation /ˌreɡjuˈleɪʃn/ n. 规章，规定 national regulations
tariff /ˈtærɪf/ n. 关税 far more than tariffs
razor /ˈreɪzə(r)/ n. 剃须刀 an electric razor
approve /əˈpruːv/ v. 批准 be approved by American testers
dialysis /daɪˈæləsɪs/ n. （血液）透析 a dialysis machine
electrocute /ɪˈlektrəkjuːt/ v. 使触电身亡 unlikely to electrocute Americans
in principle — phr. 原则上 Politicians agree, in principle
eliminate /ɪˈlɪmɪneɪt/ v. 消除 eliminate the need
summit /ˈsʌmɪt/ n. 峰会 a trade summit
negotiator /nɪˈɡəʊʃieɪtə(r)/ n. 谈判者 negotiators are optimistic
hard-pressed /ˌhɑːd ˈprest/ adj. 处境困难的 be hard-pressed to get a deal
accord /əˈkɔːd/ n. 协议 reach one accord
hammer out — phr. 经过反复讨论达成 hammer out different pacts
pact /pækt/ n. 协定，条约 different pacts

📖 难句解析

1. Chickens slaughtered in the United States, claim officials in Brussels, are not fit to grace European tables.

  • 主干：Chickens ... are not fit to grace European tables
  • claim officials in Brussels 是插入语，主谓倒装，= officials in Brussels claim；布鲁塞尔是欧盟总部所在地，借指欧盟
  • slaughtered in the United States 是过去分词短语，修饰 chickens
  • be fit to do = 适合做；grace European tables 字面是”为欧洲餐桌增色”，即”端上欧洲人的餐桌”
  • 译: 布鲁塞尔的官员们声称，美国屠宰的鸡不配摆上欧洲人的餐桌。

2. No, say the Americans: our fowl are fine, we simply clean them in a different way.

  • say the Americans 同样是主谓倒装
  • fowl 单复数同形，这里作复数，所以用 are
  • 译: 美国人说，不，我们的鸡没有问题，只不过我们用不同的方法清洗它们而已。

3. These days, it is differences in national regulations, far more than tariffs, that put sand in the wheels of trade between rich countries.

  • 强调句 it is ... that ...，强调的是 differences in national regulations
  • far more than tariffs 是插入语，表示比较：远比关税更……
  • put sand in the wheels of = 往……的轮子里撒沙子，比喻妨碍、阻挠
  • 译: 如今，阻碍富国之间贸易的主要是各国规章制度的差异，而远不是关税。

4. 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 it hits the market in Europe.

  • 两个分句用 and 连接，结构对称：欧洲产品进美国，美国产品进欧洲
  • that meets ... 是定语从句，修饰 razor；meet standards = 符合标准
  • the EU's okay = 欧盟的批准，okay 作名词
  • hit the market = 上市
  • 译: 一个符合欧盟安全标准的电动剃须刀必须经过美国检验人员的批准才能在美国销售，而一台美国制造的透析机也必须经过欧盟的批准才能进入欧洲市场。

5. As it happens, a razor that is safe in Europe is unlikely to electrocute Americans.

  • As it happens = 碰巧，事实上
  • be unlikely to do = 不太可能做；这句是作者的调侃
  • 译: 事实上，一个在欧洲使用安全的剃须刀不大可能把美国人电死。

6. So, ask businesses on both sides of the Atlantic, why have two lots of tests where one would do?

  • ask businesses on both sides of the Atlantic 是插入语，主谓倒装
  • why have ... 是省略句，= why should we have …
  • two lots of tests = 两套检测
  • where one would do：where 在这里相当于”在……的情况下”；do = 足够、行得通；one = one lot of tests
  • 译: 因此，大西洋两岸的企业都在问：既然一次检测就够了，为什么要检测两次呢？

7. 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.

  • in principle = 原则上，暗示实际操作中未必如此
  • have been trying 是现在完成进行时，表示一直在努力
  • which 引导定语从句修饰 deal；double-test = 进行两次检测
  • 译: 政治家们原则上同意这一点，因此美国和欧盟一直在努力达成一项协议，免除许多产品的重复检测。

8. Although negotiators are optimistic, the details are complex enough that they may be hard-pressed to get a deal at all.

  • complex enough that ... = 复杂到……的程度，相当于 so complex that …
  • be hard-pressed to do = 很难做到
  • at all 加强语气：根本、完全
  • 译: 尽管谈判者们很乐观，但细节非常复杂，他们可能很难达成任何协议。

9. The Americans would happily reach one accord on standards for medical devices and then hammer out different pacts covering, say, electronic goods and drug manufacturing.

  • would happily do = 乐意做
  • reach one accord 和 hammer out different pacts 是两个并列谓语，用 and then 连接
  • covering ... 是现在分词短语修饰 pacts；say = 比方说，是插入语
  • 译: 美国人乐意先达成一项医疗器械标准的协议，然后再经过谈判达成其他协议，比方说涵盖电子产品和药品生产的协议。

10. 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.

  • 破折号之间是插入语，continental 指欧洲大陆的，暗讽欧洲人爱讲原则、爱建体系
  • which 引导非限制性定语从句，修饰 general principles
  • 从句里 be applied to 和 (be) extended to 共用 could be
  • 译: 欧盟则遵循欧洲大陆的优良传统，希望就普遍原则达成协议，这些原则可以适用于多种产品，也许还可以推广到其他国家。