Time is terrifyingly short. The substance of the Brexit talks will be concluded about a year from now. Next week European leaders will decide whether enough progress has been made on Britain’s exit bill and the Irish border to move on to discuss trade and transition arrangements, as Britain wants. It is in everyone’s interests to do so: a rule of negotiations is that considering everything in the same bundle maximises the scope for deals. Instead, France and Germany seem minded to make Britain wait. As well as reducing the chances of a mutually good outcome, this increases the risk of the talks breaking down altogether. European negotiators are correct to think that the airy talk in London of walking away with “no deal” is a bluff. What they do not realise is that Britain’s political conditions mean that it could happen anyway.
时间真是惊人地短啊。英国脱欧协商的实质进展将会在一年后得出结论。下周欧洲的领导人将会裁定是否在英国脱欧的清单上已经取得了足够多的进展，是否在爱尔兰边界问题上如英国所期望的那样取得足够多的进展来推动贸易商讨和管理的过渡。符合所有人共同利益的是：谈判的规则应该是以共同体的方式来思考任何事情，把协约的范围扩大到最大限度。然而法国和德国看起来介意让英国拖太久。这不仅增加了谈崩的几率，也减少了取得互惠结果的机会。欧洲谈判者的认知是正确的。他们觉得在伦敦那种没有任何协议达成就脱离欧洲的不切实际的言论是唬人的。然而他们没有认识到的是，英国混乱的政治状况意味着其可以在任何情况下发生。
substance /ˈsʌbstəns/
N-UNCOUNT Substance is the quality of being important or significant. 实质
• It's questionable whether anything of substance has been achieved.
是否已取得任何实质性的进展值得质疑。
transition /trænˈzɪʃən/|CET6 TEM4 (transitioningtransitionedtransitions)
· 1.N-VAR Transition is the process in which something changes from one state to another. 转型
• The transition from a dictatorship to a multi-party democracy is proving to be difficult.
从专政国家到多党民主国家的转型证明是很艰难的。
negotiation /nɪˌɡəʊʃɪˈeɪʃən/ CET4 TEM4
· N-VAR Negotiations are formal discussions between people who have different aims or intentions, especially in business or politics, during which they try to reach an agreement. (尤指商业或政治上的) 谈判
bundle /ˈbʌndəl/ |CET4 TEM4 (bundlingbundledbundles)
· 1.N-COUNT 可数名词A bundle of things is a number of them that are tied together or wrapped in a cloth or bag so that they can be carried or stored. 包; 捆; 束
• He gathered the bundles of clothing into his arms.
他把一捆捆衣物抱起来。
maximise /'mæksimaiz/
v.1.make the most of
近义词：maximize
2.make as big or large as possible
近义词：maximize
scope /skəʊp/ |CET4 TEM4
N-SING 单数型名词The scope of an activity, topic, or piece of work is the whole area which it deals with or includes. 范围
mutually /'mjuːtʃuəli,ˋmjutʃuəlɪ/ adv. AC
· 1.mutually acceptable/beneficial/convenient etc
something that is mutually acceptable etc is acceptable etc to both or all the people involved
大家都能接受的/都能获益的/都方便的等
airy/'εəri/
not practical or realizable; speculative
bluff /blʌf/ |CET6+ TEM4 (bluffingbluffedbluffs)
·1.N-VAR A bluff is an attempt to make someone believe that you will do something when you do not really intend to虚张声势
chaotic /keɪˈɒtɪk/ |CET4 TEM4
ADJ Something that is chaotic is in a state of complete disorder and confusion. 混乱的
That chaos has been encouraged by Boris Johnson, who published his own 4,000-word Brexit manifesto in a newspaper days before a big speech last month by the prime minister, and drew up “red lines” in an interview afterwards which flatly contradicted the government’s position. The foreign secretary’s disloyalty is hardly offset by his skills as a diplomat. He is ridiculed abroad and disliked in the Foreign Office. Until recently he gave the impression of wanting to be secked, the better to mount a leadership bid（竞选领袖职务）. But now even Brexiteer Tory MPs have tired of him. Mrs May should cut him loose.
鲍里斯·约翰逊推波助澜这场混乱。在首相发表长篇演讲之前，他在报纸上发表了他四千字的英国脱欧宣言，并在采访中划了一条红线，那条红线断然反驳了政府的立场。作为一名外交官，他的不忠诚是很难用他的政治技巧抵消的。他被国外嘲弄，被外交部讨厌。最近他为了更好的竞选领袖职务，表达了他想要被解雇的想法。但是现在，甚至是主张脱欧的托利党党员都对他厌烦了。梅姨应该脱离他了。
chaos /ˈkeɪɒs/ CET4 TEM4
· N-UNCOUNT Chaos is a state of complete disorder and confusion. 混乱
manifesto /ˌmænɪˈfɛstəʊ/ |TEM8
· N-COUNT A manifesto is a statement published by a person or group of people, especially a political party, or a government, in which they say what their aims and policies are. 宣言
contradict /ˌkɒntrəˈdɪkt/ |CET6 TEM4 (contradictingcontradictedcontradicts)
· 1. V-T If you contradict someone, you tell them that what they have just said is wrong, or suggest that it is wrong by saying something different. 反驳
secretary /ˈsɛkrətrɪ/ |CET4 TEM4
N-COUNT/N-TITLE Secretary is used in the titles of high officials who are in charge of main government departments. 大臣; 部长
disloyalty /dɪsˈlɔɪəltɪ/
· N-UNCOUNT Disloyalty is disloyal behaviour. 不忠
offset /ˈɒfˌsɛt/ |CET6 TEM4 (offsettingoffsets)
· V-T If one thing is offset by another, the effect of the first thing is reduced by the second, so that any advantage or disadvantage is cancelled out. 抵消
ridicule /ˈrɪdɪˌkjuːl/TEM4
· 1.V-T If you ridicule someone or ridicule their ideas or beliefs, you make fun of them in an unkind way. 嘲笑
sack /sæk/ |CET4 TEM4 (sackingsackedsacks)
N-SING 单数型名词Sack is also a noun. 开除
mount /maʊnt/ CET4 TEM4 (mountingmountedmounts)
· 1.V-T If you mount a campaign or event, you organize it and make it take place. 组织bid /bɪd/ |CET4 TEM4 (biddingbids)
V-I If you bid for something that is being sold, you offer to pay a particular amount of money for it. 出价
The better to do
If you do something the better to else, you do the first thing in order to be able to do the second thing more effectively.
She should not stop there. The cabinet is stuffed with has-beens and never-weres, who achieved little even when the government had a majority. Chris Grayling, Andrea Leadsom and Priti Patel are among those ripe for relegation to the backbenches. Purging ministers who voted for Brexit would provoke calls to even things up （even sth ←→ upphr to make a situation or competition more equal
拉平；使平衡）by sacking some Remainers（字典里remainder是有剩余物剩余部分的意思的，remainer无从查找）. A campaign is being waged to unseat Philip Hammond, the competent chancellor, who favours a softer Brexit. A better idea would be to promote a new generation of Tory MPs, many of whom happen to be enthusiastic Brexiteers. The likes of（[口语]像…这样的人(或事)） Rishi Sunak, Kwasi Kwarteng and Nusrat Ghani would bring talent to the cabinet, and diversity—not least in terms of age, the biggest divide in British politics.
梅姨不应该止步于此。内阁被过气之人和平庸之辈占据着，那些人在政府有多数支持者的时候小有成就。格瑞林、李德森和巴特尔就是那群被贬成普通议员的人。清理那些支持脱欧的部长们的行动激起了一阵呼声，呼声要求解雇那些剩余分子来达到一种平衡。一场罢免菲利普·哈蒙德的运动被发动起来了。菲利普·哈蒙德是一个有能力的总理，也是一个温和的脱欧支持者。新思维将会推动托利党新一代的产生。新一代托利党人碰巧是一群狂热的脱欧支持者。像Rishi Sunak, Kwasi Kwarteng 和 Nusrat Ghani这样的人会给内阁带来天赋和差异。这种差异尤其是一种年龄的差异，而年纪的差异是英国政治巨大的断层。
stuffed /stʌft/
o ADJ filled with something, esp (of poultry and other food) filled with stuffing 塞满了的; 吃饱了的
has-been
· N-COUNT If you describe someone as a has-been, you are indicating in an unkind way that they were important or respected in the past, but they are not now. 过气的人物
neverwas /'nevə'wɔz/
· n.[美国俚语]一生平庸的人，从无建树的人
relegate /ˈrɛlɪˌɡeɪt/ CET6+ TEM8
· V-T If you relegate someone or something to a less important position, you give them this position. 使降级
provoke /prəˈvəʊk/ CET4 TEM4
V-T If something provokes a reaction, it causes it. 引起
• His election success has provoked a shocked reaction.
他的竞选胜利已经引起了震惊的反应。
unseat /ʌnˈsiːt/
· V-T When people try to unseat a person who is in an important job or position, they try to remove him or her from that job or position. 剥夺(重要工作或地位)
competent /ˈkɒmpɪtənt/ CET4 TEM4
· 1.ADJ Someone who is competent is efficient and effective. 有能力的
chancellor /ˈtʃɑːnsələ, -slə/|CET6+ TEM4
N-COUNT In Britain, the chancellor is the chancellor of the exchequer. (英国) 财政大臣
diversity /daɪˈvɜːsɪtɪ/ TEM4
· 1.N-VAR The diversity of something is the fact that it contains many very different elements. 多样性
not least
· 相当于in particular或者notably，也就是尤其的意思。 They were a marvelous crew, not least to the all-seeing (and all-hearing) ten-year-old now placed in their midst. — The Memory Chalet, Tony Judt
Reshuffling her ministers will not solve all Mrs May’s problems. The Tories will still be irreparably split on the most important issue facing Britain. But promoting some new faces with new ideas and a dash of competence would give the government a better shot at dealing with it. It would also prepare the ground for Mrs May’s eventual handover to a new leader. The next generation of MPs offers an embarrassment of riches. Too many of the current cabinet are just an embarrassment.
改组梅姨的部长们不会让梅姨一劳永逸。托利党人仍然会因为英国所面临的重大议题而产生不可修复的分歧。但是新面孔、新想法和新人的能力会给政府解决这些问题提供一个更好的角度。它也为梅姨最终下任移交她的权利给新领导人打下了基础。下一代议员会让富人们难堪，而现在的内阁也就是这样的一种尴尬的存在。
reshuffle /riːˈʃʌfəl/ |CET6 TEM8 (reshufflingreshuffledreshuffles)
· 1.V-T When a political leader reshuffles the ministers in a government, he or she changes their jobs so that some of the ministers change their responsibilities. 改组
irreparable /ɪˈrɛpərəbəl/ |TEM8
· 1.ADJ Irreparable damage or harm is so bad that it cannot be repaired or corrected. 不可补救的
split /splɪt/ |CET4 TEM4 (splittingsplits)
· V-T/V-I If an organization splits or is split, one group of members disagree strongly with the other members, and may form a group of their own. 分裂
a dash of少量的…
competence /ˈkɒmpɪtəns/ |CET6 TEM4
· N-UNCOUNT Competence is the ability to do something well or effectively. 能力
shot /ʃɒt/
N-COUNT 可数名词A shot is a photograph or a particular sequence of pictures in a movie. 照片; (电影的) 连续镜头
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