# 第四册 Lesson 8 Trading standards 贸易标准

## 一、课文原文

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.

## 二、重点词汇详解

| 单词 | 音标 | 词性 | 释义 | 用法说明 |
|------|------|------|------|----------|
| slaughter | /ˈslɔːtə/ | v./n. | 屠宰，屠杀 | slaughtered chickens 屠宰的鸡 |
| grace | /ɡreɪs/ | v. | 使增光，点缀 | grace European tables 摆上欧洲餐桌 |
| fowl | /faʊl/ | n. | 家禽 | 比 chicken 更正式 |
| tariff | /ˈtærɪf/ | n. | 关税 | differences far more than tariffs 远超关税差异 |
| regulation | /ˌreɡjuˈleɪʃn/ | n. | 法规，规章 | national regulations 各国法规 |
| razor | /ˈreɪzə/ | n. | 剃须刀 | electric razor 电动剃须刀 |
| dialysis | /daɪˈælɪsɪs/ | n. | 透析 | dialysis machine 透析机 |
| electrocute | /ɪˈlekrəkjuːt/ | v. | 电死，触电致死 | unlikely to electrocute 不太可能电死 |
| eliminate | /ɪˈlɪmɪneɪt/ | v. | 消除，排除 | eliminate the need 消除需要 |
| hard-pressed | /ˌhɑːdˈprest/ | adj. | 处于困境的 | hard-pressed to do 难以做到 |
| accord | /əˈkɔːd/ | n. | 协议，协定 | reach an accord 达成协议 |
| hammer out | /ˈhæmər aʊt/ | phr.v. | 敲定，反复讨论达成 | hammer out different pacts 敲定不同协议 |
| pact | /pækt/ | n. | 协定，条约 | 比 agreement 更简短正式 |
| continental | /ˌkɒntɪˈnentl/ | adj. | 大陆的，欧洲大陆的 | continental traditions 欧洲大陆传统 |

## 三、语法知识点

### 1. 强调句型 It is...that...

> ...**it is** differences in national regulations, far more than tariffs, **that** put sand in the wheels of trade...

| 原句 | Differences in regulations put sand in the wheels of trade. |
|------|------|
| 强调主语 | It is differences in regulations that put sand in the wheels... |
| 强调结构 | It is + 被强调部分 + that + 句子剩余部分 |

### 2. 插入语——引述

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

- claim officials in Brussels 插在主语和谓语之间
- = Officials in Brussels claim that chickens...are not fit...

### 3. before 引导时间状语

> ...must be approved by American testers **before** it can be sold in the United States.

- before = 在...之前
- 注意翻译：必须先...才能...

### 4. 复杂 enough...that... 结构

> ...the details are complex **enough that** they may be hard-pressed to get a deal at all.

- enough...that = 如此...以至于
- = so...that 的变体

## 四、重点句型分析

### 1. put sand in the wheels of 阻碍

> ...that put sand in the wheels of trade between rich countries.

- = hinder, obstruct, put obstacles in the way of
- 形象比喻：往车轮里撒沙子

### 2. where one would do 一个就够了

> ...why have two lots of tests where one would do?

- where = whereas（而）
- do = suffice, be enough（足够，行）
- 仿写：Why buy two where one would do?

### 3. hammer out 敲定（协议）

> The Americans would happily reach one accord...and then hammer out different pacts...

- = work out through discussion, negotiate
- 原意：用锤子敲打成形

### 4. following fine continental traditions 遵循大陆优良传统

> The EU -- following fine continental traditions -- wants agreement on general principles...

- 插入语，暗含讽刺：欧洲人喜欢笼统原则

## 五、课文翻译

布鲁塞尔的官员们声称，在美国屠宰的鸡不适合端上欧洲的餐桌。美国人则说：不，我们的家禽很好，只是清洗方式不同而已。如今，阻碍富国之间贸易的，与其说是关税，不如说是各国法规的差异。不只是农场主在抱怨。符合欧盟安全标准的电动剃须刀，在美国销售前必须经过美国检测人员的批准；而美国制造的透析机进入欧洲市场前也需要欧盟的批准。碰巧的是，在欧洲安全的剃须刀不太可能把美国人电死。因此，大西洋两岸的企业不禁要问：一次检测就够了，为什么要做两次？政治家们原则上同意，所以美国和欧盟一直在努力达成一项协议，以消除对许多产品进行双重检测的需要。他们希望在5月28日美欧贸易首脑会议之前完成。虽然谈判代表们很乐观，但细节非常复杂，他们可能很难达成任何协议。

为什么？一个困难是制定协议的方式。美国人乐意先就医疗设备的标准达成一个协议，然后再敲定涵盖电子产品和药品制造等不同领域的协议。而欧盟——遵循着优良的大陆传统——希望就一般原则达成协议，这些原则可以适用于多种产品，也许还能推广到其他国家。

## 六、语言点精讲

### 1. 写作手法：案例分析+对比论证

- 以鸡肉争端开篇，用生活化的例子引入贸易壁垒话题
- 用美欧两种不同的协议方式（具体vs笼统）作对比
- 新闻体的简洁有力，兼具可读性和深度

### 2. 文化背景

- **布鲁塞尔（Brussels）**：欧盟总部所在地，此处代指欧盟
- **美欧贸易争端**：20世纪90年代美欧在食品安全、产品标准方面的贸易摩擦
- **大陆传统（continental traditions）**：指欧洲大陆（尤其是法国）偏好抽象原则和一般性法规的传统

### 3. 修辞分析

- **比喻**：put sand in the wheels——往车轮里撒沙子，形象生动
- **反讽**：following fine continental traditions——"优良传统"实为讽刺
- **口语化**：our fowl are fine, okay, do——用口语词汇增强可读性

## 七、课后练习要点

1. **理解题**：What makes trading between rich countries difficult?（各国法规差异）
2. **语法题**：强调句型 It is...that... 与插入语的识别
3. **词汇题**：区分 accord/pact/agreement/deal 的使用语境
4. **写作练习**：用具体事例引入抽象论题的写作方法

## 八、本课小结

本课讨论**美欧贸易标准差异**问题，核心论点：各国法规差异比关税更是贸易障碍，而美欧在解决方式上存在分歧。语法重点包括强调句型（It is...that...）、插入语引述、before时间状语、enough...that结构。写作手法上运用案例分析、比喻（put sand in the wheels）和反讽（fine continental traditions），是新闻体议论文的典范。