特朗普开启政治即兴秀时代

 　　As the election count was under way on Tuesday night, I visited the two places in New York where Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump¹ planned to hold their victory parties.

　　周二晚上美国大选还在计票时，我在纽约市走访了两个地方，就是希拉里.克林顿(Hillary Clinton)和唐纳德.特朗普(Donald Trump)各自计划举行庆功聚会的所在，前者是在拥有巨幅玻璃的贾维茨会议中心(Javits Center)，后者在希尔顿酒店(Hilton Hotel)。

　　The locations at the cavernous glass Javits Center for Clinton and Hilton Hotel for Trump are barely a mile apart, but they were a revealing study in cultural contrasts.

　　两个活动地点相隔不过一英里，但完全可以把它们当作一项具有启发意义的文化比较研究的对象。

　　The Clinton event was organised with a slick hyper-efficiency.

　　希拉里那边的活动组织得老练高效，

　　The party had clearly been planned for months on the presumption² of victory and it reeked³ of professional stage management.

　　显然是基于获胜的假设筹划了好几个月了，很有专业舞台管理的味道，

　　However, it also felt distinctly clinical, if not impersonal⁴.

　　但也显得高冷甚至缺乏人情味。

　　The Trump event, by contrast, felt chaotic⁵ and improvised⁷.

　　相比之下，特朗普的活动让人感到混乱和即兴。

　　It had been thrown together so rapidly that there were still tourists staying in the hotel, and the system for channelling guests through the lobby was erratic⁸, relying on hastily created signs.

　　由于是仓促组织起来的，酒店里还有游客逗留，连引导嘉宾穿过大堂的环节都混乱无序，要靠草草赶制的标识。

　　As the night wore on, one bar ran low on alcohol and there was little food.

　　随着夜深，酒吧里酒水很少了，也没什么食物。

　　But that air of improvisation⁹ also made it feel enthusiastic — and distinctly human.

　　但这种即兴的氛围也带着一种热烈气息，富有人情味儿。

　　These events speak volumes about the election and help to explain where America is now heading.

　　这两场活动颇能说明本届选举的实质，而且有助于解释美国正在走向哪里。

　　When the historians write the story of the extraordinary 2016 contest, they will find numerous economic reasons to explain Mr Trump’s apparent victory; his supporters were suffering economic pain, angry about globalisation and unhappy about cultural change.

　　当历史学家记述2016年这场不同寻常的大选时，他们会找出许多经济原因来解释特朗普为何能以明显优势取胜，比如他的支持者正承受经济阵痛，他们对全球化愤怒，对本国文化所经历的变化不满。

　　However, aside from these tangible¹⁰ economic grievances¹¹, there is another way to frame the contest: this was a battle between a slick professional political elite¹² versus¹³ the unprofessional or anti-professional class.

　　但是除了上述明确的经济层面上的不满之外，我们还可以从另外一个角度来描述这场选举：这是专业老练的政治精英阶层与非专业、甚至是反专业阶层之间的一场斗争。

　　Or to put it another way, on one side of this contest was an establishment which is not only used to stage managing events with consummate¹⁴ skill, but also massaging¹⁵ messages and controlling opinion with slick data analysis.

　　或者换句话说，这场竞争的一方是建制派，不仅习惯于炉火纯青地组织需要具备舞台管理技巧的活动，而且还能以老练的数据分析手段篡改信息，控制舆论。

　　But many of the voters who have backed Mr Trump do not live in this world; they do not think they can control their lives by pressing a few buttons on their smartphones or tablets.

　　但许多支持特朗普的选民并不生活在这样一个世界里，他们不认为在智能手机或平板电脑上按几个键就可以控制自己的生活。

　　They feel that they are victims of events, constantly forced to improvise⁶ in a hostile, unfathomable world.

　　他们觉得自己是这些活动的受害者，一次又一次被迫在一个充满敌意、变化莫测的世界里临时凑合。

　　So when Mr Trump acted in an inconsistent and chaotic manner, they — unlike the professional elites¹⁶ — do not shudder¹⁷ in shock.

　　因此当特朗普行事反复无常，混乱无章，他们非但不会像专业精英那样震惊，反而将此视作一个迹象，表明他是人，真实且透明；他就像他们自己，会说错话（也会做错事）。

　　Instead, they simply view this as a sign that he is human, authentic¹⁸ and transparent¹⁹; he, like them, makes mistakes with his words (and much else.) He is attractive to some voters because he is not stage managed; he speaks about the need for change.

　　他对部分选民很有吸引力，因为他没有被舞台控制，他说出了变化的需要。

　　Mr Trump has always instinctively²⁰ understood the nature of this battle, hence his refusal to use data analysis to read the vote, teleprompter or other political tools of the trade.

　　特朗普总是本能地了解这场战斗的本质，因此他拒绝使用数据分析来解读投票，拒绝使用提词器或其他专业性政治工具。

　　Indeed, much to his aides irritation²¹, he was reluctant to even use a professional make-up artist before he went on stage — a stance that even sparked a full blown behind-the-scenes row just before the third TV debate, since his spray tan had started to fade and gave him an unhealthy looking pallor.

　　事实上，他甚至不愿在上台前使用专业化妆师，这一姿态让他的助手非常恼火，甚至在第三场电视辩论前引爆了一次幕后大争吵，原因是他皮肤喷涂的小麦色已开始褪色，让他看上去苍白得不健康。

　　Mrs Clinton, by contrast, used every trick of modern political campaigning to perfection, including an army of stylists.

　　相比之下，希拉里把现代政治竞选活动的所有手段都运用的相当完美，包括一个造型师队伍。

　　But it made no difference — the improvised chaotic style and the call for change won over the voters.

　　但这些都没有用，即兴的混乱风格以及要求改革的呼声赢得了选民的心。

　　Call this, if you like, a vote for disruption, albeit²² not of the sort that Silicon²³ Valley will like.

　　你大可以说这次选民们投票支持颠覆，只不过并非硅谷所喜欢的那种颠覆。

　　The best thing about Trump is that he is not a professional politician, one of his advisers²⁴ said wearily shortly before the vote.

　　特朗普的最大优势是他不是一个专业的政客，特朗普的一名顾问在大选前不久疲惫的说，

　　But the worst thing is that he is not a professional politician.

　　但这也是他的最大劣势。

　　Either way, you cannot change him.

　　不管怎样，你无法改变他。

　　That, of course, is why markets and many business leaders feel so utterly²⁵ terrified right now.

　　当然，这就是为何市场和很多企业界领袖现在感到极度害怕的原因。

　　Little wonder.

　　一点不奇怪。

　　After all, the problem with having a non-professional in office is not just that they lack experience; it is that it is also hard to predict how they might behave in the future.

　　毕竟，一个非专业政客执政的问题不仅仅在于他缺乏经验；还在于很难预测他将来可能会做出何种行为。

　　Nobody can assume that the regular rules of politics will apply; nor the rules that journalists, lobbyists, investors²⁶ and business leaders have relied upon.

　　没有人能声称，惯常的政治规则会适用；也没有人能声称，记者、游说者、投资者和企业领袖所依赖的那些规则会适用。

　　We cannot even assume that the sketchy²⁷ policy platforms that Mr Trump has already revealed will transpire²⁸.

　　我们甚至无法声称，特朗普竞选中所说的粗浅的政策纲领会成为现实。

　　We are heading for a world where policymaking is likely to feel as improvised as the victory party in the Hilton Hotel.

　　我们正在走向一个世界，在这里，政策制定可能就像希尔顿酒店的庆功派对一样，给人一种即兴的感觉。

　　While this type of disruption is terrifying for the establishment, the message from voters is clear: many of them want change at almost any cost.

　　尽管这种颠覆正让建制派感到害怕，但选民们发出的信息相当明确：很多人几乎不惜一切代价的想要改变。

　　Hold on to your seats for a potentially wild ride.

　　坐稳了，未来可能踏上一段狂野之旅。

　　We have embarked²⁹ on an era of political improvisation.

　　我们进入了一个政治即兴秀(political improvisation)的时代。

1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 presumption   

n.推测，可能性，冒昧，放肆，[法律]推定

参考例句：

• Please pardon my presumption in writing to you.请原谅我很冒昧地写信给你。
• I don't think that's a false presumption.我认为那并不是错误的推测。

3 reeked   

v.发出浓烈的臭气( reek的过去式和过去分词 )；散发臭气；发出难闻的气味 (of sth)；明显带有（令人不快或生疑的跡象）

参考例句：

• His breath reeked of tobacco. 他满嘴烟臭味。
• His breath reeked of tobacco. 他满嘴烟臭味。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 impersonal   

adj.无个人感情的，与个人无关的，非人称的

参考例句：

• Even his children found him strangely distant and impersonal.他的孩子们也认为他跟其他人很疏远，没有人情味。
• His manner seemed rather stiff and impersonal.他的态度似乎很生硬冷淡。

5 chaotic   

adj.混沌的，一片混乱的，一团糟的

参考例句：

• Things have been getting chaotic in the office recently.最近办公室的情况越来越乱了。
• The traffic in the city was chaotic.这城市的交通糟透了。

6 improvise   

v.即兴创作；临时准备，临时凑成

参考例句：

• If an actor forgets his words，he has to improvise.演员要是忘记台词，那就只好即兴现编。
• As we've not got the proper materials,we'll just have to improvise.我们没有弄到合适的材料，只好临时凑合了。

7 improvised   

a.即席而作的,即兴的

参考例句：

• He improvised a song about the football team's victory. 他即席创作了一首足球队胜利之歌。
• We improvised a tent out of two blankets and some long poles. 我们用两条毛毯和几根长竿搭成一个临时帐蓬。

8 erratic   

adj.古怪的，反复无常的，不稳定的

参考例句：

• The old man had always been cranky and erratic.那老头儿性情古怪,反复无常。
• The erratic fluctuation of market prices is in consequence of unstable economy.经济波动致使市场物价忽起忽落。

9 improvisation   

n.即席演奏(或演唱)；即兴创作

参考例句：

• a free-form jazz improvisation 自由创作的爵士乐即兴演出
• Most of their music was spontaneous improvisation. 他们的大部分音乐作品都是即兴创作的。

10 tangible   

adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的

参考例句：

• The policy has not yet brought any tangible benefits.这项政策还没有带来任何实质性的好处。
• There is no tangible proof.没有确凿的证据。

11 grievances   

n.委屈( grievance的名词复数 )；苦衷；不满；牢骚

参考例句：

• The trade union leader spoke about the grievances of the workers. 工会领袖述说工人们的苦情。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He gave air to his grievances. 他申诉了他的冤情。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

13 versus   

prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下

参考例句：

• The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
• The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。

14 consummate   

adj.完美的；v.成婚；使完美 [反]baffle

参考例句：

• The restored jade burial suit fully reveals the consummate skill of the labouring people of ancient China.复原后的金缕玉衣充分显示出中国古代劳动人民的精湛工艺。
• The actor's acting is consummate and he is loved by the audience.这位演员技艺精湛，深受观众喜爱。

15 massaging   

按摩，推拿( massage的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He watched the prisoner massaging his freed wrists. 他看着那个犯人不断揉搓着刚松开的两只手腕。
• Massaging your leg will ease the cramp. 推拿大腿可解除抽筋。

16 elites   

精华( elite的名词复数 )； 精锐； 上层集团； （统称）掌权人物

参考例句：

• The elites are by their nature a factor contributing to underdevelopment. 这些上层人物天生是助长欠发达的因素。
• Elites always detest gifted and nimble outsiders. 社会名流对天赋聪明、多才多艺的局外人一向嫌恶。

17 shudder   

v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动

参考例句：

• The sight of the coffin sent a shudder through him.看到那副棺材，他浑身一阵战栗。
• We all shudder at the thought of the dreadful dirty place.我们一想到那可怕的肮脏地方就浑身战惊。

18 authentic   

a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的

参考例句：

• This is an authentic news report. We can depend on it. 这是篇可靠的新闻报道, 我们相信它。
• Autumn is also the authentic season of renewal. 秋天才是真正的除旧布新的季节。

19 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

20 instinctively   

adv.本能地

参考例句：

• As he leaned towards her she instinctively recoiled. 他向她靠近，她本能地往后缩。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He knew instinctively where he would find her. 他本能地知道在哪儿能找到她。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 irritation   

n.激怒，恼怒，生气

参考例句：

• He could not hide his irritation that he had not been invited.他无法掩饰因未被邀请而生的气恼。
• Barbicane said nothing,but his silence covered serious irritation.巴比康什么也不说，但是他的沉默里潜伏着阴郁的怒火。

22 albeit   

conj.即使；纵使；虽然

参考例句：

• Albeit fictional,she seemed to have resolved the problem.虽然是虚构的，但是在她看来好象是解决了问题。
• Albeit he has failed twice,he is not discouraged.虽然失败了两次，但他并没有气馁。

23 silicon   

n.硅(旧名矽)

参考例句：

• This company pioneered the use of silicon chip.这家公司开创了使用硅片的方法。
• A chip is a piece of silicon about the size of a postage stamp.芯片就是一枚邮票大小的硅片。

24 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

25 utterly   

adv.完全地，绝对地

参考例句：

• Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民，把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。
• I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。

26 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

27 sketchy   

adj.写生的，写生风格的，概略的

参考例句：

• The material he supplied is too sketchy.他提供的材料过于简略。
• Details of what actually happened are still sketchy.对于已发生事实的详细情况知道的仍然有限。

28 transpire   

v.(使)蒸发，(使)排出 ；泄露，公开

参考例句：

• We do not know what may transpire when we have a new boss.当新老板来后，我们不知会有什么发生。
• When lack of water,commonly plants would transpire as a way for cool.在缺乏水分时，植物一般用蒸发作为降温的手段。

29 embarked   

乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事

参考例句：

• We stood on the pier and watched as they embarked. 我们站在突码头上目送他们登船。
• She embarked on a discourse about the town's origins. 她开始讲本市的起源。