经济学人:贸易谈判 协议生效背后的艰辛(2)

 　　Step back a bit, however, and the TFA looks rather bedraggled.

　　然而，稍微退一步来看，贸易便利化协定看上去破旧不堪。

　　It rose out of the ashes of the Doha round, the last big attempt at a global trade deal, as the least controversial item.

　　它更像是多哈谈判的死灰，多哈谈判曾是之前对全球贸易协定的巨大尝试，也是拥有最小争议的条款。

　　Grand trade deals, never very high on governments' agendas, have in recent decades aimed more at locking in existing practice than at winning important new concessions¹.

　　大型的贸易交易，政府从来不重视这件事情，近几十年交易的目标更侧重锁定现行的惯例，而不是取得更重要的让步。

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　　The TFA reflects curtailed² ambition, after plans for agreements in areas such as intellectual property and trade in services were abandoned.

　　在诸如知识产权以及贸易服务领域的计划协议被中止后，贸易便利化协定映射出了被削减后的目标。

　　Its cuddly³ inclusivity comes at a cost.

　　贸易协定可爱的包容性是有代价的。

　　Poorer countries have flexibility⁴ over which standards they will put in place immediately, which they need time for—and which they need money for.

　　贫穷国家可以灵活地选择哪些标准它们将立即实施，哪些标准它们可以等待时日——以及哪些标准的实施还需要资金。

　　Some bits of the agreement are exhortations⁵ rather than rules. Implementation⁶ may be slow.

　　协定的某些部分是劝告而不是规定。施行这个协定也许会进展缓慢。

　　A study published in December 2016 noted⁷ that even when regional trade agreements include trade-facilitation provisions, they are not always put into effect.

　　一项2016年12月发布的研究指出，即便区域贸易协定包括了贸易便利化条款，它们也不一定会得到实施。

　　A committee will oversee⁸ implementation, but insiders doubt how much pressure non-compliant governments will really face.

　　有一个委员会将会监督贸易协定的实施，但是内部人士怀疑那些不服从规定的国家真正会面临多大的压力。

　　Eight months after Mr Azevedo triumphantly⁹ hailed the WTO's success in brokering¹⁰ its first deal, India very nearly scuppered it, holding it hostage over an unrelated argument about agricultural subsidies¹¹. (WTO wonks still smart at the memory.)

　　阿泽维多在撮成第一项协议敲定并胜利地宣布世贸组织成果的八个月后，印度差一点就否决了它，把它作为另一不相关的农业补贴提议的筹码。（世贸组织里的政策书呆子在记忆力方面还是机灵的。）

　　Eventually, America thrashed out a compromise in a side-agreement.

　　最终，美国在一份单边协定中进行了妥协。

　　So the TFA's history highlights the belligerence¹² of some governments; and, alarmingly for those following the pronouncements on trade of the new Trump¹³ administration, the importance of American leadership.

　　因此，贸易便利化协定的历史突显了一些国家的好战性；同时也警告了那些特朗普政府的贸易政策声明中的追随者——美国领导力的重要性。

　　1.Step back 后退

　　例句:I tried to step back, but he held my upper arms too tightly.

　　我试图往后退，但他将我的上臂抓得太紧了。

　　2.thrash out 研究解决

　　例句:The foreign ministers have thrashed out a suitable compromise formula.

　　外交部长们经过反复讨论，已经制订出合适的折中方案。

　　3.put in place 就位

　　例句:They're offended by the elaborate security measures the police have put in place.

　　他们被警方部署的繁复安全措施惹怒了。

　　4.put into effect 生效

　　例句:The provisions of the agreement are being put into effect.

　　协定的条款正在付诸实施。

1 concessions   

n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权

参考例句：

• The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工，公司将不得不作出一些让步。
• The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。

2 curtailed   

v.截断，缩短( curtail的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Spending on books has been severely curtailed. 购书开支已被大大削减。
• Their public health programme had to be severely curtailed. 他们的公共卫生计划不得不大大收缩。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 cuddly   

adj.抱着很舒服的，可爱的

参考例句：

• The beautiful crib from Mom and Dad is so cuddly.爸爸妈妈送的漂亮婴儿床真舒服。
• You can't call a hedgehog cuddly.你不能说刺猬逗人喜爱。

4 flexibility   

n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性

参考例句：

• Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
• The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

5 exhortations   

n.敦促( exhortation的名词复数 )；极力推荐；（正式的）演讲；（宗教仪式中的）劝诫

参考例句：

• The monuments of men's ancestors were the most impressive exhortations. 先辈们的丰碑最能奋勉人心的。 来自辞典例句
• Men has free choice. Otherwise counsels, exhortations, commands, prohibitions, rewards and punishments would be in vain. 人具有自由意志。否则，劝告、赞扬、命令、禁规、奖赏和惩罚都将是徒劳的。 来自辞典例句

6 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

8 oversee   

vt.监督，管理

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts.士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.请一位房产检视员或建筑师来监督并检查不同阶段的工作。

9 triumphantly   

ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地

参考例句：

• The lion was roaring triumphantly. 狮子正在发出胜利的吼叫。
• Robert was looking at me triumphantly. 罗伯特正得意扬扬地看着我。

10 brokering   

v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的现在分词 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排…

参考例句：

• Intertwined with these were rivalry, power brokering, and patronage. 然而也不乏有抗争、强权操纵与任命特权交织其中。 来自互联网
• Kingston Quest Can Assist Your Company In Negotiations, Brokering, Agency Services, Sourcing Factories Or Property. 金士顿追求，可帮助您的公司在谈判中，经纪，代理服务，货源工厂或财产。 来自互联网

11 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 belligerence   

n.交战，好战性，斗争性

参考例句：

• He could be accused of passion,but never belligerence.可以说他很冲动，但不能说他爱挑事。
• He was almost back to his belligerent mood of twelve months ago.他故态复萌，几乎又像一年前那样咄咄逼人了。

13 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。