【英语时差8，16】八大工业国不愿意正视中国存在

 The Group of Eight (G-8) summit last month in Japan was the largest ever, but the G-8 has been unable to function as it should because of its structural¹ problem. For one thing, mainland China, the world's third largest economy after the United States and Japan, is not a member. China is also the world's biggest polluter and the largest holder² of foreign reserves. A G-8 excluding China is like the WTO or the U.N. without Chinese involvement.

Many of the eight-member club, in particular Japan and the U.S., are pretending not to see the elephant in the room －and it is no secret that Japan enjoys its role as top dog in Asia. A Chinese dragon would make the top dog an underdog.

China would be better off outside the G-8, anyway. China cannot afford to cut emissions³ to levels set for developed economies. Besides, China is still a developing nation, with a meager⁴ per capita gross domestic product of US$2,700 in 2007, only one-fifteenth of America's, and one-sixth of Taiwan's.

Of course, joining the G-8 would boost China's international prestige. But this would make little practical sense for China because it is already a major player in the world arena－a permanent member of the U.N. and the host of the Olympics this month, for example.

1 structural   

adj.构造的，组织的，建筑（用）的

参考例句：

• The storm caused no structural damage.风暴没有造成建筑结构方面的破坏。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities.北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

2 holder   

n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物

参考例句：

• The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
• That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。

3 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

4 meager   

adj.缺乏的，不足的，瘦的

参考例句：

• He could not support his family on his meager salary.他靠微薄的工资无法养家。
• The two men and the woman grouped about the fire and began their meager meal.两个男人同一个女人围着火，开始吃起少得可怜的午饭。