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选举之夜观看指南
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选举之夜观看指南
一辆汽车在细雨霏霏的伦敦市中心沿着马路行驶，载着一位身穿西装的男子，把他从会议现场送回家。
双语精读
A critical guide to election night, the top-billing show of 2024
2024年头牌节目“选举之夜”的评论性指南
A car drives down a road in drizzly central London, taking a besuited man home from a meeting. It is a mundane image, transmuted into spectacle by the alchemy of elections.
一辆汽车在细雨霏霏的伦敦市中心沿着马路行驶，载着一位身穿西装的男子，把他从会议现场送回家。这是一个平淡无奇的画面，但选举的魔力将其点石成金为奇观。
Tracked in the sort of aerial footage normally reserved for felons on the run, the car conveyed Sir Keir Starmer to Downing Street from Buckingham Palace, where, at the king's invitation, he became Britain's new prime minister on July 5th.
在通常只用来拍摄逃犯的航拍镜头的追踪下，这辆车把基尔·斯塔默爵士从白金汉宫送往唐宁街，7月5日，他在白金汉宫得到国王授权后成为英国新首相。
Walter Bagehot, a Victorian editor of The Economist, divided the constitution into the "efficient" parts (like the cabinet) and the "dignified" or "theatrical" elements (like the monarchy).
沃尔特·白芝浩是维多利亚时代《经济学人》的编辑，他将宪法分为“效用”部分（如内阁）和“庄重”或者说“戏剧”部分（如君主制）。
Election night-the top-billing show in many countries in what is a bumper year for voting-brings the two together. It is a pivotal moment in the life of a nation. But it is also a drama, mixing a high-stakes plot with actorly set pieces and rhetorical motifs.
选举之夜——在今年这个投票大年里，这是许多国家的头牌节目——将这两者结合在了一起。这是国家历程中的一个关键时刻。但这也是一部戏剧，高赌注的情节、表演般的固定桥段、演讲的主题汇聚一堂。
These days the night's action begins with an exit poll, which, like a prologue, announces the key themes. Sometimes the findings are predictable, as with the thumping of the Conservatives foretold by pollsters in Britain.
如今，选举之夜以出口民调开始，就像开场序幕一样，宣布了节目的关键主题。有时候选举结果是可以预测的，就像英国民调机构预测的保守党惨败一样。
Sometimes this opening scene is electrifying. In France the preliminary results of parliamentary elections flash up on TV after a ten-to-one countdown; on July 7th they landed with a boom, showing Marine Le Pen's hard-right National Rally surprisingly beaten into third place.
有时候这个开场是令人激动的。在法国，议会选举的初选结果在倒数十个数后在电视上闪现；7月7日初步结果的公布引起轰动，显示玛丽娜·勒庞的极右翼国民联盟出人意料地被击败，位居第三。
Sub-plots unfold as the main action simmers. In America TV networks race to call the outcomes in each state. In a modern version of medieval football, English constituencies compete to count their votes fastest.
在主要情节酝酿之时，次要情节也逐渐展开。在美国，各大电视网络竞相宣布每个州的选举结果。在现代版的中世纪足球比赛中，英国各选区竞相以最快速度计票。
Then come the big soliloquies-ie, the concession and victory speeches. A leader's concession is the political equivalent of a condemned man's remarks from the scaffold.
然后是长篇的独白，也就是败选演讲和胜选演讲。领导人的败选演讲相当于一个被定罪的人在绞刑架上的遗言。
Fortunately a formula is available. You accept your loss, take responsibility and call for national unity. Mr Sunak pulled this off brilliantly: nothing in his premiership became him like the leaving of it.
幸运的是，有一个公式可套用。你接受你的失败，承担起责任，并呼吁国家团结。苏纳克出色地完成了败选演讲：他在首相任期内所做的最适合他的事就是离开首相职位。
In France Ms Le Pen deployed another familiar trope, that of disappointment as a triumph-in-waiting. "Our victory", she insisted, "has merely been delayed."
在法国，勒庞采用了另一种人们熟悉的比喻，即现在的失望是未来的胜利。“我们的胜利”，她坚持道，“只是被推迟了。”
词汇预习
critical [高考]
美[ˈkrɪtɪkl] | 英[ˈkrɪtɪkl]
adj. 批评的；挑剔的；决定性的；危险的 adj. 临界的
normally [高考]
美[ˈnɔːrməli] | 英[ˈnɔːməli]
adv. 通常；正常地
disappointment [高考]
美[ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntmənt] | 英[ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntmənt]
n. 失望；令人失望的人或事
efficient [高考]
美[ɪˈfɪʃnt] | 英[ɪˈfɪʃnt]
adj. 效率高的；胜任的
unity [高考]
美[ˈjuːnəti] | 英[ˈjuːnəti]
n. 整体；统一；一致；结合
poll [高考]
美[poʊl] | 英[pəʊl]
n. 民意测验；投票；票数 v. 做民意测验；获得 ... 票
unfold [高考]
美[ʌnˈfoʊld] | 英[ʌnˈfəʊld]
v. 展开；开放；显露
election [高考]
美[ɪˈlekʃn] | 英[ɪˈlekʃn]
n. 选举；当选；选举权
prime [高考]
美[praɪm] | 英[praɪm]
adj. 主要的; 基本的; 最好的; 首选的 n. 鼎盛时期 v. 事先指点; 事先准备
cabinet [高考]
美[ˈkæbɪnət] | 英[ˈkæbɪnət]
n. 橱柜；内阁 adj. 内阁的；秘密的
equivalent [高考]
美[ɪˈkwɪvələnt] | 英[ɪˈkwɪvələnt]
adj. 等价的 相等的 n. 相等物
loss [高考]
美[lɔːs] | 英[lɒs]
n. 遗失；丧失；损失；失败；失落；死亡
editor [高考]
美[ˈedɪtər] | 英[ˈedɪtə(r)]
n. 编辑；编者；影片剪辑装置
merely [高考]
美[ˈmɪrli] | 英[ˈmɪəli]
adv. 仅仅；只不过
political [高考]
美[pəˈlɪtɪkl] | 英[pəˈlɪtɪkl]
adj. 政治的；政治上的；政党的；人事的；争权夺利的
exit [高考]
美[ˈeksɪt] | 英[ˈeksɪt]
n. 出口；退场 v. 离去；退出
boom [高考]
美[buːm] | 英[buːm]
n. 繁荣；兴旺；激增；低沉声 n. 帆杠；吊杆；支臂；尾桁；水栅 vi. 急速增长；发出低沉声 vt. 使兴旺；促进
minister [高考]
美[ˈmɪnɪstər] | 英[ˈmɪnɪstə(r)]
n. 外交使节；部长；大臣；牧师 v. 照顾；给予帮助
plot [高考]
美[plɑːt] | 英[plɒt]
n. 情节；阴谋；图；(小块)土地 v. 密谋；绘图；计划；标示位置
constitution [高考]
美[ˌkɑːnstɪˈtuːʃn] | 英[ˌkɒnstɪˈtjuːʃn]
n. 宪法；组织；体质；构成，组成，构造
formula [高考]
美[ˈfɔːrmjələ] | 英[ˈfɔːmjələ]
n. 配方；公式；规则；代乳品 adj. 方程式的；（赛车的）级的
medieval [高考]
美[ˌmediˈiːvl] | 英[ˌmediˈiːvl]
adj. 中世纪的
preliminary [高考]
美[prɪˈlɪmɪneri] | 英[prɪˈlɪmɪnəri]
adj. 初步的；预备的；开始的 n. 初步行动；准备；初步措施
where [高考]
美[wer] | 英[weə(r)]
adv. 在哪里；在那个地方 conj. 在 ... 地方
surprisingly [四级]
美[sərˈpraɪzɪŋli] | 英[sə(r)ˈpraɪzɪŋli]
adv. 惊人地；意外地
triumph [四级]
美[ˈtraɪʌmf] | 英[ˈtraɪʌmf]
n. 凯旋；成就；胜利；欢欣 vi. 战胜；庆祝胜利
spectacle [四级]
美[ˈspektəkl] | 英[ˈspektəkl]
n. 景象；场面；奇观；壮观；公开展示；表相，假相 n. （复）眼镜
predictable [四级]
美[prɪˈdɪktəbl] | 英[prɪˈdɪktəbl]
adj. 可预知的
show in [四级]
美[ʃoʊ ɪn] | 英[ʃəʊ ɪn]
把…领进
reserved [四级]
美[rɪˈzɜrvd] | 英[rɪˈzɜ:vd]
adj. 保留的；预订的；含蓄的；缄默的
concession [六级]
美[kənˈseʃn] | 英[kənˈseʃn]
n. 让步；特许权；租界；妥协
aerial [六级]
美[ˈeriəl] | 英[ˈeəriəl]
adj. 空中的；空气的；航空的；空想的 n. 天线
on the run [六级]
美[ɑːn ðə rʌn] | 英[ɒn ðə rʌn]
奔跑； 逃跑； 忙碌； 奔波
guide to [六级]
美[ɡaɪd tu] | 英[ɡaid tu:]
v. 带领到
remarks [专四]
美[rɪ'maks] | 英[rɪ'ma:ks]
n. 附记；备注
brilliantly [专四]
美[ˈbrɪljəntlɪ] | 英['brɪlɪəntlɪ]
adv. 辉煌地；光亮地；灿烂地
monarchy [专八]
美[ˈmɑːnərki] | 英[ˈmɒnəki]
n. 君主政体；君主国；君主政治
prologue [专八]
美[ˈproʊlɔg] | 英[ˈprəʊlɒg]
n. 开场白；序言；序幕
alchemy [专八]
美[ˈælkəmi] | 英[ˈælkəmi]
n. 炼金术；魔力
bumper [专八]
美[ˈbʌmpər] | 英[ˈbʌmpə(r)]
n. 保险杠；缓冲器 n. 满杯；特大的东西 adj. 丰盛的；特大的
scaffold [专八]
美[ˈskæfoʊld] | 英[ˈskæfəʊld]
n. 鹰架；绞刑台；脚手架
mundane [专八]
美[mʌnˈdeɪn] | 英[mʌnˈdeɪn]
adj. 平凡的；世俗的；世界的
parliamentary [考研]
美[ˌpɑrləˈmentri] | 英[ˌpɑ:ləˈmentri]
adj. 议会的；国会的；议会制定的
Victorian [考研]
美[vɪkˈtɔriən, -ˈtor-] | 英[vɪkˈtɔ:riən]
adj. 维多利亚女王时代的；英国维多利亚女王时代的 n. 维多利亚时代；维多利亚女王时代的人
重点讲解
A critical guide to election night, the top-billing show of 2024
2024年头牌节目“选举之夜”的评论性指南
mundane adj. 平凡的；单调的
【例】She longed to escape her mundane life and travel the world.
她渴望逃离平淡的生活，去周游世界。
【近义词】dull/ordinary/banal adj. 普通的；平凡的
spectacle n. 奇观；精彩的场面
【例】The sunset was a stunning spectacle.
夕阳西斜，异常壮观。
The opening ceremony of the Olympics was a grand spectacle.
奥运会开幕式的场面非常宏伟壮观。
【拓展】spectate v. 观看
spectator n. 观众；观看者
spectacular adj. 壮观的；精彩的
A car drives down a road in drizzly central London, taking a besuited man home from a meeting. It is a mundane image, transmuted into spectacle by the alchemy of elections.
一辆汽车在细雨霏霏的伦敦市中心沿着马路行驶，载着一位身穿西装的男子，把他从会议现场送回家。这是一个平淡无奇的画面，但选举的魔力将其点石成金为奇观。
mundane adj. 平凡的；单调的
【例】She longed to escape her mundane life and travel the world.
她渴望逃离平淡的生活，去周游世界。
【近义词】dull/ordinary/banal adj. 普通的；平凡的
spectacle n. 奇观；精彩的场面
【例】The sunset was a stunning spectacle.
夕阳西斜，异常壮观。
The opening ceremony of the Olympics was a grand spectacle.
奥运会开幕式的场面非常宏伟壮观。
【拓展】spectate v. 观看
spectator n. 观众；观看者
spectacular adj. 壮观的；精彩的
Tracked in the sort of aerial footage normally reserved for felons on the run, the car conveyed Sir Keir Starmer to Downing Street from Buckingham Palace, where, at the king’s invitation, he became Britain’s new prime minister on July 5th.
在通常只用来拍摄逃犯的航拍镜头的追踪下，这辆车把基尔·斯塔默爵士从白金汉宫送往唐宁街，7月5日，他在白金汉宫得到国王授权后成为英国新首相。
be reserved for 预留给；专门留给
【例】The front seats are reserved for VIP guests.
前排座位是给VIP客人预留的。
This discovery was reserved to our times.
这一发现只有到我们这个时代才有可能。
Walter Bagehot, a Victorian editor of The Economist, divided the constitution into the “efficient” parts (like the cabinet) and the “dignified” or “theatrical” elements (like the monarchy).
沃尔特·白芝浩是维多利亚时代《经济学人》的编辑，他将宪法分为“效用”部分（如内阁）和“庄重”或者说“戏剧”部分（如君主制）。
monarchy n. 君主制
【例】to abolish monarchy 废除君主制
【拓展】monarch n. 君主；帝王
anarchy n. 无政府主义
Election night—the top-billing show in many countries in what is a bumper year for voting—brings the two together. It is a pivotal moment in the life of a nation. But it is also a drama, mixing a high-stakes plot with actorly set pieces and rhetorical motifs.
选举之夜——在今年这个投票大年里，这是许多国家的头牌节目——将这两者结合在了一起。这是国家历程中的一个关键时刻。但这也是一部戏剧，高赌注的情节、表演般的固定桥段、演讲的主题汇聚一堂。
bumper adj. 异常盛大的
【例】a bumper harvest 大丰收
a bumper audience 特别多的观众
【近义词】big/boom adj. 大的；繁荣的
pivotal adj. 中枢的；关键的
【例】The invention of the internet was pivotal to the advancement of modern technology.
互联网的发明对现代科技的进步起到了关键作用。
【拓展】pivot v. 在枢轴上旋转；以……为中心
【例】The future pivots on what is done today.
未来取决于今天的所为。
These days the night’s action begins with an exit poll, which, like a prologue, announces the key themes. Sometimes the findings are predictable, as with the thumping of the Conservatives foretold by pollsters in Britain.
如今，选举之夜以出口民调开始，就像开场序幕一样，宣布了节目的关键主题。有时候选举结果是可以预测的，就像英国民调机构预测的保守党惨败一样。
prologue n. 序言；序幕；开场白
【例】the prologue to the French Revolution
法国大革命的序幕
【近义词】prelude n. 前奏；先声
【拓展】monologue n. 独白
dialogue n. 对话
electrify v. 通电；令人兴奋
【例】The fences are electrified.
栅栏都通了电。
Her performance electrified the audience.
她的表演使观众兴奋不已。
【拓展】electric adj. 用电的；令人兴奋的
Sometimes this opening scene is electrifying. In France the preliminary results of parliamentary elections flash up on TV after a ten-to-one countdown; on July 7th they landed with a boom, showing Marine Le Pen’s hard-right National Rally surprisingly beaten into third place.
有时候这个开场是令人激动的。在法国，议会选举的初选结果在倒数十个数后在电视上闪现；7月7日初步结果的公布引起轰动，显示玛丽娜·勒庞的极右翼国民联盟出人意料地被击败，位居第三。
prologue n. 序言；序幕；开场白
【例】the prologue to the French Revolution
法国大革命的序幕
【近义词】prelude n. 前奏；先声
【拓展】monologue n. 独白
dialogue n. 对话
electrify v. 通电；令人兴奋
【例】The fences are electrified.
栅栏都通了电。
Her performance electrified the audience.
她的表演使观众兴奋不已。
【拓展】electric adj. 用电的；令人兴奋的
Sub-plots unfold as the main action simmers. In America TV networks race to call the outcomes in each state. In a modern version of medieval football, English constituencies compete to count their votes fastest.
在主要情节酝酿之时，次要情节也逐渐展开。在美国，各大电视网络竞相宣布每个州的选举结果。在现代版的中世纪足球比赛中，英国各选区竞相以最快速度计票。
simmer v. 微微沸腾；即将爆发
【例】to simmer the soup 用小火炖汤
She was simmering with anger.
她心中翻腾着怒火。
【拓展】boil v. 沸腾
constituency n. 选区
【例】to sweep a constituency
横扫某选区/在某选区获得压倒性胜利
【拓展】constituent n. 选民
constitution n. 宪法；构成
constitute v. 构成；合法设立
Then come the big soliloquies—ie, the concession and victory speeches. A leader’s concession is the political equivalent of a condemned man’s remarks from the scaffold.
然后是长篇的独白，也就是败选演讲和胜选演讲。领导人的败选演讲相当于一个被定罪的人在绞刑架上的遗言。
concession n. 让步；承认
【例】to make concessions 做出让步
concessions to reality 承认现实
【拓展】concede v. 让步；承认
【例】to concede defeat 认输
pull sth off 完成（困难的事）
【例】He managed to pull off the complex project.
他想办法完成了这个复杂的项目。
become v. 合适；使更漂亮
【例】Such behaviour did not become her.
这种举止与她的身分不相称。
Short hair really becomes you.
你理短发很好看。
Fortunately a formula is available. You accept your loss, take responsibility and call for national unity. Mr Sunak pulled this off brilliantly: nothing in his premiership became him like the leaving of it.
幸运的是，有一个公式可套用。你接受你的失败，承担起责任，并呼吁国家团结。苏纳克出色地完成了败选演讲：他在首相任期内所做的最适合他的事就是离开首相职位。
concession n. 让步；承认
【例】to make concessions 做出让步
concessions to reality 承认现实
【拓展】concede v. 让步；承认
【例】to concede defeat 认输
pull sth off 完成（困难的事）
【例】He managed to pull off the complex project.
他想办法完成了这个复杂的项目。
become v. 合适；使更漂亮
【例】Such behaviour did not become her.
这种举止与她的身分不相称。
Short hair really becomes you.
你理短发很好看。
In France Ms Le Pen deployed another familiar trope, that of disappointment as a triumph-in-waiting. “Our victory”, she insisted, “has merely been delayed.”
在法国，勒庞采用了另一种人们熟悉的比喻，即现在的失望是未来的胜利。“我们的胜利”，她坚持道，“只是被推迟了。”
-in-waiting 即将发生的；等待中的
【例】The startup is a success-in-waiting.
这个初创企业未来可期。
the heir-in-waiting 预备役继承人
【近义词】pending adj. 即将发生的；候场的
【例】the pending election 即将进行的选举
课后练习
What is special about the scene of a car taking a man home?
A. It is part of the British Prime Minister election.
B. It describes the busy daily routine of a politician.
C. It highlights the commute in London.
D. It is filmed in a remarkably novel way.
What does the author think of the election night?
A. It is an activity worth celebration.
B. It is the source of risks and conflicts.
C. It is a significant and theatrical event.
D. It is a routine and uneventful occasion.
The author describes the initial phase of election night in France as ____.
A. a slow process that involves a long waiting time
B. a dull and predictable event with few surprises
C. an exciting moment with unexpected outcomes
D. an unfair result that causes widespread anger
What can be inferred about concession speeches from the text?
A. They are an opportunity for leaders to congratulate their rivals.
B. They are a mere formality and not taken seriously by the leaders.
C. They offer a chance for leaders to deny their defeat and blame others.
D. They follow a certain formula and represent a dignified acceptance of defeat.
