2018年经济学人 沙特改革大幕已开启(2)

 

Yet the world has a vital interest in Saudi Arabia's fate.

但是沙特阿拉伯的命运和全球的重要利益攸关。

It is the biggest oil exporter, and home to Islam's two holiest sites.

沙特阿拉伯是最大的石油出口国，也是伊斯兰教两大圣地所在地。

It is central to the Gulf¹, the Arab region and the Islamic world.

还是海湾地区、阿拉伯地区和伊斯兰世界的中心。

Successful reforms would help spread stability to a region in chaos², and dynamism to its economies.

成功的改革将有助于稳定处于混乱的地区，为其经济注入活力。

A more normal Saudi Arabia should moderate the Islamic world,

一个更正常的沙特阿拉伯应该缓和伊斯兰世界，

by example and because the flow of petro dollars to zealots would slow.

举例说明原因就是购买石油的美元流向狂热分子的速度会减慢。

Failure, by contrast, could spread turmoil³ to the Gulf,

相比之下，如果失败，动荡可能会蔓延至海湾地区，

which broadly avoided the upheaval⁴ of the Arab spring of 2011.

而该地区基本避免了2011年“阿拉伯之春”运动的影响。

It is thus worrying that Saudi Arabia faces such daunting⁵ problems.

因此，令人担忧的是，沙特阿拉伯面临着这些严峻的问题。

Volatile⁶ oil revenues make up more than 80% of government income, the IMF reckons.

国际货币基金组织估计，不稳定的石油收入占沙特政府收入的80%以上。

Even with rising crude prices, the country is grappling with a large budget deficit⁷.

尽管原油价格不断上涨，但是沙特仍面临着巨额预算赤字。

Forall the gains in health and education, GDP per person has been flat for decades.

尽管在医疗和教育方面取得进步，但是人均GDP几十年来一直保持原状。

Saudis work mostly in cushy government jobs.

大部分沙特人主要在政府干一些轻松的工作。

Oil wealth has hidden a woefully unproductive economy,

石油财富掩盖了极其低效的经济，

and fuelled Islamic ultra-puritanism around the world.

并在世界各地助长了伊斯兰极端清教主义。

To his credit, Prince Muhammad recognises that change is needed.

值得称道的是，王储穆罕默德认识到变革是必要的。

However, he is unnecessarily adding to his task.

然而，他给自己增加了不必要的任务。

Abroad, he has proved rash.

在国外，王储穆罕默德已被证明是鲁莽的。

His war against the Houthis, a Shiamilitia in Yemen,

与也门什叶派胡塞武装组织的战争，

now centred on the battle for the port of Hodeida, has brought disease and hunger to Yemenis,

现在集中在荷台达港的战斗，给也门人带来了疾病和饥饿，

a missilewar over Saudi cities and embarrassment⁸ to Western allies that provide weapons and other help.

给沙特城市带来了导弹战争，也让为其提供武器和其他帮助的西方盟友处于一个尴尬的境地。

Last year Saudi Arabia sullied itself by detaining the Lebanese prime minister, SaadHariri,

去年，沙特阿拉伯扣押黎巴嫩总理萨阿德·哈里里，从而玷污了自己的名声，

releasing him only under international pressure.

最后迫于国际压力才将其释放。

With its main ally, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), it has led the way in isolating⁹ Qatar, a contrarian emirate,

沙特还与主要盟友阿拉伯联合酋长国一道，带头孤立与其持相反观点的酋长国卡塔尔，

by cutting land, sea and air links (the Saudis even want to dig a canal to make the place an island).

主要通过切断陆地、海洋和空中运输的方式，（沙特人甚至想开凿一条运河，把这个地方变成一个岛屿）。

In doing so they have split the Gulf Co-operation Council, the club of oil monarchies¹⁰.

通过这样做，他们分裂了海湾合作委员会——石油君主国俱乐部。

As the Arab cold war spreads, Iran and other foes¹¹ are gaining advantage.

而随着阿拉伯冷战的蔓延，伊朗和其他敌对国家正逐渐取得上风。

At home Prince Muhammad has developed a taste for repression¹².

在国内，王储穆罕默德已经养成了镇压的习惯。

The number of executions has risen.

处以死刑的人数增加了。

More dissenters¹³ are in jail, among them, perversely¹⁴, women who campaigned to drive.

越来越多的持不同意见的人被关进监狱，其中有些人是参与争取驾驶权运动的女性。

Everything, it seems, must be a gift from the Al Sauds:

一切似乎都必须是来自阿尔沙特的馈赠：

the name of the country, the oil bounty¹⁵ and now the right to drive a car.

从国家的名字到丰富的石油，现在则是驾车权。

He has also adopted the view that all Islamists,even the non-violent off shoots of the Muslim Brotherhood¹⁶,

王储穆罕默德还采纳了这样的观点：所有的伊斯兰主义者，甚至是穆斯林兄弟会的非暴力分支，

are as grave a menace as Sunni jihadists and Shia militias¹⁷. 

都和逊尼派圣战分子和什叶派民兵一样，构成严重的威胁。

Thus, the Saudis and Emiratis are leading a counter-revolution against the Arab spring and the hope of democracy.

因此，沙特和阿联酋正在领导一场反对阿拉伯之春和民主希望的反革命。

Sadly, America has all but given them carte blanche.

可悲的是，美国几乎给了他们自主处理权。

1 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

2 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

3 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

4 upheaval   

n.胀起，(地壳)的隆起；剧变，动乱

参考例句：

• It was faced with the greatest social upheaval since World War Ⅱ.它面临第二次世界大战以来最大的社会动乱。
• The country has been thrown into an upheaval.这个国家已经陷入动乱之中。

5 daunting   

adj.使人畏缩的

参考例句：

• They were faced with the daunting task of restoring the house.他们面临着修复房子的艰巨任务。
• Starting a new job can be a daunting prospect.开始一项新工作有时会让人望而却步。

6 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

7 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

8 embarrassment   

n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫

参考例句：

• She could have died away with embarrassment.她窘迫得要死。
• Coughing at a concert can be a real embarrassment.在音乐会上咳嗽真会使人难堪。

9 isolating   

adj.孤立的，绝缘的v.使隔离( isolate的现在分词 )；将…剔出（以便看清和单独处理）；使（某物质、细胞等）分离；使离析

参考例句：

• Colour filters are not very effective in isolating narrow spectral bands. 一些滤色片不能很有效地分离狭窄的光谱带。 来自辞典例句
• This became known as the streak method for isolating bacteria. 这个方法以后就称为分离细菌的划线法。 来自辞典例句

10 monarchies   

n. 君主政体, 君主国, 君主政治

参考例句：

• It cleared away a number of monarchies. 它清除了好几个君主政体。
• Nowadays, there are few monarchies left in the world. 现在世界上君主制的国家已经很少了。

11 foes   

敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They steadily pushed their foes before them. 他们不停地追击敌人。
• She had fought many battles, vanquished many foes. 她身经百战，挫败过很多对手。

12 repression   

n.镇压，抑制，抑压

参考例句：

• The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
• This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。

13 dissenters   

n.持异议者，持不同意见者( dissenter的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He attacked the indulgence shown to religious dissenters. 他抨击对宗教上持不同政见者表现出的宽容。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• (The dissenters would have allowed even more leeway to the Secretary.) （持异议者还会给行政长官留有更多的余地。） 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法

14 perversely   

adv. 倔强地

参考例句：

• Intelligence in the mode of passion is always perversely. 受激情属性控制的智力，总是逆着活动的正确方向行事。
• She continue, perversely, to wear shoes that damaged her feet. 她偏偏穿那双挤脚的鞋。

15 bounty   

n.慷慨的赠予物，奖金；慷慨，大方；施与

参考例句：

• He is famous for his bounty to the poor.他因对穷人慷慨相助而出名。
• We received a bounty from the government.我们收到政府给予的一笔补助金。

16 brotherhood   

n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊

参考例句：

• They broke up the brotherhood.他们断绝了兄弟关系。
• They live and work together in complete equality and brotherhood.他们完全平等和兄弟般地在一起生活和工作。

17 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网