本文选自吴应时主编的《大学英语六级阅读真题精读——晨读伴侣》。本书对历年国家大学英语六级考试（CET-6）的仔细阅读部分进行了详尽而精准的分析、翻译和注释，对四六级考生有着事半功倍的效果，对提升整体英语能力也很有帮助。

学习导读：

中国经济的发展举世瞩目，改革开放以来，中国的经济发生了翻天覆地的变化。其它国家经济缓慢增长甚至是负增长的时候，中国经济仍能保持高速的增长，这不得不说是一个奇迹。人们不禁好奇，奇迹背后隐藏着什么？快来学习本文，看看里面说的有没有道理。

[For most of the 20th century], Asia asked itself what it could learn from (the modern, innovating) West. [Now] the question must be reversed1. What can the West’s overly indebted and sluggish 2 nations learn from a flourishing 3 Asia?

在二十世纪的大部分时间里，亚洲都在自问，它可以向现代且不断创新的西方学些什么。而现在这个问题要倒过来了：西方那些负债累累、经济停滞不前的国家应该向蒸蒸日上的亚洲学习些什么？

注：1. reverse n. 相反，反转，颠倒；背面，后面。

v. 颠倒，倒转（使）倒退。文中为动词的过去分词形式。例：

We won’t be able to reverse many of the cuts this Government is making.

我们将无法扭转政府大量的裁员行动。

[选自：BBC: Full text: Ed Miliband's Labour conference speech]

At this stage, the decay process can be reversed.

在这个阶段，龋坏过程是可以逆转的。

【派】reversal (n. 倒转，反转)；reversely (adv. 相对地，反对地)

2. sluggish adj.偷懒的，迟钝的，懒惰的。例：

U.N. talks on a global pact to combat climate change are making sluggish progress.

应对气候变化的联合国全球协议谈判进展缓慢。

[选自：MSN: Sea levels could rise by 2-3 feet more, Arctic experts say]

3. flourish vt. 繁荣，茂盛，兴旺。例：

Plants will not flourish without water.

没有水，植物就不会长得茂盛。

While some banks will flourish under the new rules, the weaker ones probably will not.

虽然一些银行将由于新规则蓬勃发展，弱者则可能不会。

[选自：CNN: Reviving the Banks]

[Just a few decades ago], Asia’s two giants were stagnating 1 [under faulty economic ideologies]. [However], [once China began embracing free-market reforms [in the 1980s],] [followed by 2 India in the 1990s], both countries achieved rapid growth. [Crucially 3], [as they opened up their markets,] they balanced market economy [with sensible government direction]. [As the Indian economist {Amartya Sen} has [wisely] said,] “The invisible4  hand (of the market) has [often] relied [heavily] on the visible hand (of government).”

就在几十年前，亚洲的两大巨擎在错误的经济思想的指导下停滞不前。然而，自从中国20世纪80年代迎来自由市场的改革，紧接着是印度在20世纪90年代的改革，这两个国家都实现了经济的快速发展。关键是，两国在开放市场的同时，依靠明智的政府调控平衡了市场经济。正如印度睿智的经济学家Amartya Sen所言，“市场这只看不见的手通常在很大程度上依赖于政府调控这只看得见的手。”

注：1. stagnate v.淤塞；沉滞；腐败；失去活力。例：

Demand for home loans is expected to fall in the coming months as the mortgage market continues to stagnate.

随着抵押贷款市场继续停滞不前，购房贷款需求预计将在未来几个月下降。

[选自：BBC: Mortgage demand dip predicted by lenders]

2. followed by  然后，随后；续集。例：

The teacher came in, followed by his students.

老师走进来，后面跟着他的学生。

It is likely to be followed by a second lab and possibly a third.

很可能接着进行第二次实验和第三次实验。

[选自：BBC: Rocket launches Chinese space lab]

3. crucially adv.至关重要地，关键地。例：

They have performed well in their jobs and, crucially, they have nerves of steel.

他们在自己的工作中表现良好，关键的是，他们拥有钢铁般的意志。

[选自：BBC: The return of the Kinnockites]

Chewing properly is crucially important.

正确的咀嚼方式极其重要。

【参】crucial(adj.至关重要的，决定性的)

4. invisible adj.看不见的，无形的。例：

The dogs next door were being kept in their yard by an invisible electric fence.

隔壁家的狗被用一种无形的电栅栏关在自家的院子里。

The car before our car is almost invisible in the thick fog.

浓雾使我们几乎看不见前面的车。

【知识背景】Invisible hand 看不见的手

Invisible hand is the term, first coined by the economist Adam Smith, used by economists to describe the self-regulating nature of the marketplace.

看不见的手是经济学家亚当·斯密所首先使用的术语，经济学家用来描述市场的自我调节性质。

说到这里，不妨记一下国富论的全名，可以显得有文化一些：《国民财富的性质和原因的研究》（An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations）。该书于公元1776年出版，这个年份作为经济学科班毕业的编者，我还是牢牢记住了的。看得见的手是凯恩斯的理论了，有兴趣了解经济学说史的读者可以自行查找。现在搜索引擎如此便捷，可不要当“伸手党”呀。

【反】visible(adj.可见的，有形的)

Contrast 1 this middle path [with America and Europe], (which have [each] gone [ideologically] [over-board] [in their own ways].) [Since the 1980s], America has been [increasingly] clinging 2 to the ideology (of uncontrolled free markets) and dismissing 3 the role (of government) – [following Ronald Regan’s idea] {that “government is [not] the solution (to our problem); government is the problem.”} [Of course], [when the markets came crashing down 4 [in 2007],] it was decisive government intervention that saved the day. [Despite this fact], many Americans are [still] [strongly] opposed to 5 “big government.”

将这条“中间道路”与美国和欧洲做个比较，美国和欧洲以各自的方式在意识形态上都走向了极端。自20世纪80年代以来，美国越来越坚持这样的意识形态——不加控制地给予市场自由同时弱化政府的角色，这是遵循了罗纳德里根的观点。罗纳德里根认为“政府并不是解决问题的途径；政府本身才是问题所在。”当然，2007年美国市场崩溃的时候，正是政府的果断介入才最终扭转了局面。尽管如此，许多美国人依然强烈反对“大政府（样样都管）。”

注：1. contrast vt. 使与...对比，使与...对照

contrast A with B 把A与B作对比

vi. (with) 和...形成对比

His black jacket contrasted sharply with his white pants.

他的黑夹克与白裤子形成了鲜明的对比。

by contrast 对比之下

in contrast with/to 与...成对比

In contrast, the number covered by government health insurance climbed from 83.0 million to 87.4 million.

与此相反，享受政府医疗保险的人数从8300万美元攀升至8740万。

[选自：MSN: Americans lacking health insurance rose in '08]

2. cling vi. (to) 粘住，依附；(to) 坚持。例：

We dream of moving in a new direction, yet too many of us cling to the past.

我们梦想朝着一个新的方向前进，但太多的人总怀抱着过去不放。

[选自：UN: Secretary-General]

Martin felt his shirt wet and almost cling to him.

马丁觉得衬衫湿了，几乎都粘在身上。

Cling film 保鲜膜

3. dismiss vt. 免职，解雇，开除，解散。例：

The clerk was dismissed for around the office too much.

那名职员因整天在办公室无所事事而被罢免了。

“I am glad that the Court has decided to dismiss the lawsuit,” his statement concluded.

他总结陈词：“我很高兴，法院已决定驳回诉讼”。

[选自：BBC: Judge dismisses Hurt Locker case]

4. crash down 哗啦一声倒下；猛跌。例：

Just as they can crashing down they can jump back up, boosting wealth.

正如它们能够猛跌，他么也能蹿升以增加财富。

The space agency is now predicting the satellite will crash down to Earth late Friday or early Saturday, Eastern Time.

宇航局现在预测卫星会在美国东部时间周五晚些时候或周六早些时候崩溃。

[选自：NPR: Falling Satellite Slows Down, Earth Strike Delayed]

5. be opposed to 反对...，背道而驰。例：

Most Americans would, I suspect, be opposed to this proposal.

我猜，大多数美国人都会反对这个提案。

Chan is said to be opposed to the liberal use of special effects in modern films and will use them sparingly in the movie.

据说，成龙反对在现代电影中自由使用特效，在电影中使用时要适可而止。

[选自：BBC: Jackie Chan in Rush Hour]

[If Americans could [only] free themselves [from 1 their antigovernment doctrine 2],] they would begin to see that the America’s problems are [not] insoluble. A few sensible federal 3 measures could put the country . A simple consumption tax (of, ^say^, 5%) would [significantly] reduce the country’s huge government deficit [without damaging productivity]. A small gasoline tax would help free America [from its dependence on oil imports] and create incentives 4[for green energy development]. [In the same way], a significant reduction (of wasteful agricultural subsidies 5) could [also] lower the deficit. But [in order to take advantage of these common-sense solutions], Americans will have to put their own attachment 6 [to the idea] (of smaller government and less regulation). American politicians will have to develop the courage [to follow what is taught [in all American public-policy schools]] 7: {that there are good taxes and bad taxes.} Asian countries have embraced this wisdom, and have built (sound) (long-term) fiscal policies [as a result].

如果美国人能够从抵制政府的教条中解脱出来的话，他们会发现美国的问题并非无法解决。一些明智的联邦措施能使这个国家回归正轨。只需——比如5%的——消费税就可以显著降低政府巨大的财政赤字，而不用损害任何生产力。征收小额的汽油税就能帮助美国改变依靠进口石油的现状并促使其绿色能源的发展。同样地，如果能减少多余的农业补贴，也可以减少政府财政赤字。但是如要利用这些常识性的解决办法，美国人就要撇开他们的小政府和弱管制情结。美国的从政者必须鼓足勇气按照所有公共政策学校所教的“税有好的税，也有坏的税”行事。亚洲国家已经领悟到这一智慧，从而也建立了稳定良好的财政政策。

注：1. free from 从...中释放出来，使摆脱  例：

He is free from any sense of responsibility.

她丝毫没有责任感。

For the brave Americans who bear the risk, no victory is free from sorrow.

对于承担风险的勇敢的美国人来说，没有摆脱悲伤的胜利。

[选自：CNN: Transcript of State of the Union]

2. doctrine n. 信条，教条，教义；（尤指政府外交政策的）正式声明。例：

Following World War II, the first U.S. commitment to Europe came in the form of the 1947 Truman Doctrine.

二战后，美国对欧洲做出的第一个承诺就是在1947年提出杜鲁门主义。

The president’s short statement in the White House briefing room didn’t propose an Obama doctrine.

在白宫简报室总统的简短声明中没有提出奥巴马主义。

[选自：BBC: Obama ends the long war]

3. federal adj. 联邦的。例：

The suit was moved to federal court because Winfrey's show is based in Illinois.

该诉讼被转移到联邦法庭，因为温弗瑞的节目总部设在伊利诺伊州。

[选自：CNN: Oprah and Stedman]

The U.S. is a federal organization of states.

美国是一个联邦国家。

【派】federally(adv.联邦地，联邦政府地)

【参】federation(n.联邦，联盟)

4. incentive n.刺激，鼓励，动机。例：

As an incentive, the workers were promised a bonus if they finished the project ahead of schedule.

老板许诺如果工人们提前完成这个项目，就给他们发放奖金，以资鼓励。

But in the long run, the airlines have no real incentive to keep doing that.

但是从长远角度来看，航空公司没有真正的动力去继续这样做。

[选自：CNN: Snyder: Padded flight times a reasonable buffer]

5. subsidy n. 津贴，补助金。例：

The president has signed a decree giving a 5$ billion subsidy to farmers.

总统已经签署了一项法令给予农民50亿美元的补贴。

That subsidy has now been lessened, which is a good thing of course: subsidies distort markets.

该补贴现在已经减少，这当然是一件好事：补贴扭曲了市场。

[选自：FORBES: Moody's Downgrades the UK Banks]

6. attachment n.（用电子邮件发送的）附件，附属物；喜欢。例：

Some models come with attachments for dusting.

一些模型附带上了除尘器。

They are losing the skills they had, they are losing their connections, their attachment to the labor force.

他们正逐渐丧失他们的技能，断开与劳动力的关系，失去与劳动力的情感依属。

[选自：NPR: Bernanke: Long-Term Unemployment A National Crisis]

另外，文中put aside their own attachment完全可以理解为put their own attachment aside。

7. to follow…schools作状语，follow后面what引导的从句作follow的形式宾语，本无需分析，这里为了让大家更加透彻理解，也一并分析。

[Meanwhile], Europe has fallen prey to 1(a different ideological) trap: the belief {that European governments would [always] have infinite 2resources and could continue borrowing [as if 3 there were no tomorrow.]} [Unlike the Americans], (who felt that the markets knew [best],) the Europeans failed to anticipate 4 how the markets would react 5to their endless borrowing. [Today], the European Union is creating a $580 billion fund [to ward off 6 sovereign collapse]. This will buy the EU , but it will [not] solve the bloc’s larger problem.

与此同时，欧洲已经陷入另一种意识形态之中而不可自拔：他们相信欧洲政府总是有无穷无尽的资源，可以不断地去借贷，仿佛没有未来一样。跟信奉市场万能的美国人不同，欧洲人没能预料到市场会怎样应对无休止的借贷。现今，欧盟创立了一个5,800亿美元的基金来避免国家崩溃。这个对策将暂时为欧盟赢得时间，但是它并不能解决欧盟阵营更深大的问题。

注：1. fall prey to 成为……的牺牲品; 成为; 深受; 成为…的牺牲品。例：

The deer fell prey to the lion.

鹿被狮子捕食了。

词组中，prey n. 猎物，捕获物；受害者。例：

Many children in the countryside became the prey of superstition and ignorance.

许许多多的孩子都成了迷信和无知的受害者。

vi. 猎取食物。例：

prey on 捕杀，杀害；折磨。例：

The hunters were preying on rabbits in the woods.

猎人们正在森林中捕捉兔子。

2. infinite adj. 无限的，无穷的。例：

If, as some say, genius is an infinite ability to take pains, the secret of Stewart's success is obvious.

像有些人说的那样，如果天才拥有忍受痛苦的无限能力，那么斯图尔特成功的秘诀是显而易见的。

[选自：BBC: Alec Stewart: A profile]

There is infinite space for imagination in the ending of the film.

这部影片的结尾给人留下了无穷的想象空间。

n. 无限。例：

The infinite of the space is still a mystery to us human beings.

无限的太空对我们人类来说仍是个谜。

3. as if 似乎，好像。例：

As if there were ever any doubt.

好像从来都没有任何怀疑。

Almost as if the boy had asserted that Daniel Boone or Crockett yet lived.

仿佛那个男孩就声称，丹尼尔·布恩或克罗克特还在世。

[选自：NPR: In New Novel, Frazier Returns to Love in Appalachia]

4. anticipate vt. 预期，预料，预感，期望。例：

Stocks have surged in the past eight months as investors anticipate a recovery in the economy.

过去八个月股价纷纷飙升，因此投资者预计经济将要复苏。

[选自：MSN: Stocks end back-and-forth day slightly higher]

Though there have been married 10 years, Scott can never anticipate what his wife will say or do next.

虽然结婚十年了可斯科特从来就无法预知妻子接下来会说什么或做什么。

【派】anticipation（n.预期，预料）

5. react vi. 做出反应，回应；反对，起反作用。例：

react to...对...做出反应

react on/upon...对...产生影响

react against反对，起反作用

The manager reacted against the formality of his predecessor.

那位经理一反前任的刻板拘泥而行之。

They say the council will not be able to react quickly to an economic crisis.

他们说，当局将无法快速应对经济危机。

[选自：BBC: Euro fault lines]

【派】reaction(n.反应，反作用)

6. ward off 避开，挡住，躲开。例：

She may have put a fight to try to ward off her assailant.

她可能进行了顽强的反抗，试图击退袭击者。

India’s security services argue they need access to selected emails to ward off criminal and terrorist threats.

印度安全部门认为，他们需要访问经由挑选的电子邮件，以抵御犯罪和恐怖主义的威胁。

[选自：WSJ: RIM Offered Security Fixes in India]