在與特朗普打交道這件事上,法國總統(tǒng)馬克龍可謂是得心應手。他如何面對這位棘手的美國伙伴呢?
測試中可能遇到的詞匯和知識:
theatrical劇場的,夸張的[θi'ætr?kl]
latitude緯度,界限,自由選擇權['læt?tju?d]
cloying因過量而厭煩的['kl????]
supplicant乞求者,懇求者['s?pl?k?nt]
ideology觀念學,意識形態(tài)[?a?di'?l?d?i]
scourge災難,禍患[sk??d?]
geopolitical地理政治學的[?d?i???p?'l?t?kl]
By Gideon Rachman
Why is it OK for Donald Trump to visit Paris, but not OK for him to visit London? Despite the famed “special relationship” between Britain and the US, the American president's long-planned trip to the UK has been indefinitely postponed — largely because of the unstated fear that Mr Trump would be greeted by mass protests.
Instead, he has accepted an invitation to France — and could be seen happily reviewing the troops, alongside Emmanuel Macron, at the annual July 14 parade. The fact that the French president felt able to take a domestic political risk by inviting Mr Trump to Paris — despite the US president's 14 per cent approval rating in France — offers some insights into the fine art of handing Mr Trump.
Mr Macron issued his invitation to the US president from a position of strength. His first encounter with Mr Trump featured a theatrical bone-crushing handshake. To some this might have seemed like the diplomacy of the playground. But it sent a clear message. France was not going to be pushed around. By contrast, Theresa May's first visit to Washington featured the UK prime minister briefly holding hands with Mr Trump at the White House. To many in Britain, this looked like a cloying closeness with an unpopular US president.
The lesson seems to be that European leaders who first make it clear that they are willing to stand up to Mr Trump, then have more latitude to extend the hand of friendship. By contrast, leaders who seem to approach the Trump White House as supplicants are vulnerable to a domestic backlash.
This contrast is about much more than theatrical handshakes. It extends to policy and ideology. Mr Trump is a champion of nationalism and a scourge of globalism. Mr Macron, fresh from beating the nationalist Marine Le Pen in the French presidential election, is carrying the standard for internationalism in Europe — alongside Angela Merkel, the German chancellor.
But the position of Mrs May is much more ambiguous. Her government insists that Britain continues to champion globalisation. But the Brexit vote has been widely interpreted across the world — including by Mr Trump and Mr Macron — as part of the backlash against globalism. Under these circumstances, a state visit by Mr Trump to the UK would raise all sorts of difficult questions about where Britain stands — in geopolitical and ideological terms.
Paradoxically, because Mr Macron is very clearly on the other side of an ideological divide from Mr Trump — he can risk standing next to him at a military parade.
1.Why does Trump postpone his trip to the UK?
A.Because Trump is not welcomed by May's government.
B.Because Trump chose to attend the annual parade in France.
C.Because Trump could possibly be greeted by mass protests.
D.Because Trump and May represent different ideologies.
答案(1)
2.When did Trump visit Paris and attend the annual parade?
A.On July 13.
B.On July 14.
C.On July 15.
D.On July 16.
答案(2)
3.Which of the following statements about Mr Trump is true?
A.He and Macron had a bone-crushing handshake when they met at the parade in Paris.
B.He is suffering from a domestic backlash currently.
C.He is carrying the standard for internationalism during his trip to France.
D.He has only 14 per cent approval rating in France.
答案(3)
4.Why does Mrs May worry about Trump's visit to the UK?
A.Because it would provoke a domestic backlash in the UK.
B.Because May and trump have conflicting political stands.
C.Because it would raise all sorts of difficult questions about Britain's ambiguous stands.
D.Because May doesn't want to extend the friendship with Trump.
答案(4)
(1)答案:C.Because Trump could possibly be greeted by mass protests.
解釋:美國總統(tǒng)早就計劃好的英國之旅被無限期推遲,這很大程度上是害怕遭到大規(guī)??棺h。
(2)答案:B.On July 14.
解釋:特朗普接受法國的邀請參加了每年7月14日舉行的游行。
(3)答案:D.He has only 14 per cent approval rating in France.
解釋:法國總統(tǒng)冒著國內的政治風險邀請?zhí)乩势赵L問法國,盡管特朗普在法國的支持率只有14%。
(4)答案:C.Because it would raise all sorts of difficult questions about Britain's ambiguous stands.
解釋:梅的政治立場非常模糊,特朗普訪英可能對引發(fā)人們對英國地緣政治和意識形態(tài)兩方面立場的質疑。