去年10月的一份估算表明，来自多达300家独立公司的16万私营承包商在伊拉克工作。  

选自：The Independent Mar.16, 2008

An estimate last October put the number of private contractors working in Iraq at 160,000 from up to 300 separate companies.

独立公司 separate companies / independent companies

put sth at sth 计算，估计（第一个sth是属性，第二个sth是数字）

e.g.:我估计他大概有六十岁。
I would put his age at about sixty.

会谈没有成功的希望.
Prospects of success in the talks were put at zero.

BEST known as a destination for honeymooners in search of perfect white beaches and swaying palms, the Seychelles islands rarely make any sort of headlines. Few tourists would even have noticed the presidential election on July 30th, in which James Michel, leader of the Seychelles People's Progressive Front, was returned with 54% of the ballot. For Mr. Michel, it was the first time he had faced the islands-62,000-odd voters, having been promoted from vice-president two years ago by his predecessor, Albert René, who had ruled the islands for 27 years since taking power in a coup in 1977.

To the casual eye, Seychelles seems both fortunate and wellgoverned. The 115 islands, most of them uninhabited, cover a mere 445 square kilometers (175 square miles) of the Indian Ocean, north of Madagascar, and enjoy several advantages over most of the rest of Africa. The weather is never extreme. There is no malaria. The islanders have free education and health care. Their multiracial society is pretty harmonious. With GDP at around $8,000 a head, there is almost no discernible poverty.

But this standard of living has come at a cost: the IMF says its public debt is too high and may be unsustainable. Mr. Michel's main opposition, the Seychelles National Party, which scored 46% in the elections, claims that Seychelles, per person, is the world's most indebted country; with some $590m of external debt for just 82,000 people, it is certainly one of them. A black market in foreign currency already exists as speculation persists that the government, unable to meet its obligations, may be forced to devalue. Basic consumer goods sometimes run out. If, as the IMF predicts, GDP falls by over 1% this year, Mr. Michel may find his next five years in power more testing than he had hoped.

The country needs more ways of making money. In the cold war, it was easy. The Seychelles played each side off against the other, remaining a member of the Commonwealth as well as the Non-Aligned Movement and taking military aid from the Soviet Union while leasing a satellite tracking station to the Americans. Since those streams of revenue dried up, the main Seychellois streams of revenue have been from tourism-leasing land to foreign hoteliers-and from tuna: the government earns about $200m a year from selling tuna-fishing licenses to Spain, France and South Korea.

But conflict in the Middle East has brought Seychelles an unexpected bonus: Western warships stop off in the islands, which offer rest and recreation. The soldiers and sailors scubadive, sail and drink Seybrew, the local beer-and pay for it all in hard currency.

考研词汇：

sway［swei］
v.摇摆，摇动

ballot［ˈbælət］
n.选举票，投票，票数；vi.投票

［真题例句］Shortlists for job interviews, election ballot (n.) papers, lists of conference speakers and attendees: all tend to be drawn up alphabetically, and their recipients lose interests as they plough through them.［2004年阅读2］
［例句精译］求职面试、选举投票、会议发言或参加会议等诸多名单，也是按字母表顺序排序，当人们费劲地往下查看时，兴趣也随之索然。

predecessor［ˈpri:disesə］
n.前辈，前任，（被取代的）原有事物

［真题例句］Thus the American president and vicepresident have surnames starting with B and C respectively; and 26 of George Bushs predecessors (including his father) had surnames in the first half of the alphabet against just 16 in the second half. ［2004年阅读2］
［例句精译］如此这般，美国总统和副总统的姓氏分别是以B和C开头，而且乔治•布什的前任有26位（包括他父亲在内）的姓氏均在字母表的前半部，而姓氏在字母表后半部的却仅有16位。

sustain［səˈstein］
v.①支撑，撑住；②维持，持续；③遭受

［真题例句］Mozart, he theorized, may have sustained（③）it in a fall, and that would help explain the severe headaches the composer was said to have suffered more than a year before his death. ［2005年阅读4］
［例句精译］他推断，这可能是由莫扎特摔跤所致；同时，这也为莫扎特去世前困扰他一年多的严重头痛病提供了解释。

lease［li:s］
n.租借，租约，租赁物，租期，延续的一段时间；vt.出租，租出，租得

stream［stri:m］
n.①小河，溪流；②川流不息的事物；v.流出，涌

背景常识介绍：

旅游业和渔业为塞舌尔两大经济支柱，工农业基础薄弱，粮食和日用品主要依赖进口。20世纪70年代中期勒内执政后，实行部分国有化。80年代中期，政府调整经济发展政策，提出诸业并举的多元化经济战略，重点发展旅游、渔业、保税区加工业和农业等，推进私有化进程，改善投资环境，吸引外资，经济明显好转。至90年代初期，经济年均增长率为4％，被世界银行列为中等收入的发展中国家。1995年以来，西方国家对塞减援、停援，塞财政拮据，外汇短缺，国际收支出现危机。近年政府先后推出经济改革计划和10年经济发展目标，重点振兴旅游业，紧缩财政、货币，推进国企私有化和贸易自由化，放宽"环保"标准，增售捕鱼许可证，财政亏空状况略有缓解，但经济形势依然严峻。

参考译文：

恍如置身天堂的总统--非洲岛国塞舌尔一瞥

说起塞舌尔群岛，许多人只知道它是度蜜月者找寻美丽的白色沙滩和摇曳的棕榈树的目的地之一。除此之外，几乎很少有媒体对其进行报道，就连游客们也很少有人注意到7月30日该国举行的总统选举。这次选举中，塞舌尔人民进步阵线领导人詹姆斯•米歇尔获得了54％的选票。对于米歇尔而言，这是在他两年前被前任总统阿尔伯特•雷纳从副总统提拔为总统后，首次面对该岛6.2万余名选民。雷纳自1977年在一场政变中上台以后已经统治该岛国27年。
乍一看，塞舌尔似乎很幸运，治理得也比较好。它位于印度洋上、马达加斯加以北，全国共有岛屿115个（其中大多数无人定居），总面积仅为445平方公里（175平方英里）。相比非洲其他国家，它拥有不少优势。不冷不热的天气，没有疟疾，岛民们享受免费教育和医疗，他们的多种族社会十分和谐。由于人均GDP大约有8000美元，因此几乎没有明显的贫困现象。
不过，达到这种生活水准是要付出代价的--国际货币基金组织说，该国国债过高，可能难以为继。米歇尔的主要反对党、在本次选举中获得46%选票的塞舌尔民族党断言，塞舌尔是世界上人均负债最多的国家。由于投机买卖屡禁不止，外币交易黑市已然形成，因此无法尽职尽责的政府或许将被迫对货币进行贬值。基础性消费商品有时候也消耗一空。根据国际货币基金组织预测，如果今年GDP下降超过1%，米歇尔就会感到在随后的五年执政岁月中，他要接受比他所期望的更多的考验。
这个国家需要更多赚钱途径。这在冷战时期是很容易的。塞舌尔当时仍然是英联邦以及不结盟运动的一员，它一边接受苏联提供的军事援助，一边又把一个卫星跟踪站租给了美国人，可谓两头得利。自从那些收入来源枯竭之后，塞舌尔人收入主要源自旅游业--出租土地给外国宾馆经营者--和金枪鱼（政府依靠向西班牙、法国和韩国出售金枪鱼捕鱼许可证，每年可挣得2亿美元）。
不过，中东冲突已经给塞舌尔带来了一份意外收获--该岛为经停的西方战船提供休闲和娱乐场所。士兵和水手们在那里潜水，玩帆船，喝当地人酿造的啤酒--全都用硬通货（美金）买单。

Certainly , most of the world’s great religions order us to be open-hearted and share what we have with those less fortunate than ourselves .But has the world changed ?Maybe what was morally right in the old days ,when one knew exactly who in the village had suffered misfortune and needed help ,is no longer the best idea. Quite a few people will not give to beggars .Let us look at their arguments.

First ,some believe that many city beggars dress up on purpose to look pitiable and actually make a good living from begging .Giving to beggars only encourages this sort of evil.Secondly ,there is the worry that the money you give will be spent on beer ,wine or drugs .Thirdly ,there is the opinion that there is no real excuse for begging. One might be poor ,but that is no reason for losing one’s sense of pride and self-dependence.

Related to this is the opinion that the problem should be dealt with by the government rather than ordinary people .Some people think beggars should go to the local government department and receive help.

It is hard to come to any final conclusion; there are various cases and we must deal with them differently .A few coins can save a life in some situations ,and even if the money is wasted ,that does not take sway the moral goodness of the giver.

参考译文：
当一个脏兮兮，衣衫褴褛的人跪在你的脚边，伸出手向你乞讨一点钱，你会感到慌乱不知如何是好，或是可怜他，匆匆递去一些钱呢？我们应该用什么样的态度对待乞丐？这个世界无疑到处充满悲惨的故事。不知道下一餐在哪的生活一定很悲惨。不给钱给乞丐似乎很残忍。

当然了，世界上伟大的宗教都教导我们要以慈善为怀，与比我们不幸的人分享我们的所有。但是世界改变了吗？去了解村落里有谁遭受了不幸并且需要帮助，这个在过去道德方面被视为正确的行为，已经不是最好的方法了。相当一部分人不会给钱给乞丐。让我们看看他们的辩解。

首先，一些人认为许多城市里面的乞丐故意打扮成让人可怜的样子，实际却通过乞讨大方横财。施舍给乞丐只会助长这种恶行。其次，担心你所给的钱被用来喝酒或是吸毒。第三，有观点认为没有任何理由来行乞。一个人可以穷，但不可以失去一个人的骄傲和自我独立。

关于这个问题人们认为这需要政府来解决，而不是靠普通老百姓。一些人认为乞丐应该去当地政府部门获取帮助。

关于对待乞丐的态度很难达成一致的意见。有各种各样的情况，我们必须区别对待。一点钱在某些情况下可以挽救一条生命，即便钱被浪费了，也带不走施舍者善良的品质。
词汇及短语：
kneel：跪
hurry on：匆忙；穿上衣服；急匆匆地说
hand over：交出; 交付; 交给
religion：宗教
open-hearted：坦率的，直率的；和善的，慈善的
morally：道德方面
in the old days：昔时,从前,过去
misfortune：不幸, 厄运, 逆境
dress up：打扮, 梳理, 粉饰, 伪装
pitiable：可怜的,卑劣的
evil：恶行
self-dependence：依靠自己，自力更生
goodness：良好，善良

今天的题目：

1.International affiliates account for a fast-growing segment of production in economics that open up and welcome foreign investment.

2.I believe that the most important forces behind the massive M&A wave are the same that underlie the globalization process : falling transportation and communication costs , lower trade and investment barriers and enlarged markets that require enlarged operations capable of meeting customers’ demands.

选做题目：

3.Yet it is hard to imagine that the merger of a few oil firms today could re-create the same threats to competition that were feared nearly a century ago in the U.S. , when the Standard Oil trust was broken up.

4.A lateral move that hurt my pride and blocked my professional progress prompted me to abandon my relatively high profile career although , in the manner of a disgraced government minister , I covered my exit by claiming “I wanted to spend more time with my family”.

以下内容为需要回复才能浏览
1.International affiliates account for a fast-growing segment of production in economics that open up and welcome foreign investment.

词汇：affiliate 分公司，附属机构；v.使隶属（或附属）于
account for 说明（原因等）；占
fast-growing 迅速增长的
segment 部门；部分，段

结构分析：本句主干是International affiliates account for a … segment of production；
后面that引导的定语从句修饰economics。

参考译文：在那些对外开放、吸引外资的国家中，跨国公司的子公司的产值占经济产值越来越多的比重。

2.I believe that the most important forces behind the massive M&A wave are the same that underlie the globalization process : falling transportation and communication costs , lower trade and investment barriers and enlarged markets that require enlarged operations capable of meeting customers’ demands.

词汇：force 因素，力量
massive 大规模的，大量的
underlie 构成……的基础
globalization 全球化
barrier 障碍，屏障
enlarged 扩大的

结构分析：本句主干清楚：I 是主语，believe是谓语，that引导一个较长的宾语从句；
宾语从句的主语是forces，前后都有修饰成分，后面是定语behind the massive M&A wave，表语是the same，后面的that引导一个定语从句that underlie the globalization process。冒号后的部分是the most important forces的同位语，说明forces的具体内容。

参考译文：我认为巨大的并购潮流背后最重要的推动因素和导致经济全球化进程的因素一样：交通运输成本下降，贸易和投资壁垒减少以及扩大的市场要求扩大业务，以满足顾客的需求。

选做题目：

3.Yet it is hard to imagine that the merger of a few oil firms today could re-create the same threats to competition that were feared nearly a century ago in the U.S. , when the Standard Oil trust was broken up.

词汇：merger 合并
firm 公司
trust 托拉斯，垄断公司
break up 拆散，结束

结构分析：本句主干是it is hard to imagine that…；
imagine后面的that引导一个宾语从句，宾语从句中又有一个定语从句that were feared nearly a century ago in the U.S，作前面threats的定语；句末逗号之后的when引导一个定语从句，修饰nearly a century ago。

参考译文：但是很难想象如今几家石油公司的合并是否会重新造成约100年前美国标准石油托拉斯对竞争造成那的同样的威胁，那时由于人们对该公司的这种担心导致了它最终的解散。

4.A lateral move that hurt my pride and blocked my professional progress prompted me to abandon my relatively high profile career although , in the manner of a disgraced government minister , I covered my exit by claiming “I wanted to spend more time with my family”.

词汇：lateral move 平级调动
lateral 侧面的
block 阻碍，阻塞；封锁
prompt 促使，推动
high profile 引人注目的，高姿态的
profile 侧影，侧面像
in the manner of 以……的方式
disgrace 使蒙羞
cover 掩饰；盖住
exit 辞职；出口

结构分析：本句主干是A lateral move …prompted me to abandon my relatively high profile career ；
move后有一个that引导的定语从句，修饰move；逗号之前的although引导让步状语从句…I covered my exit …，其中两个介词结构in the manner of a disgraced government minister 和by claiming “I wanted to spend more time with my family”都作从句中谓语动词covered的状语，说明covered 的方式。

参考译文：一次工作上的平级调动伤害了我的自尊，阻碍了我的事业发展，促使我放弃了自己地位较高的职业，如同脸面丢尽的政府部长那样，我也掩饰说“我只想有更多的时间与家人呆在一起”。

彭德怀速写

丁玲

“一到战场上，我们便只有一个信心，几十个人的精神注在他一个人身上，谁也不敢乱动，就是刚上火线的，也因为有了他的存在而不懂得害怕。只要他下一声命令‘去死！’我们就找不到一个人不高兴去迎着看不见的死而勇猛地冲上去！我们是怕他的，但我们更爱他！”

这是一个二十四岁的青年政治委员告诉我的，当他述说着这一段话的时候，发红的脸上隐藏不住他的兴奋。他说的是谁呢？就是现在我所要粗粗画几笔的彭德怀同志，他现在正在前方担任前敌副总指挥的工作。

难点提示：

1、速写 a brief sketch of

2、战场 battlefield

3、几十个 scores of

4、把精神注在……上 focus attention on

5、敢 dare to

6、下一声命令 give orders

7、勇猛地冲上去 charge ahead unhesitatingly

8、青年政治委员 young political commissar

9、述说这一段话 make these remarks

10、脸发红 flush

11、通知 comrade

12、前方 front-line

13、副总指挥 Deputy Commander-in-Chief