2. The country’s stability depends on how well the president can groom a successor.www.51test.net
这个国家能否稳定取决于总统能否成功地培养一个接班人。www.51test.net
注：groom，使准备参加竞选，做好准备，训练。www.51test.net
3. He accused the prime minister of burnishing his own image while folding under pressure.www.51test.net
他指责总理一方面在压力下退缩，一方面给自己脸上贴金。www.51test.net
注：accuse用在法律上应当译成“”指控“，如：He was accused of theft.（他被指控犯有偷窃罪）；fold,作不及物动词用时有”关闭“、的”垮台“的意思此处转义”退缩“；burnishing原意是抛光、的擦亮。www.51test.net
4. The opposition leader’s speech stole the headlines from the government.www.51test.net
反对党领袖的演讲在报纸上大出风头，使政府相形见绌。www.51test.net
注：直译是：反对党领袖的演讲从政府手里偷走了报纸的通栏大标题。www.51test.net
5. He said that the release of the men gave the green light to terrorism.www.51test.net
他说，释放这些人，等于向恐怖主义活动开绿灯。www.51test.net
注：也可以翻译成“等于纵容恐怖主义活动“。www.51test.net
6. The CIA is drawing fire as its director is questioned over press www.51test.net
leaks.www.51test.net
中央情报局被骂得焦头烂额，因为局长正因为报界泄密的问题接受质询。www.51test.net
注：CIA=CENTUAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY，美国中央情报局；drawing fire ，原意是“招致猛烈抨击“；leaks， 此处显然指”泄密“。www.51test.net
7. Albright played hardball by walking out of the meeting.www.51test.net
奥尔布莱特以退出会场的方式表示强硬的立场。www.51test.net
注：play hardball,表示强硬（立场、的抗议、的反对等），hardball也可以用作形容词，如 hardball questions，故意刁难，非常难回答的问题。www.51test.net
8. While the West goes about its business, Russia gains nothing by going off into a corner to sulk.www.51test.net
西方依然我行我素，而俄罗斯一无所获，只好缩在旮旯（ga-la）里生气。www.51test.net
注：这个句子非常形象：to go about one’s business 的意思是“该干什么还干什么”；go off into a corner to sulk，直译是“走开到一个角落里生气”； gain nothing，什么也没有得到。www.51test.net
9. Blair is unlikely to roll back any of the previous ruling party’s major economic reforms.www.51test.net
布莱尔看来不可能从上宙执政党推行的任何重大经济改革中退缩。www.51test.net
注：previous此处指布莱尔出任英国首相之前的执政党，即保守党。www.51test.net
10. The whiff of scandal, and particularly the cash-for-questions imbroglio,www.51test.net
reminds the electorate that power concentrated in the hands of a single party for too long tends to corrupt.www.51test.net
尽管丑闻不大，而且这些来路不明的款项内情复杂，至今尚无定论，却也足以提醒选民：权力集中字一个政党手中过长就会产生腐败。www.51test.net
注：a whiff of scandal,一个小小的丑闻； imbroglio，情节复杂、的难下结论的事情。( ps.The "cash-for-questions affair" was a political scandal in 1990s Britain. It was alleged by The Guardian newspaper that certain members of Parliament had been accepting bribes in exchange for asking parliamentary questions. by Elex)www.51test.net
11. A group of pragmatists are re