歌词
Lesson 8
第八节
Trading standards
贸易标准
What makes trading between rich countries difficult?
是谁造成了富裕国家之间的贸易困难？
Chickens slaughtered in the United States, claim officials in Brussels,
布鲁塞尔的官员说，在美国屠宰的鸡
are not fit to grace European tables.
不适于用来装点欧洲的餐桌
No, say the Americans: our fowl are fine, we simply clean them in a different way.
美国人说，我们的家禽很好，只是我们使用了另一种清洗方式
These days, it is differences in national regulations, far more than tariffs,
当前，是各国管理条例上的差异，远远超过关税
that put sand in the wheels of trade between rich countries.
阻碍了发达国家之间的贸易
It is not just farmers who are complaining.
并不仅仅是农民在抱怨
An electric razor that meets the European Union's safety standards must be approved by American testers before it can be sold in the United States,
一把符合欧洲联盟安全标准的电动剃须刀必须得到美国检测人员的认可，方可在美国市场上销售
and an American-made dialysis machine needs the EU's okay before it hits the market in Europe.
而美国制造的透析仪也要得到欧盟的首肯才能进入欧洲市场
As it happens, a razor that is safe in Europe is unlikely to electrocute Americans.
碰巧在欧洲使用安全的剃须刀不大可能使美国人触电身亡
So, ask businesses on both sides of the Atlantic,
因此，大西洋两岸的企业都在问
why have two lots of tests where one would do?
当一套测试可以解决问题时，为什么需要两套呢
Politicians agree, in principle, so America and the EU have been trying to reach a deal which would eliminate the need to double-test many products.
政治家在原则上同意了。因此，美国和欧洲一直在寻求达成协议，以便为许多产品取消双重检查
They hope to finish in time for a trade summit between America and the EU on May 28th.
他们希望尽早达成协议，为5月28日举行的美国和欧洲贸易的最高通级会议作准备
Although negotiators are optimistic,
然而谈判代表持乐观态度
the details are complex enough that they may be hard-pressed to get a deal at all.
但协议细节如此复杂，他们所面临的困难很可能使他们无法取得一致
Why? One difficulty is to construct the agreements.
为什么呢？困难之一是起草这些协议
The Americans would happily reach one accord on standards for medical devices and then hammer out different pacts covering,
美国人很愿意就医疗器械的标准达成一个协议，然后推敲出不同的合同，用以涵盖
say, electronic goods and drug manufacturing.
比如说，电子产品和药品的生产
The EU--following fine continental traditions -- wants agreement on general principles,
欧洲人遵循优良的大陆传统，则希望就普遍的原则取得一致
which could be applied to many types of products and perhaps extended to other countries.
而这些原则适用于许多不同产品，同时可能延伸到其它国家
专辑信息