考研英语阅读系列

考研英语阅读系列

1.匈牙利抗议

Hungarystepsout

THEsymbolismwastelling.InsideBudapest*sOperaHouse,Hungary,sgreatandgoodwere

knockingbacksparklingwineatagalaeventtocelebratetheinaugurationofthecountry'snew

constitution,whichcameintoeffectonJanuary1st.Outside,onAndrdssyAvenue,tensof

thousandsofprotestorsdemandeditswithdrawal.

Brushingoffthedemonstrations,PresidentPalSchmitthailedHungary,snew"basiclaw'1asa

bravenewdawn.Itmaywellbe,butprobablynotthekindthatHungary,srulersarehopingfor.

AstheblogContrarianHungarianreports,protestorsareincreasinglytakingcontrolofthestreets.

TheAndrdssyAvenuemarchwasjustthelatestinaseriesofpublicactionsagainstthe

government'sgrowingautocratictendenciesanditsrelentlesscentralisationofpower.

Monday*sprotestsweresignificantaswellassymbolic.Thiswasthefirsttimethatopposition

parties——theSocialists,theDemocraticCoalitionandthegreen-liberalLMP——hadjoinedforces

withstreetactivists.PeterKonya,leaderoftheHungarianSolidarityMovement,welcomedwhat

hecalled“thelongabsentco-operationbetweencivilgroupsandpartiesofthedemocratic

opposition.

GaborIvanyi,aMethodistpastor,toldthecrowdthatuThereisnotruthwherelawsarepassed

forcefully,withoutconsultations,wherepeopleliveinfearandwherepeoplearenotequal."Mr

✓X-W.

Ivanyiisoneof13formerdissidentsandliberalpoliticianstohavesignedalettercallingforthe

//WI-W

EuropeanUniontointerveneandprotectHungariandemocracy.

GovernmentofficialsdenythatHungariandemocracyisindanger.How,theyask,canthisbe

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sowhenanenormouscrowdisfreetodemonstrateoutsidetheverybuildingwheretheyare

v0ZW/

celebrating?In2010theright-wingFideszpartywonatwo-thirdsparliamentarymajorityinafree

andfairelection,theyargi;ue,andthegovernmentissimplyfulfillingitsmandateofradicalchange

andrenewal.

ButasthegovernmentbrushesoffrequestsfromtheEU,theIMEtheEuropeanCentralBank

andtheUnitedStatestoreconsiderkeylegislationthatmaybeinbreachofitsinternationaltreaty

obligations,suchargumentssoundincreasinglyunconvincing.

2.中国入世十年回想当年

TenyearsofChinaintheWTO

Shadesofgrey

ItwasrighttoletChinain.Nowtheworld*sbiggesttraderneedstogrowup

Dec10th2011|fromtheprintedition

China'sforeigntrade

SinceWTOaccession,$2010trn

20010305070910

一

CHINA'SeffortstojointheWorldTradeOrganisation(WTO)draggedonfor15years,

longenoughtoUturnblackhairwhitev,asZhuRongji,China'sformerprimeminister,

putit.(HisownhairremainedPolitburo-blackthroughout.)Evenaftermembershipwas

granted,tenyearsagothisweek,MrZhuexpectedmany“headaches”,includingtheloss

ofcustomsdutiesandthedistressoffarmersexposedtoforeigncompetition.

YetthebetpaidoffforChina.Tthasblossomedintotheworld'sgreatestexporter

andsecond-biggestimporter.Themarriageofforeignknow-how,Chineselabourandthe

open,globalmarkethassucceededbeyondanyone'spredictions.

ItisinsteadChina,stradingpartnerswhonowcontemplateitsWTOmembershipwith

furrowedbrows(seearticle).Theyhaveavarietyofcomplaints:thatChinaexportstoo

much,swampingtheirmarketswithcheapmanufacturedgoods,subsidisedbyanundervalued

currency;thatithoardsessentialinputs,suchasrareearths,foritsownfirms;and

thatitstillskewsitsownmarketagainstforeigncompanies,insomecasesbybeing

slowtoimplementWTOrules(notablyonpiracy),inothersbysuddenlyimposingunwritten

rulesthatareunfavourableorunknowabletoforeigners.Themeddlingstatelets

multinationalsin,onlytosqueezethemdryoftheirvaluabletechnologiesandthenpush

themout.

Muchofthiscriticismisright.Chinamadeheroicreformsintheyearsaroundits

WTOentry.Thatraisedexpectationsthatithasconspicuouslyfailedtomeet.Itsigned

upformultilateralrules,butneglectedtheruleoflawathome.Freetradedidnot

bringwiderfreedoms,andeventhetradewasnotexactlyfree.ItisinChina'sinterest

to1iberaliseitsexchangeratefurther,topreventlocalofficialsfromdiscriminating

againstforeignersandabovealltodofarmoretosupporttheglobaltradingsystem.

TheWTOisunderminedwhenanymemberfloutstherules,nevermindoneasbigasChina.

Toobigtobeabystander—ortobekeptout

ButChina*ssinsshouldbeputintoperspective.Intermsofglobaltradeconsumers

everywherehavegainedfromcheapChinesegoods.Chinesegrowthhascreatedahugemarket

forothercountries'exports.AndChina'sremainingbarriersareoftenexaggerated.

ItismoreopentoimportsthanJapanwasatthesamestageofdevelopment,moreopen

toforeigndirectinvestmentthanSouthKoreawasuntilthe1990s.Itstariffsarecapped

at10%onaverage;BrazilJsatover30%.AndinChina,unlikeIndia,youcanshopat

Walmart,mostofthetime.

AsforthehurdlesforeignfirmsfaceinChina,theyaredisgraceful-butsadlyno

worsethaninotherdevelopingcountries.ThegrumblesarelouderinChinachiefly

becausethestakesarehigher.ForeignersmayhavewonasmallersliceofChina'smarket

thantheyhadhoped,butChinaisabiggerpiethananyonedaredtoexpect.HadChina

beenkeptoutoftheWTO,therewouldhavebeenlessgrowthforeverybody.AndtheWTO

stillprovidesthebestmeanstodisciplineandcajole.Ratherthandelivering

congressionalultimatums,AmericaandotherscouldmakemoreuseoftheWTO'srules

tocurbChina'sworstinfractions.

SocelebrateChina,stenyearsintheWTO:weareallricherbecauseofit.But,

whenitcomestotrade,China'srulersnowbadlyneedtogrowup.Theircheatingis

harmingtheirownconsumersandstokingupprotectionismabroad.Thatcouldproveto

beeconomicself-harmonanepicscale.

3.修女与避孕

……1

PrayingforthePill

THECatholicchurchcondemnsallformsofcontraception,apolicythatPaulVIlaidoutin

detailinHumanaeVitaein1968.Overthesub力sequen二tdecad,es/ithashadvariousbrawlswith

secularauthoritiesovertheuseofbirthcontrolpills.Mostrecently,America?sbishopshave

.rr>

foughttokeepBarackObama?shealthlawfromprovidingcontraceptionfree.Thechurchhas

alreadywonanexemptiontorwomenwhoworkforachurch,butitalsowantstokeepcoverage

fromwomenwhoworkforanyCatholicinstitution,evenifthewomeninquestionarenot

Catholicsandtheinstitutionhasasecularpurpose,suchasaschool,say,orhospital.Givenallthis,

八0一i

itwouldseemunlikelythatthechurchwouldwanttogivethePilltoitsnuns.

YetthatispreciselywhatarecentpaperintheLancetsuggests.Itsauthors,KaraBrittandRoger

Short,ofMonashUniversityandtheUniversityofMelbourne,urgetheChurchtoprovideoral

contraceptiontothesisters.NunsneedthePillnottopreventpregnancy,buttopreventcancer.

'//

In1713,theauthorswrite,anItaliandoctorobservedthatnunshadaveryhighrateofthat

uaccursedpestv,breastcancer.ModernstudieshaveconfirmedthatCatholichaveahigherrisk

thanmostwomenofdyingfrombreast,ovariananduterinecancers.Womenwhobearchildren

havefewermenstrualcycles,thankstobothpregnancyandlactation(whichsuppresses

menstruation).Otherstudieshaveestablishedarelationshipbetweenmenstrualcyclesandthe

prevalenceofcancer,withfewercyclesmeaningasmallerrisk.Nuns-whoarerequiredtobe

celibate-experiencemorecyclesthanthetypicalwoman,andthereforerunahigherriskof

developingcancer.

ThePillcanhelptocounteractthis.Theoverallmortalityinwomenwhouse,orhaveused,

oralcontraception,is12%lowerthanamongthosewhodonot.Theeffectonovarianand

endometrialcancerisgreater:theriskofsuchcancersplummetsbyabout50%.DrsBrittand

Shortmakeacompellingmedicalcase.ButitisunlikelytoswaytheChurch.

4.0韩国手机游戏

MobilegamesinSouthKorea

RegulationVille

SOUTHKOREAistheworldleaderinonlinegames.Eageryoungnerdsfromaroundthe

worldhaveevenbeenknowntomovetoSeoultoplytheirtradeasprofessionalgamers.

“E-sports“masterswhoreachthetopinKoreacanearnsix-figureincomesandfindtheir

picturesplasteredonthebedroomwallsoffans.Thereareover1,000game-makingfirmsinKorea,

✓■一

andmorethan19,000,PC-bangs”(internetcafes,pictured)inwhichthetoptitlesareplayed.

Yetthenascentmarketformobilegames—thoseplayedonsmartphones—hasnotreallytaken

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off,despitethefactthat17millionKoreansareproudownersofAndroidphones,afurther4

millionhaveiPhonesandthecountryistheworld?ssecondbiggestconsumerofappsoverall.

Thereasonisregulation:Koreanlawrequiresallcomputergamestobeapprovedbya“Game

ReviewBoard“priortorelease.Thisisbadenoughforregulargamedevelopers.Butforthose

xar■t

whomakemobilegames,itwasaninsurmountablebarner.App-basedgamestendtobe

short-lived,simple,andverynumerous;requiredfeesandapprovalwaitingtimesmadeitdifficult

forsmallindependentdeveloperstoprosper.AndforGoogle,whoseAndroidMarketisthemain

waytodistributemobilegames,itwasabureaucraticnightmare:thefirmdidnotbotherselling

suchappsinKoreauntilnow.

SoitwasgreatnewsforyoungandpromisingmobilegamesindustrywhentheSouthKorean

authoritiesdecidedtoexempttheirwaresfromthereviewprocess:sinceearlylastweekgame

addictshavebeenabletogettheirmobilefix.Foradesperatefew,thismayhavecomejustintime:

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legislationbanningunder-16year-oldsfromplayingonlinegamesbetweenmidnightand6amhas

justcomeintoeffect.

5.远离故土的家

Homeawavfromhome

/7/

TheexistenceofthemostEarthlikeplanetyethasjustbeenconfirmed

ONEofthemorememorablesloganstocomeoutoftheclimate-changetalksinDurbanover

thepastfewdaysis:uthereisnoplanetB”.Butwhatiftherewere?Overthepastcoupleof

decadesastronomershaveloggedthousandsofso-called“exoplanets“一worldswhichorbitstars

otherthanthesun.OnDecember5ththescientistsinchargeofKepler,aspacetelescopedesigned

tolookforsuchplanets,confirmedtheirinstrument*sdiscoveryofitsfirstEarthlikeworld.Itis

dubbed,ratherunromantically,Kepler22b.

Theexistenceofthisplanet,whichcirclesastar600light-yearsaway,intheconstellationof

Lyra,hadpreviouslybeensuspected.Kepler,whichbelongstoNASA,America*sspaceagency,

worksbyobservingdipsinastar,sbrightnessasaplanetpassesinfrontofit.Itflagslikely

lookingreductionsasucandidateplanets"，ofwhichKepler22bwasone.Butthreepassesare

neededtoconfirmaplanet?sexistence,andKepler22bhasnowpassedthistest.Crucially,it

orbitswellwithinitsstar,suGoldilockszone”:neithertooclosenortoofarawayforliquidwater

(andtherefore,perhaps,life)toexistonitssurface.

ItjoinstwootherEarthlikeplanets一Gliese581dandHD85512b一discoveredbyanother

instrumentwithinthepastfewyears.Intruth,theterm“Earthlike“isastretch.Kepler22bhasa

radius2.4timesthatofEarth,andifitismadefromroughlythesamestuffitssurfacegravitywill

alsobeabout2.4timesasstrong.ButNASA'sastronomersremainunsurewhetheritis

predominantlygaseous,liquidorsolid.

Nevertheless,Kepler22bisthemostpromisingexoplanetyetfound.Unliketheothers,which

skirttheedgesoftheirstars'Goldilockszones,Kepler22borbitscomfortablywithinitsown.

NASA*sresearchersreckonitssurfacetemperatureisabout22°C,comparedwith15°C(at

leastfornow)onEarth.Itsparentstarissimilartothesun,againunl✓ike—thos一eofthe—othertwo

candidates,bothofwhichorbitcooler,dimmerstars.IndeedGliese58Id'sparentisareddwarf

——thetinieststellarspecies.ThatmeansitsGoldilockszoneissoclosetoitthattheplanetmaybe

tidallylocked,asthemoonistotheEarth.Ifthatwerethecase,onesideofGliese581dwouldbe

permanentlylit(andheated)whiletheotherexperiencedunendingdarkness.

/0/w0a

Thesethreepotentiallyhabitableexoplanetsmaysoonbejoinedbymanymore.Inthetwoand

ahalfyearssinceitslaunch,Keplerhasspotted2,326candidateplanets.About650othershave

beendiscoveredbyotherinstruments.Thatplethoraallowsastronomerstostartdrawing

conclusionsabouthowcommonvarioussortsofplanetsare.OfKepler'shaul,9%seemtobeofa

similarsizetoEarth(thoughnotallareintheGoldilockszoneoftheirstar);afurther29%are

SuperEarths一planetssubstantiallylargerthanEarththatareneverthelessrocky.Forty-eightof

Kepler'sunconfirmedcandidateslookasiftheyorbitwithintheirstars*habitablezones;ofthose,

tenseemtobeEarth-sized.

Theultimategoal,ofcourse,istoletastronomersmakeaplausibleestimateofthetotalnumber

ofplanetsinthegalaxy,ofthenumberthatcouldconceivablysupportlife,andofthefractionof

-r■

thosethatcould(atleastintheory)sustainhumancolonists.IfonlyafewofKepler'spossible

Earthlikeplanetsturnouttobereal,thatthirdnumberislikelytobeinthemillions.

Suchknowledgewillmarkanhistorictransition,saysChrisLintott,anastronomeratOxford

UniversitywhoisgivingtheKeplerteamahandwiththedataanalysis,sincetheuncertainties

aroundthequestionofwhetherlifeexistselsewherewillceasetobeastronomical(howmany

suitableplanetsarethere?)andbecomepurelybiological(howeasyisitforlifetogetgoing,and

howeasyisitforittobecomeintelligent?).Basedonthepreliminarydata,itlooksasifthereare

numeroussuitableplanets.Thescienceofexobiologymaysoonceasetobeanoxymoron.

6.寻找香水中的价值

FINDINGTHEVALUEINPERFUME

Buyabottleofperfumeandyoucouldpayasmuchforitsadvertisingasitscontents.The

ScepticalShoppersniffsoutsomenichealternatives...

FromINTELLIGENTLIFEmagazine,January/February2012

Wearingscentisoneoflife'spleasures.Humanshavebeendousingthemselvesinconcoctions

ofolfactivemoleculessinceatleasttheBronzeAge,andanyhabitthatpersistenthastohave

somethinggoingforit.Yetitdoesseemoddthatmostofthetimewemaskourown,genetically

uniquesmellwithotherssowidelyavailableyoucancatchawhiffofthemincitiesacrossthe

planet:OpiumonthestreetsofBarcelona,EternityinIstanbul.

Heavilyadvertised,widelywornperfumescansmellgood.Butbuyoneandafairproportionof

yourcashwillgoonitsmarketing,notonitscontents.Allthoseportentous,mini-movieperfume

ads一filledwithcelebritymodelsrunning(presumablysotheydon'thavetospoiltheeffectby

speaking)towardsromanticassignationsthroughincreasinglyrococosets一don,tcomeanything

closetocheap.Notonlythis,butsuchperfumesarevitalmoney-makersforfashionbrands,so

theyarealmostwithoutexceptionmadetoaprice.Whenprofitisputbeforepong,theresultstend

tobeone-dimensionalscents,madeofcheapingredients,thatsmellthesameoneveryone.

Perhapsmostirritatingisthatthisinstantrecognisabilityisinfactabonusforthebig

manufacturers.Itturnsyouintoawalkingadvertfortheirproduct——andunlikethosecelebrity

models,you'renotgettingpaid.-6、'

Unfortunately,havingabespokeperfumemadejustforyouwillcostupwardsof£600for100ml

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ofeaudeparfum(themostconcentratedformofperfume),whereasasimilarvolumeofaglobally

availablebrandtypicallycosts£70.Soitmightbeworthconsideringthemiddleground——what

youmightcallnicheperfumes,whichtendtocostanythingfrom£80-£350for100ml.Theseare

producedonasmallscale,oftenbyindividual"noses”ratherthanexistingfashionlabels,havea

negligibleornon-existentadvertisingspend,andyouwon'tsmellthemwaftingdowneveryhigh

—y*4

What,ifany,istheactualdifference?Mostperfumesareacombinationoftop,middleandbass

notes——scentedingredientsrankedaccordingtotheirvolatility.Citrussmells,thecommonesttop

✓,,W

notes,arehighlyvolatileanddisappearfast.Resinousbase-noteingredients,suchasmyrrhor

benzoin,lastformanyho■ur/s.NoXXtCe-.smaybenatural,orsynthetic;thefinest,hardest-to-harvest

naturalnotes,suchasaoud,orGrassejasmine,cancost,ounceforounce,morethangold.Don't

turnyournoseupatsynthetics,however:theycanmimicexistingsmellsthatcan'tbecaptured

directly——lilac,forinstance-orsmell,literally,likenothingonearth.

Mass-marketperfumesoftennabyoufromthefirstsniff一theyputallthebangintotheirtop

notes,becausetheywantaninstantsale.Nicheperfumesaremorecomplicated:likelittlestories

inabottle,theirnarrativeunfoldsthroushoutthedayastheparticularheatandmicrofloraofyour

skinaffecttheirlayeredingredients.Butyouhavetolearntolovethem.Withoutexception,ofall

thenicheperfumesItriedforthisarticle,itwasthoseIatfirstdislikedthatmostgrewonme.

WhenIfirstdabbedonJulietteHasaGun'sNotaPerfume(£79/100ml),Iwasnonplussed.Six

hourslaterIwantedtoeatmyself.E.Coudray"sNohiba(£58/100ml)?Cloyingandsweetwhen

firston,wonderfullysexyafterafewhours.NezaNez'sAtelierd'Artiste,£105/100ml?Hated

itontheblotter,butloveditonmyskin:socomplexIfeltlikeIwaswatchingafilm.Idon,t

knowaboutyou,butI'dratherwatchafilmthanbeanadvert.

7.乒乓球外交官

Masterofping-pingdiplomacy

Dec14th2011,9:35byG.E.IBEIJING

ITISnotoftenthatanambassadortoChinawholeaveshispostchoosestoholdforth-onthe

record,andonChinesesoil一abouttheupsanddownsofhisformerjob.Thisistrueforatleast

tworeasons.First,Chinesegovernmentofficialsherearenotexactlythick-skinned(norshortof

memory).Second,thosewithfuturebusinesshere,whetherdiplomaticormoreremunerative,tend

tosaynicethingsornothingatall.

FewdiplomatsunderstandthatbetterthanGeoffRaby,whofrom2007untilthissummer

servedasAustralia*sambassadortoChina.HenowrunsaneponymousconsultancyinBeijing

thattradesontheconnectionsheestablishedoveracareerthattookhimtoChinainthe1980s,

backtoCanberraandbackagain.LittlewonderthatMrRabywouldhesitatetotreadonthose

relationshipsinBeijinglastnight,whenheaddressedagatheringofforeigncorrespondentswho

soughttoinducehimintoundiplomaticutterances.

MrRaby,thoughoutspoken,hasadiplomat'sflairforstrategiccandour.Themost

undiplomaticbroadsidehedeliveredwhilehewasambassadorwastargetedathisownboss,

KevinRudd—theMandarin-speakingministerofforeignaffairswhosetenureasprimeminister

“▲j0

wasmarkedbyrockyrelationswithChina.SpeakingearlierthisyeartoagatheringofAustralian

executivesinBeijing,MrRabyobserved,amongaseriesofremarksthatwereclearlyaimedatMr

Rudd,that“tospeakChineseisnottoknowChina”.A'、

MrRuddwasprimeministerduringwhatMrRabydescribedlastnightastheannushorribilisof

Sino-Australianrelations,theyearof2009.ThatwasatimeinwhichChinawasbaringitsfangs

diplomatically,ontheheelsofethnicallychargedriotsinthenorthwestregionofXinjiangthat

summerandinTibetayearearlier.MrRabyrecalledhowChinesediplomatsham-fistedly

objectedtothescreeningataMelbournefilmfestivalofadocumentaryaboutRebiyaKadeer,an

exiledUighuractivistwhomChineseauthoritieshadtriedtomakeoutastheleaderofaseparatist

movement.MsKadeerherselfwasinvitedtoattendthescreening,muchtoChineseconsternation.

“TheChineseconsulatewasjustamazinglyinept,nMrRabysaid."Theydidsuchagoodjob

-Imeannoone'sheardofUighursinAustralia,noonehadheardofRebiyaKadeer-theydid

suchagoodjobthattheorganisershadtorentamuchbiggerhalltofiteveryoneinwhowantedto

comeandseethefilm."MrRabysaidthatChinesediplomatshaveshownmoresophisticationon

MT0/

sensitivematterssince,buthenotedthatthebigdecisionsabouthowtoengagewithother

countriesareneverintheirhands.

■一Q0KB

SoitwaswiththemosttroublingSino-Australianepisodeof2009:thearrestofStemHu,an

AustraliancitizenandthenthedefactoheadofChinabusinessforRioTinto,amininggiant.Mr

Huwasheldinitiallyonsuspicionofstealingstatesecrets.Eventuallyhewasconvictedofbribery

andotheroffences,takingasentenceof10years'imprisonment.Manyobserverssawtheepisode

asacaseofpoliticallyselectiveprosecution,partlyduetoChina,sfrustrationwiththerisingprice

ofironore,andpartlyasretributionforRioTinto'sabandonmentofamulti-billion-dollar

investmentdealwiththeAluminiumCorporationofChina,orChinalco.

MrRaby,withoutreferringspecificallytothefactsofMrHu'scase,didnotdispute

questionersJassertionsthattherewaspoliticsbehinditsprosecution.

“Youcandrawyourownconclusionsfromtheevidence,butyou'rerightthatalotofpeople

giveandreceivegifts,andsomegetpingedandsomedon'l,andIthinktomymindthat'sthenub

oftheissue,“MrRabysaid.InresponsetoanearlierquestionontheHucase,MrRabyhadnoted

aninherentdefectofChina'sjusticesystem:itslackofindependencefrompolitics.

“HereweknowthereJsareasonwhysomeone'spingedforcorruptionorsomeoneTsnot

pingedforcorruptionandusuallythereJssomethingsitsbehindit,sowhenthereJsan

anti-corruptioncampaigninGuangdongorShenzhen,thenit'safairbetthatthat'ssomehowtied

toelitepolitics,becausewhypingPersonAandnotB?AndIthinkthatisthecontextinwhich

lawispracticedhere,“MrRabysaid."Thereisrulebylawhere*,•Butthere'snoruleoflaw.

There*snothingthatsitsabovethepoliticalprocessesofthe[topleadership].”

MrRabysaidforeigngovernmentscanonlyhopetopushpatiently,persistentlyand

diplomaticallyforuincrementalprogressonitsjusticesystemandhumanrights."Idon'(think

megaphonediplomacygetsyouanywhereinthisspace.”

MrRabynotedthatduringhisfouryearsasambassadorChina?sleverageinworldaffairshas

increaseddramatically,asitbecame,forexample,Australia*snumber-onetradingpartner.Hesaid

thatChina'seconomicpower,combinedwithitsauthoritariansystem,poseanhistoricdiplomatic

challengeasChina,sambitions—includingitsmilitaryambitions——continuetogrow,

“Wehaveneverseeninworldhistory,withNaziGermanyperhapstooneside,aglobal

economicpowerthathasstoodsofarapartfromtheinternationalnorm,soXfsoJci0alandpolitical

organisation,soit'ssomethingdifferent.Itreally,reallyisdifferenl,“MrRabysaid.Helater

assuredmethatwhenheusesthislineinspeeches,hethrowsinamentionofNaziGermanyto

pre-emptthenitpickersofhistory,notasapointofcomparisontoChina.Thatwouldberather

undiplomaticindeed.,

8.想哭就哭

Cryingfreedom

Dec17th2011,19:21byE.F.

CROSSINGanAthensstreetbyfootonawarmspringafternoonin1985,Ichecked

ataxiwaitingatthelighttomakesureitwasnotgoingtojumpthered.Inthe

backseatIspiedtheunmistakeablefigureofChristopherHitchens,largerthan

whenI'dlastseenhim,largerthananyoneintheirmid-30soughttobe,madelarger

stillbyanunnecessaryovercoatthrownovertheshouldersinthemannerofaballet

impresariofromanearliertime.Hesawme,calledmyname,threwopenthedoor

andsteppedintothestreet.Thelightwasnowgreenandtrafficwashooting.

Heedlessasevertocontextbutwhollyinrole,heletgoanuncountedshowerof

drachmanotesintothegratefuldriver'shandandgreetedmetheatricallywith

akissonbothcheeks.Likeme,hewasinAthenstowriteabouttheGreekelections.

Thepreviousday,AndreasPapandreou-thefatheroftherecentlyreplacedprime

minister-hadhandilywonasecondparliamentarytermasleaderofhiscountry

sSocialDemocrats.Thoughnotlikeme,becauseChristopherwasnotlikeother

journalists."Ididn'tseeyouatthePresscentrelastnight,“Isaid."No,”

hereplied,“IwasatthePapandreous.