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Building the European House 欧盟：开启欧洲新纪元

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It’s like a big party that everyone wants to be invited to. Being a member of the European Union has many benefits, including ease of travel and a common currency. Those who are part of it feel very fortunate, while those who aren’t eagerly wait their turn to join.

就像个大家都想获邀参加的盛会一样，加入欧洲联盟有许多好处，包括旅游便利及使用共同货币。已加入欧洲联盟的国家觉得很幸运，而尚未加入的则急切等候自己的顺位来到。

The idea for a union emerged in the wake of World War II. European leaders concluded that the only way to ensure peace was to unite France and Germany both economically and politically. The idea caught on, and in 1951, six countries formed a union. In 1957, the Treatyof Rome created a common market among those countries.

第二次世界大战后，建立联盟的想法开始浮现。欧洲领袖们认为确保和平的唯一方法，是在经济及政治上将法国与德国结合在一起。这个想法越来越受欢迎，于是在1951年，有六个国家成立联盟。在1957年，这六国签署罗马条约，建立了一个共同市场。

The name European Union was adopted in 1922. That same year, the Treaty of Maastricht laid the basis for other forms of cooperation, from a common currency to areas like defense. That currency, called the Euro, was launched on January 1, 1999. Acting as a formal union, they established rules on human rights for all member nations. In recent years, the EU foreign policy has played a key role in stabilizing Afghanistan and assisting the Middle East Peace Process.

「欧盟」这个名称于1992年被采用。同年，马斯垂克条约为其他合作方式奠定基础，包含共通货币到军事防御等领域。1999年1月1日，欧盟发行共同货币，称为「欧元」。做为一个正式联盟，欧盟制定人权相关法令，规范所有会员国。这几年来，欧盟的外交政策在稳定阿富汗政局及协助中东和平进程（Middle East Peace Process）中扮演重要角色。

With 25 members, the Union covers an area of almost 4 million square kilometers and is home to about 457 million people. But holding such a diverse family together isn’t easy, and many countries have difficulty agreeing on what they want. For example, some countries recently rejected the proposed EU Constitution. Although all members know who is welcome in the house, they can’t agree what that house is supposed to look like yet. Childish, you say? Try making 25 families agree on what to eat for dinner!

欧盟拥有25个会员国，涵盖面积近四百万平方公里，内有约四亿五千七百万人口。但维持这样充满差异的大家庭并不容易，会员国间对于各种目标也很难达成共识。比如，最近有些国家便反对目前的欧盟宪法提案。虽然所有成员都知道谁在这个大家庭中受到欢迎，但是，他们对于这个家该有的模样尚无一致看法。你觉得这样孩子气吗？试试看要25个家庭决定晚餐吃什么，你就会了解了。

−by J. Michael Cole

Vocabulary

currency [ˋkɝənsɪ] n. 货币

treaty [ˋtritɪ] n. 条约，协议

stabilize [ˋsteb!͵aɪz] v. 使稳定

More Information

ease [iz] n. 容易；不费力

in the wake of:  继...之后 following or as a result of something

conclude [kənˋklud] v. 达成协议; 作出（最后）决定

politically [pəˋlɪtɪk!ɪ] adv. 政治上

catch on: 流行 to become popular

adopt [əˋdɑpt] v. 采取；采纳

lay the basis for: 为…奠定基础 to prepare for or start an activity or task

diverse [daɪˋvɝs] adj. 多种多样的

constitution [͵kɑnstəˋtjuʃən] n. 宪法

Reading Questions

1.   Why does the author compare the EU to a big party?

A.  Because many countries want to join, just like many people like to go to parties.

B.  Because countries in the EU are famous for loving a good party.

C.  Because once countries join the EU, they start having more parties.

D.  Because the EU doesn’t deal with serious issues, and is more like one big party.

2.   According to the article, which of the following is NOT true?

A.  Nations in the EU share a common currency.

B.  All EU nations have accepted the EU constitution.

C.  The EU was created to ensure peace in Europe.

D.  The main challenge for the EU is to get all its nations to agree with each other.

3.   Which of the following statements can be inferred from the article?

A.  It’s easy to get all 25 EU nations to agree on key issues.

B.  The EU unites countries only on a political level.

C.  The EU bridges cultural, economic and political gaps among people of a diverse continent.

D.  Very few nations are waiting to join the EU.

Answer