--- url: https://gaojian.site/new-concept/book-4/36-the-cost-of-government.md description: 新概念英语第四册：The Cost of Government。精读、词块回忆、双向译练、句法、逻辑与FSRS复习。 --- # 36 · 政府的开支 ### 第1段 If a nation is essentially disunited, it is left to the government to hold it together. This increases the expense of government, and reduces correspondingly the amount of economic resources that could be used for developing the country.And it should not be forgotten how small those resources are in a poor and backward country. Where the cost of government is high, resources for development are correspondingly low. This may be illustrated by comparing the position of a nation with that of a private business enterprise. An enterprise has to incur certain costs and expenses in order to stay in business. For our purposes, we are concerned only with one kind of cost—the cost of managing and administering the business. Such administrative overheads in a business are analogous to the cost of government in a nation. The administrative overheads of a business are low to the extent that everyone working in the business can be trusted to behave in a way that best promotes the interests of the firm. If they can each be trusted to take such responsibilities, and to exercise such initiative as falls within their sphere, then administrative overheads will be low. It will be low because it will be necessary to have only one man looking after each job, without having another man to check upon what he is doing, keep him in line, and report on him to someone else. But if no one can be trusted to act in a loyal and responsible manner towards his job, then the business will require armies of administrators, checkers, and foremen, and administrative overheads will rise correspondingly. As administrative overheads rise, so the earnings of the business after meeting the expense of administration, will fall; and the business will have less money to distribute as dividends or invest directly in its future progress and development. It is precisely the same with a nation. To the extent that the people can be relied upon to behave in a loyal and responsible manner, the government does not require armies of police and civil servants to keep them in order. But if a nation is disunited, the government cannot be sure that the actions of the people will be in the interests of the nation; and it will have to watch, check, and control the people accordingly. A disunited nation therefore has to incur unduly high costs of government. 中文理解：如果一个国家内部根本不团结，就只能靠政府把它维系在一起。这样会增加政府开支，相应压缩可用于国家发展的经济资源。别忘了，在贫穷落后的国家，这些资源本来就十分有限。政府管理成本越高，可用于发展的资源便越少。 把国家与一家私营企业作比较，就能说明这一点。企业为了维持经营，必须承担一定的成本和支出。这里，我们只讨论其中一种：经营和管理企业的费用。企业的这类行政管理费用，类似于国家的政府管理成本。如果企业里的每个人都值得信任，都会采取最有利于公司利益的行动，管理费用就会较低。如果人人都能在职责范围内承担责任、发挥主动性，管理费用就不高，因为每项工作只需一人负责，不必再安排一个人检查、约束他，再向别人汇报他的情况。反过来，如果没有人能够忠实、负责地对待工作，企业就需要大批管理人员、检查人员和领班，管理费用也会相应增加。管理费用越高，扣除这些费用后的收益就越少；企业可用于分红，或直接投入未来发展的钱，也就越少。 国家的道理完全相同。如果人民值得信赖，能够忠诚、负责地行事，政府便不需要大批警察和公务员来维持秩序。但如果一个国家内部不团结，政府就无法确信人民的行为会符合国家利益，因此不得不加强监督、检查和控制。所以，一个不团结的国家，必然要承担过高的政府管理成本。 * **essentially disunited**：内部根本不团结；undefined * **hold it together**：把整体维系住；代词在中间，可说组织、关系或实体结构。 * **economic resources**：经济资源；undefined * **correspondingly low**：相应地低；undefined * **private business enterprise**：私营企业；undefined * **incur certain costs**：承担一定成本；不是获得收益；常说必须支出的负担。 * **stay in business**：维持经营；不只是待在办公室，指企业继续生存。 * **For our purposes**：就本次讨论的目的而言；主动限定讨论范围，避免解释过宽。 * **administrative overheads**：行政管理费用；overheads英式常用复数，区别于直接生产成本。 * **analogous to**：与……类似；类比的是某个关系，不等于对象完全相同。 * **to the extent that**：在……程度内；把结论绑定条件程度，不是绝对全有或全无。 * **promotes the interests**：增进利益；interest在这里是利益，常用复数。 * **exercise such initiative**：发挥这样的主动性；exercise是运用、发挥，不是体育锻炼。 * **within their sphere**：在职责范围内；undefined * **keep him in line**：约束其行为；可带控制意味，注意人际语气。 * **in a loyal and responsible manner**：以忠诚负责的方式；undefined * **distribute as dividends**：作为股息分配；as说明分配的形式，to引出接收者。 * **relied upon**：被信赖；upon较正式；to do说明信赖其完成什么。 * **in the interests of**：符合……利益；不同于表示爱好的be interested in。 * **unduly high**：过高的；undefined #### If a nation is essentially disunited, it is left to the government to hold it together. 复合句，主句为主谓宾结构，带有条件状语从句. 在经济学中，cost 即成本，开支是 expense，对于专业领域文章的翻译一定要遵循学科的规范. #### This increases the expense of government, and reduces correspondingly the amount of economic resources that could be used for developing the country. 复合句，主句为 and 连接两个状语的主谓宾结构，第二个结构中，相当于省略了主语，且带有一个 that 引导的定语从句，修饰经济资源. 经济资源的稀缺性是经济学理论大厦的假设，围绕资源的稀缺以及分配的效率，发展出了一系列的经济学理论. 定语从句中 could be used for 表示本来可以，但实际上并没有发生. #### This increases the expense of government, and reduces correspondingly the amount of economic resources that could be used for developing the country.And it should not be forgotten how small those resources are in a poor and backward country. 复合句，it 为形式主语，how small those resources are…整体承载“不应忘记”的内容。how small 表示“资源有多么有限”；其后 those resources are 是正常陈述语序，不是把系动词提前的倒装。 #### Where the cost of government is high, resources for development are correspondingly low. 复合句，主句为主系表结构，从句为 where 引导的条件状语从句. #### This may be illustrated by comparing the position of a nation with that of a private business enterprise. 简单句，主谓结构，加一个 by 引导的方式状语. #### An enterprise has to incur certain costs and expenses in order to stay in business. 简单句，主谓宾结构，加一个目的状语. #### For our purposes, we are concerned only with one kind of cost—the cost of managing and administering the business. 简单句，主谓宾结构，加一个同位语. #### Such administrative overheads in a business are analogous to the cost of government in a nation. 简单句，主谓宾结构，谓语动词部分由动词词组构成. overheads 为会计学术语，经常费用. #### The administrative overheads of a business are low to the extent that everyone working in the business can be trusted to behave in a way that best promotes the interests of the firm. 复合句，主系表结构，后面跟了同位语从句解释说明具体是什么程度，该同位语从句的主题是主谓+主语补语，to behave 为动词不定式担任主语的补语，一般来说，含宾语补足语的句子，使用被动语态时，宾补就转换为主补了，非被动时态原句可以为 The business can trust everyone . 在该同位语从句中，that 引导的定语从句修饰具体的方式 way，该定语从句是主谓宾结构. #### If they can each be trusted to take such responsibilities, and to exercise such initiative as falls within their sphere, then administrative overheads will be low. 复合句，主句是主系表结构. 前面是 if 引导的条件状语从句，而且是并列句，该从句的第二句省略了 can be trusted. 这里跟上句一样，也是主谓+主语补语的结构，所以第二句的补语，需要注意标记出来. as 引导的定语从句修饰 initiative. #### It will be low because it will be necessary to have only one man looking after each job, without having another man to check upon what he is doing, keep him in line, and report on him to someone else. 复合句，主句是主系表结构，然后由 because 引导一个比较长的原因状语从句作解释为什么不需要另一个人员. 在该原因状语从句中，真正的主语是不定式 to have only one man，而 looking after each job 可以理解为主语补语. 这个原因状语从句里面还有 without 引导的伴随状语，这个比较长的状语中，可以进一步细分予以剖析，without having another man 在后面两个结构中都省略了，完整是： without having another man (to) check upon what he is doing, without having another man (to) keep him in line, and without having another man (to) report on him to someone else. 需要留意，have sb. do sth. 才是固定搭配，动词不定式要省略 to，让人做某事不能用 have sb. to do，原句中 to check 分析为不定式作后置定语方符合语法规则. #### But if no one can be trusted to act in a loyal and responsible manner towards his job, then the business will require armies of administrators, checkers, and foremen, and administrative overheads will rise correspondingly. 并列复合句，最后一个 and 连接两个句子. 第一句是 if 引导的条件状语从句，里面包含主语补语，该句的主句是主谓宾结构 第二句是主谓结构. #### As administrative overheads rise, so the earnings of the business after meeting the expense of administration, will fall; and the business will have less money to distribute as dividends or invest directly in its future progress and development. 并列复合句，第一句主句为主谓结构，as 开头的从句为原因状语从句. 第二句为主谓宾结构，加上目的状语，以解释资金的使用目的. #### It is precisely the same with a nation. 简单句，主系表结构. 理解起来可以把 be the same with 当作谓语，以主谓宾的形式来看待会更易于理解. #### To the extent that the people can be relied upon to behave in a loyal and responsible manner, the government does not require armies of police and civil servants to keep them in order. 复合句，主句为主谓宾+宾补结构. 前面的程度状语中有一个 that 引导的同位语从句对 extent 作解释说明，该从句是主谓+主语补语结构. #### But if a nation is disunited, the government cannot be sure that the actions of the people will be in the interests of the nation; and it will have to watch, check, and control the people accordingly. 并列复合句，分号将该长句分为两个句子，第一句为条件状语从句加主谓+宾语从 句结构. that 引导的宾语从句作 be sure 的宾语，该从句为主系表结构. 第二句则是主谓宾结构. #### A disunited nation therefore has to incur unduly high costs of government. 简单句，主谓宾结构. ## 学完这一课 说明一项任务最终由谁承担，检查两个it是否同指。 [Nce · 本册复习台](/new-concept/book-4/review) · [三册选择地图](/new-concept/) *译文依据整理稿，由本站按中文表达重新校订；解析据吴应时整理资料及首轮审校稿；词伙与练习提示为本站学习设计。原PDF第153—157页，2022年2月第2版。*