摘要：Economist, 经济学人杂志，大多数文章写得机智，幽默，有力度，严肃又不失诙谐，并且注重于怎样在最小的篇幅内告诉读者最多的信息，所以也是雅思考生最爱的阅读素材。详见本文。

Economist, 经济学人杂志。是一份由伦敦经济学人报纸有限公司出版的杂志，于1843年9月由詹姆士?威尔逊创办。杂志的大多数文章写得机智，幽默，有力度，严肃又不失诙谐，并且注重于怎样在最小的篇幅内告诉读者最多的信息。杂志主要关注政治和商业方面的新闻，但是每期也有一两篇针对科技和艺术的报导，以及一些书评。

杂志中所有文章都不署名，而且往往带有鲜明的立场，但又处处用事实说话。主编们认为：写出了什么东西，比出自谁的手笔更重要。从2012年1月28日的那一期杂志开始《经济学人》杂志开辟了中国专栏，为有关中国的文章提供更多的版面。同时，《经济学人》也是极好的雅思阅读课外读物，很多时候，雅思阅读考试的文章就是出自其中。可以说经济学人相比较于其他国内外语报纸的态度更客观，视角更宽。

IT IS one of the first things that visitors to Santiago, the Chilean capital, ask: “Why are there so many dogs everywhere?” Patricia Cocas, founder of ProAnimal Chile, an animal-rights group, reckons that some 180,000 stray hounds wander the city of six million people; a further 80,000 are let out by their owners to roam as they please. The area around the presidential palace is a favoured hangout. Most mutts are harmless enough—Chile is free of rabies, which helps explain why they are tolerated. But some attack passers-by or chase cars down Santiago's main thoroughfare, the Alameda, occasionally ripping tyres with their teeth.

游客们去智利首都圣地亚哥旅行时，最初会打听的问题之一是：“为什么这儿到处都是狗呢?”智利的动物权利小组专业动物组织发起人Patricia Cocas估计大约十八万只流浪犬逡巡于六百万城市人口之间;有超过八万只流浪犬被它们的主人遗弃，任它们流浪。总统府附近地区就是他们最喜欢闲逛的位子。大部分流浪狗对人无害—智利没有狂犬病。这也就是流浪犬被容忍的原因。但是一些流浪犬攻击行人或者在圣地亚哥的主干道——林荫大道上追逐车辆，它们有时会用牙齿撕咬轮胎。

The government is now taking action. In her state-of-the-union speech last month, President Michelle Bachelet announced a national sterilisation programme for stray dogs (the details are still to be fleshed out). A bill on responsible pet ownership is due to come before Congress this month. It envisages tougher penalties for those who abuse or abandon their pets, and the establishment of a register of dangerous dogs.

政府现在正在采取措施应对。在上个月总统米歇尔?巴切莱特的国情咨文演说中声明了一项针对流浪狗的*除菌项目(细节还在补充当中)。这个月一份针对宠物所有权的法案将被交付国会。它预期针对那些虐待或遗弃宠物的人实施更重的惩罚，并且建立一家危险流浪狗管理处。

Ms Bachelet is trying to make the pooches political, weaving them into a broader narrative about inequality. Chile's cities need affordable veterinary centres where pets can be vaccinated and sterilised, she said in her speech. “In our country wealthy people can do that, but people without money have no way of caring for their pets.” But she insists there will be no cull of strays. For now, the mongrels on the lawns outside the palace where she works can sleep in peace.

巴切莱特正试图将处理流浪狗问题正式化，将它们同一个更宽泛意义上的不平等陈述结合到遗弃。她在演说中说智利的各个城市需要建立可支付得起的收益中心，在那儿宠物们可以接种疫苗以及除菌。“我们*富人们可以实施那项行动但是穷人们就无法照看他们的宠物。”但是她坚持否定屠杀流浪狗。至少现在，总统府外，她散步的草坪上的流浪狗们能安闲地睡觉。译者:彭威