外刊原文
Second, Africa’s leaders need to think more strategically. Africa may be nearly as populous as China, but it comprises 54 countries, not one. African governments could strike better deals if they showed more unity. No one expects a heterogeneous(多样的)continent that includes both anarchic (无政府的)battle zones and prosperous democracies to be as integrated as Europe. But it can surely do better than letting China negotiate with each country individually, behind closed doors. The power imbalance between, say, China and Uganda is huge. It could be reduced somewhat with a free-trade area or if African regional blocs clubbed together. After all, the benefits of infrastructure(基础设施) projects spill across borders.
Third, African leaders do not have to choose sides, as they did during the cold war.They can do business with Western democracies and also with China and Russia—and anyone else with something to offer. Because they have more choice now than ever before, Africans should be able to drive harder bargains. And outsiders should not see this as a zero-sum contest (as the Trump administration, when it pays attention to Africa, apparently does). If China builds a bridge in Ghana, an American car can drive over it. If a British firm invests in a mobile-data network in Kenya, a Kenyan entrepreneur can use it to set up a cross-border startup.
Last, Africans should take what some of their new friends tell them with a pinch ofsalt. China argues that democracy is a Western idea; development requires afirm hand. This message no doubt appeals to African strongmen, but it is bunk(胡说). A study by Takaaki Masaki of the World Bank and Nicolas van de Walle of Cornell University found that African countries grow faster if they are more democratic. The good news is that, as education improves and Africans move rapidly to the cities, they are growing more critical of their rulers, and less frightened to say so. In 1997, 70% of African ruling parties won more than 60% of the vote, partly by getting rural chiefs to cow(胁迫) villagers into backing them.By 2015 only 50% did. As politics grows more competitive, voters’ clout will grow. And they will be able to insist on a form of globalization(全球化) that works for Africans and foreigners alike.
精读讲解
Part 1
Second, Africa’s leaders need to think more strategically. Africa may be nearly aspopulous as China, but it comprises 54 countries, not one. African governments could strike better deals if they showed more unity. No one expects aheterogeneous continent that includes both anarchic battle zones and prosperous democracies to be as integrated as Europe.
中译：其次，非洲的领导人需要多从战略上思考。尽管非洲人口接近中国，但非洲包含了54个国家，而不是一个。如果他们表现得更加团结，非洲国家的政府将可以达成更好的协议。没有人认为一个包括无政府的战乱地区和众多的民主政体在内的多元化大陆能像欧洲那样一体化。
strategically /strə'tidʒɪkli/ adv. 战略性地；战略上
populous/'pɑpjələs/ adj. 人口稠密的；人口多的
comprise /kəm'praɪz/ vt. 包含；由…组成
strike/straɪk/ 常见含义有“打击；罢工”，这里是熟词僻义，意思是“达成 (交易或协议)”，固定搭配：strike a deal/deals
例句：The workers were able to strike a deal with the boss over the new pay raise rules.
员工和老板在新的薪资给付规定上达成协议。
unity /'junəti/ n. 团结；一致；联合；统一
heterogeneous /'hɛtərə'dʒinɪəs/ adj. A heterogeneous group consists of many different types of things or people. 由很多种类组成的
anarchic/ən'ɑrkɪk/ adj. 无政府的；无政府主义的
prosperous/'prɑspərəs/ adj. 繁荣的；兴旺的
integrated/'ɪntɪɡretɪd/ adj. 综合的；完整的；互相协调的
democracy /dɪˈmɑkrəsi/ 民主；民主国家；民主政体；民主制度
expect to 期望；期待做
【长难句分析】
No one expects a heterogeneous continent that includes both anarchic battle zones and prosperous democracies to be as integrated as Europe.
这句话的主干是：No one expects a heterogeneous continent to be as integrated as Europe. 用到了上面expect to的结构。中间是一个“that”引导的定语从句。定语从句用了一个短语both… and…“两者都……”
Part 2
But it can surely do better than letting China negotiate with each countryindividually, behind closed doors. The power imbalance between, say, China and Uganda is huge. It could be reduced somewhat with a free-trade area or if African regional blocs clubbed together. After all, the benefits of infrastructure projectsspill across borders.
中译：但是，这也好过让中国与每一个非洲国家单独进行闭门谈判。比如说，中国与乌干达之间的实力差距是巨大的。如果非洲地区成立自由贸易区或者该地区的国家联合起来，这种实力差距就会有所降低。毕竟，基建项目的好处是跨越国界的。
negotiate /nɪ'ɡoʃɪet/ v. 谈判，交涉；商议
individually /ˌɪndɪˈvɪdʒuəli/ adv. 个别地，单独地
imbalance /ɪm'bæləns/ n. 不平衡；不安定
somewhat/'sʌmwʌt/ adv. 有点；多少；几分；稍微
free-trade area 自由贸易区
bloc /'blɔk/ 联盟；集团
club /klʌb/ vi. 集资；组成俱乐部
infrastructure/'ɪnfrə'strʌktʃɚ/ n. 基础设施；公共建设
spill /spɪl/ vi. 溢出，流出；涌出
如何使得非洲在新的一轮争夺中获益呢，在以上两个部分中，作者给出了答案，那就是联合起来，协调一致。
Part 3
Third, African leaders do not have to choose sides, as they did during the cold war. They can do business with Western democracies and also with China and Russia—and anyone else with something to offer. Because they have more choice now than ever before, Africans should be able to drive harder bargains.
中译：第三，非洲不必像在冷战的时候那样，选边站。他们既可以与西方民主国家做生意，也可以与中国、俄罗斯以及其他任何能提供产品的国家做生意。由于他们现在比以往任何时候都有更多的选择，非洲人应该能够推动更加苛刻交易。
bargain /ˈbɑrɡɪn/ n. 交易；便宜货；契约 v. 讨价还价；议价
Part 4
And outsiders should not see this as a zero-sum contest (as the Trump administration, when it pays attention to Africa, apparently does).If China builds a bridge in Ghana, an American car can drive over it. If a British firm invests in a mobile-data network in Kenya, a Kenyan entrepreneur can use it to set up a cross-border startup.
中译：外界不应将此视为一场零和竞争(特朗普政府在关注非洲时，显然是这么看的)。如果中国在加纳修建一座桥，美国汽车也能开过去。如果一家英国公司在肯尼亚投资建立一个移动数据网络，肯尼亚的企业家也可以用它来创办一个跨境公司。
zero-sum contest 零和竞争
pay attention to 注意；重视；留心
apparently /ə'pærəntli/ adv. 显然地；似乎，表面上
entrepreneur/ˌɑntrəprəˈnɝ/ n. 企业家；承包人；主办者
set up v.建立；树立；创立
startup /'stɑrt'ʌp/ n. 启动；开办；初创企业
Part 5
Last, Africans should take what some of their new friends tell them with a pinch of salt. China argues that democracy is a Western idea; development requires a firm hand. This message no doubt appeals to African strongmen, but it is bunk. A study by Takaaki Masaki of the World Bank and Nicolas van de Walle of Cornell University found that African countries grow faster if they are more democratic.
中译：最后，非洲人对他们的一些新朋友说的话应该有所保留。中国坚称**是西方的理念；发展需要强力的保障。这一信息无疑对非洲政治强人很有吸引力，但这是**。世界银行的高崎雅明和康奈尔大学的Nicolas van de Walle进行的一项研究发现，如果非洲国家更加民主，它们的经济增长会更快。
with a pinch of salt 有所保留地；将信将疑地 a pinch of是“一撮；少许”的意思。
例句：Any figures coming from China must be taken with a pinch of salt.
任何来自中国的数据，我们都应该有所保留地看待。
appeal to v. 呼吁；上诉；要求；对…有吸引力
bunk是一个不常见的单词，相当于nonsense，意为“瞎话，胡扯”。
democratic/'dɛmə'krætɪk/ adj. 民主的；民主政治的；大众的
Part 6
The good news is that, as education improves and Africans move rapidly to the cities, they are growing more critical of their rulers, and less frightened to say so. In 1997, 70% of African ruling parties won more than 60% of the vote, partly by getting rural chiefs to cow villagers into backing them. By 2015 only 50% did. As politics grows more competitive, voters’ clout will grow. And they will be able to insist on a form of globalisation that works for Africans and foreigners alike.
中译：好消息是，随着教育水平的提升，以及非洲人快速移居到城市，他们对统治者的批评越来越多，而且敢于发表批评意见。1997年，70%的非洲执政党赢得了超过60%的选票，部分原因是他们让农村地区的领导人胁迫村民支持他们。到2015年，这一比例仅为50%。随着政治竞争的加剧，选民的影响力将会增强。他们将能够坚持一种对非洲人和外国人都有效的全球化方式。
critical /'krɪtɪkl/ adj.批评的；评论的
rural/'rʊrəl/ adj. 农村的，乡下的
chief /tʃif/ n. 首领；酋长；主要部分 adj. 首席的；主要的 adv. 主要地；首要地
cow /kaʊ/ n. 奶牛，母牛；vt. 威胁，恐吓
clout/klaʊt/ n.影响力；势力
globalization /,ɡləubəlai'zeiʃən/ n. 全球化