The Special Relationship （特指）英美关系
William: Hello and welcome to Authentic Real English, I'm William Kremer.

Li: And I'm Yang Li.

William: Let me play you something, Li.
（让我给你放点什么。）

British national anthem.

Li: Ah, God Save the Queen; 英国国歌。William 沉浸在深深的爱国情绪里了？

William: Ah, but wait...

USA National anthem.

Li: Eh? The Star Spangled Banner 这不是美国国歌吗？But this is the BBC, William! British Broadcasting Corporation!

William: Yeah, I know Li. But a very special visitor is coming to Britain today.

Li: 啊，对了，美国总统奥巴马今天开始他对英国的为期三天的访问。William, 我真心地想问你一个问题，你觉得英国人到底喜欢不喜欢美国人呢？

William: Well, that is a very difficult question to answer in ninety seconds， Li. But it's fair to say that our two countries have a lot in common. Not only do we share the same language but economically and politically Britain and the USA have a close connection. And this connection is often called the special relationship.
（那个问题很难在短时间回答好。公平地说两国有很多共同之处。不仅两国语言相通，而且英美两国在政治和经济山个都有密切联系。这种联系通常被叫做the special relationship。）

Li: The special relationship. 是专门用来形容英美两国政治关系的短语 the special relationship 英美关系。

William: Here are a few examples of this phrase being used which I found on the BBC website:
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Examples

Britain's former Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, talks to Katty Kay about recent remarks in which he described the 'special relationship' between America and Britain as a fiction that should be dropped.
（英国前外交大臣Jack Straw,和Katty Kay谈到了他的最新评论，评论中他将英美之间的政治关系描述成应该摒弃的虚构小说。）
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Isabel Hilton and guests discuss the past, present and future of what people on this side of the Atlantic like to call 'the special relationship' between Britain and America. But is it really that special?
（Isabel Hilton和宾客们谈到了喜欢将英美之间的关系叫做'the special relationship'人群的过去，现在和未来。但这真的有些特别吧？）
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Files newly released by the Wikileaks website highlight what is described as the UK's 'paranoia' about its so-called special relationship with the US.
（维基解密最近公布的文件透露出:对英美之间所谓特殊关系的英国偏执狂是什么样的。）
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Li: It sounds like people are starting to question how special the special relationship is!
（听起来人们开始询问特殊关系到底有多特殊。）

William: That might be true... and you can see that this is an issue that is easier to talk about because there is a special phrase for it.
（这可能是真的。你能看到这是个早期的争论，因为有个特殊的短语来形容这种关系。）

Li: So does the UK have a special relationship with other countries too?
（英国也与其他国家有特殊关系吗？）

William: Yes, of course. And occasionally you might read about 'a special relationship with Australia' or 'a special relationship with India' for example, but the phrase 'the special relationship' by itself generally refers to the USA and Britain.
（当然能，偶尔你会读到，“与澳大利亚有特殊关系”或“与印度有特殊关系”。但是the special relationship仅用来形容英美之间的关系。）

Li: I see, the special relationship, not a special relationship. Well, actually, we have a special relationship, don't we William?
（我明白了，特殊关系实际上并不是指字面上的意思。事实上，我们之间也是 特殊的关系，William，对吧？）

William: Yes, we do, Li! And do you think our special relationship is like the special relationship?
（是的。你认为我们之间的特殊关系就像英美之间的关系？ ）

Li: 这要看具体情况了... 要看我扮演的是美国还是英国?!

William: Hmm. Well, that is an interesting question but also quite a strange one! So let's end today's programme there. Bye bye!
（这是个非常有趣但却很奇怪的问题。今天的节目就到这儿，再见。）

Li: 我能扮演美国吗？真的，我能开我的凯迪拉克车带你去兜风，怎么样?