雅思词汇课文（31）· The Future of Democracy 民主的未来
政治与社会主题，约 350 词，融入 30 个雅思核心词。
🎧 课文朗读音频（约 1 分钟）
📖 课文 Text
The Future of Democracy
In 1975, only around 30 countries were full democracies. By 2000, that number had doubled. The "third wave" of democratisation swept across Southern Europe, Latin America and Eastern Europe. Political scientists spoke confidently of an "end of history" — the global triumph of liberal democracy.
Two decades later, the picture is far bleaker. Freedom House, a research organisation, has recorded eighteen consecutive years of decline in global freedom. Democracies from Brazil to India have experienced democratic backsliding. Hungary, once a poster child of post-communist transition, has moved toward authoritarian rule. Even established democracies such as the United States and the United Kingdom face rising polarisation.
Several factors explain the reversal. Economic globalisation benefited the professional classes in cities but left industrial communities behind. Social media, originally celebrated as tools of liberation, have become vectors of misinformation, hate speech and political polarisation. Young people, surveys show, are less committed to democracy than their grandparents, and more open to authoritarian alternatives.
Yet democracy has survived worse. The 1930s saw liberal states collapse under economic depression and fascist challenge. The post-war settlement, built on shared prosperity and strong institutions, revived democratic confidence. Whether a similar renewal is possible today depends on whether societies can address the legitimate grievances that fuel disillusionment.
The internet also offers possibilities undreamed of by earlier democrats. Participatory budgeting, digital town halls and open-data initiatives allow citizens to engage directly with governance. The challenge is to design systems that are inclusive, transparent and resistant to manipulation.
Democracy is not inevitable. It requires active citizens, independent media and accountable institutions. Its future, like its past, will be decided by people, not by historical forces.
📝 生词表 New Words and Expressions
| Word | 音标 | 词性 | 中文 | 课文例句 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| democracy | /dɪˈmɒkrəsi/ | n. | 民主 | the Future of Democracy |
| democratisation | /dɪˌmɒkrətaɪˈzeɪʃn/ | n. | 民主化 | democratisation |
| sweep | /swiːp/ | v. | 席卷 | swept across |
| confidently | /ˈkɒnfɪdəntli/ | adv. | 自信地 | spoke confidently |
| triumph | /ˈtraɪəmf/ | n. | 胜利、成功 | triumph of liberal democracy |
| bleak | /bliːk/ | adj. | 黯淡的 | far bleaker |
| consecutive | /kənˈsekjətɪv/ | adj. | 连续的 | eighteen consecutive years |
| backsliding | /ˈbækslaɪdɪŋ/ | n. | 倒退 | democratic backsliding |
| poster child | /ˈpəʊstə tʃaɪld/ | n. | 典型代表、典范 | a poster child |
| post-communist | /pəʊst ˈkɒmjənɪst/ | adj. | 后共产主义的 | post-communist transition |
| authoritarian | /ɔːˌθɒrɪˈteəriən/ | adj. | 专制的、威权的 | authoritarian rule |
| established | /ɪˈstæblɪʃt/ | adj. | 稳固的、已确立的 | established democracies |
| polarisation | /ˌpəʊləraɪˈzeɪʃn/ | n. | 两极分化 | rising polarisation |
| reversal | /rɪˈvɜːsl/ | n. | 逆转 | the reversal |
| globalisation | /ˌɡləʊbəlaɪˈzeɪʃn/ | n. | 全球化 | Economic globalisation |
| vector | /ˈvektə/ | n. | 载体、传播途径 | vectors of misinformation |
| misinformation | /ˌmɪsɪnfəˈmeɪʃn/ | n. | 错误信息 | misinformation |
| hate speech | /heɪt spiːtʃ/ | n. | 仇恨言论 | hate speech |
| committed | /kəˈmɪtɪd/ | adj. | 坚定的、投入的 | less committed to |
| alternative | /ɔːlˈtɜːnətɪv/ | n. | 替代方案、选择 | authoritarian alternatives |
| collapse | /kəˈlæps/ | v. | 崩溃、瓦解 | saw liberal states collapse |
| depression | /dɪˈpreʃn/ | n. | 萧条、抑郁 | economic depression |
| fascist | /ˈfæʃɪst/ | adj. | 法西斯的 | fascist challenge |
| settlement | /ˈsetlmənt/ | n. | 解决方案、制度安排 | post-war settlement |
| revival | /rɪˈvaɪvl/ | n. | 复兴 | democratic confidence |
| grievance | /ˈɡriːvəns/ | n. | 不满、冤情 | legitimate grievances |
| disillusionment | /ˌdɪsɪˈluːʒnmənt/ | n. | 幻灭、失望 | fuel disillusionment |
| participatory | /pɑːˌtɪsɪˈpeɪtəri/ | adj. | 参与式的 | Participatory budgeting |
| accountable | /əˈkaʊntəbl/ | adj. | 负责任的、可问责的 | accountable institutions |
| inevitable | /ɪnˈevɪtəbl/ | adj. | 不可避免的 | not inevitable |
🧠 课文理解 Comprehension
1. By 2000, the number of full democracies had...
- A. stayed the same
- B. doubled
- C. fallen by half
- D. tripled
2. Freedom House has recorded how many consecutive years of decline?
- A. 8
- B. 18
- C. 28
- D. 3
3. Social media were originally celebrated as...
- A. tools of liberation
- B. threats to democracy
- C. shopping platforms
- D. educational tools
4. The post-war settlement revived democratic confidence through...
- A. shared prosperity and strong institutions
- B. military rule
- C. isolationism
- D. censorship
5. The writer concludes that democracy's future depends on...
- A. historical forces
- B. active citizens, independent media and accountable institutions
- C. technology alone
- D. strong leaders
✏️ 词汇练习 Vocabulary Practice
Fill in the blanks with the correct word from the list. Change the form where necessary.
| consecutive / authoritarian / polarisation / misinformation / grievance / accountable / inevitable |
- She was absent for three ______ days due to illness.
- The country moved toward ______ rule after the coup.
- Political ______ has deepened in recent years.
- Social media spread ______ during the election.
- Workers submitted a formal ______ about unsafe conditions.
- Government officials must be ______ to the public.
- Conflict between the two nations seemed ______.
✅ 答案 Answers
Comprehension
- B 2. B 3. A 4. A 5. B
Vocabulary
- consecutive 2. authoritarian 3. polarisation 4. misinformation 5. grievance 6. accountable 7. inevitable
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