Brexeunt omnes? A divided Britain decides

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①Within hours, the outcome of Britain’s knife-edge referendum on its EU membership will be clear. ②The race could scarcely be closer or be more polarised. ③London is expected to back Remain heavily, while the countryside is staunchly for Leave. ④Scotland is distinctly more Europhile than England, raising the awkward prospect of a close result in which Scots are dragged out of Europe by English votes, or vice-versa. ⑤The upwardly mobile, most likely to prosper in the open market for labour that the European Union has created, are behind Remain, whereas the poorer and less qualified long for Brexit. ⑥The starkest divide, though, is generational: 80% of under-25s tell pollsters they will vote to stay, but two-thirds of over-65s are Brexiteers. ⑦Whatever the result, David Cameron will be left in charge of a bitterly split country—which, in the event of Brexit, may soon demand a new prime minister too.■

(source: espresso June 24 difficulty: ★★★★☆)

标题分析：

Brexeunt omnes? A divided Britain decides

exeunt omnes: all go off the stage — a stage direction to specify that all the characters leave the stage

Brexeunt omnes: 英国走下舞台，暗指公投不论结果怎样都会进一步加快英国分裂，对英国有害。

①Within hours, the outcome of Britain’s knife-edge referendum on its EU membership will be clear. 

knife-edge: in a difficult or worrying situation of which the result is very uncertain.  Brexit有利亦有坏处，不要误诠释为双刃剑。

分析：几小时后，不确定的英国脱欧公投结果就要出来了。

②The race could scarcely be closer or be more polarised. 

分析：race指的是Remain留欧和Leave脱欧之间的较量。scarely表否定，同期修饰be closer和more polarised。公投结果不可能太接近或太两极分化，介于两者之间，数字化思维。

③London is expected to back Remain heavily, while the countryside is staunchly for Leave. 

staunch: loyal

分析：伦敦城区支持留欧，附件的乡下却支持脱欧。

④Scotland is distinctly more Europhile than England, raising the awkward prospect of a close result in which Scots are dragged out of Europe by English votes, or vice-versa.

分析：苏格兰显著比英格兰更加爱好欧盟，暗指苏格兰支持留欧。后半句稍难理解，马上要出的结果会带来一个很尴尬的局面，苏格兰被英国投票搞得脱欧（苏格兰被脱欧，苏格兰始终想独立，这次又没法决定自己的命运，因此awkward）。vice-verse是the other way around,反过来亦成立，English are dragged out of Europe by Scots votes.（苏格兰人民的投票亦可能决定英国的命运）。

⑤The upwardly mobile, most likely to prosper in the open market for labour that the European Union has created, are behind Remain, whereas the poorer and less qualified long for Brexit.

upwardly mobile: moving to a higher social class; acquiring wealth and status.固定搭配用法。

分析：分析了留欧的原由，留欧是为了寻求发展，尤其是欧盟创立的研发劳动力市场会促进经济繁荣，为大众供给了更加多的发展机会和空间。穷人和学历低的人发展空间有限，期盼脱欧。

⑥The starkest divide, though, is generational: 80% of under-25s tell pollsters they will vote to stay, but two-thirds of over-65s are Brexiteers.

分析：支持留欧和脱欧的人还有一个显著的区别，年龄区别：25岁以下80%支持留欧，超过65岁的三分之二支持脱欧。but句间取反，主语对象反转。

⑦Whatever the result, David Cameron will be left in charge of a bitterly split country—which, in the event of Brexit, may soon demand a new prime minister too.

分析：不管结果怎样，Cameron还要执政一个分裂的英国。Cameron支持留欧，若脱欧获胜，可能还要换个新首相。

P.S. 赶时间发的这篇，要不就成为了旧闻了。

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