奇速英语阅读理解：今天奇速英语和广大英语阅读爱好者分享的主题是租一个部落酋长回家，就能解决所有问题吗？随着伊拉克部落越来越多争端的解决，阿拉伯酋长的需求量也日益增加，并不是所有租来的酋长服务都是真实可靠的。

　　With Iraqi tribes settling more disputes,sheikhs are in high demand

　　随着伊拉克部落越来越多争端的解决，阿拉伯酋长的需求量也日益增加

　　Not all who rent out their services are real

　　并不是所有租来的酋长服务都是真实可靠的

　　AFTER DISCOVERING that one of his employees had embezzled$800,000,Saif took him to a court in Baghdad and won.When the thief still did not return the cash,he was thrown in jail.But he was soon released,probably after paying a bribe.

　　在发现他的一名雇员贪污80万美元后，赛义夫将这名雇员告上了巴格达法庭并取得胜诉。当这个小偷还未归还现金时，就已经被扔进了监狱。但在他进行行贿以后，其很快就被释放。

　　Fearing he would never see his money again,Saif began negotiating with the thief’s tribe—or,rather,his rental sheikh did.Saif,who grew up abroad,was unfamiliar with tribal practices,so he hired a tribe to back him and its leader(the sheikh)to represent him.

　　由于担心自己再也不能拿回被偷的钱，赛义夫开始与小偷的部落——或者，再确切一点来说，是他的租用酋长协商。赛义夫在国外长大，对于部落的习俗并不了解，所以他雇佣了一个部落来支持他，并让部落的酋长代表他。

　　Iraq is home to around 150 tribes,whose sheikhs long helped resolve disputes.Saddam Hussein tried to weaken them,but after he fell in 2003,sheikhs filled the vacuum left by a fragile and corrupt state.

　　伊拉克是大约150个部落的原生家园，部落的酋长长期以来致力于解决其间的争端。萨达姆•侯赛因曾试图削弱他们，但在他2003年倒台后，酋长们补上了这个脆弱而腐败的国家留下的空缺。

　　Today even some corporate lawyers advise their clients to use tribal councils rather than courts,especially if the sheikhs involved have links to powerful militias.This has led to a booming new business:sheikhs who rent out their services.Only some are real.

　　现如今，一些公司律师甚至建议他们的客户使用部落委员会而不是法庭，特别是这些部落的酋长与强大的民兵组织有关联。而这也催生了一个蓬勃发展的新行业:出租酋长服务，尽管其中只有一部分是真实可靠的。

　　It is often hard to tell,especially in cities,where tribal bonds have weakened.Certain restaurants in Baghdad are known as meeting spots for rental sheikhs.Sometimes people on the wrong side of the law seek out the fake sort because they are too embarrassed to go to their real sheikhs.

　　酋长的真假通常很难辨别，尤其是在部落建纽带已经衰弱的城市中。巴格达的许多餐厅以作为出租酋长的固定场所而著称。有时，违反了法律的人们会去寻找假的酋长，因为让他们去见真的酋长实在是相当尴尬和窘迫。

　　Saif,by contrast,didn’t know his own sheikhs.He found his rented tribe through a friend.It cost him thousands of dollars in meals and attendance fees,as the rental sheikh and his counterpart mulled over the case.As often happens,both sheikhs demanded a commission for a successful settlement.

　　相比之下，赛义夫并不认识自己的酋长，他通过一个朋友找到了租来的部落酋长。当出租酋长和他的同行还在仔细考虑这件事时，他已经花费了数千美元的餐费和出场费。和往常一样，双方的酋长都要求一个委员会来使这件事最终得到一个合理的解决。

　　Relying on tribes to settle disputes has advantages.Courts dawdle;tribal negotiations can lead to deals in a matter of days.They are good at settling community or family feuds.But there is growing abuse of the system,especially as it takes on more commercial disputes.

　　依靠部落来解决争端是有好处的。法院互成帮派，效率低下；部落协商确可以在短短几天内达成协议。他们擅长解决社区或家庭的争端。但这一制度正受到越来越多的滥用，尤其是当它被用于处理越来越多商业纠纷。

　　In rural areas tribes often extort money from oil and gas firms that operate nearby.In cities impostor sheikhs take money without producing results.Seven months into tribal negotiations,Saif had recovered only a fraction of the money that was stolen from him.

　　在农村地区，部落经常向附近的石油和天然气公司勒索钱财。在城市里，冒名顶替的酋长拿钱却不帮助作为。历时长达7个月的部落谈判，只让赛义夫追回了一小部分他被偷走的钱。

　　One reason could be a recently passed law declaring tribal intimidation tactics,such as the degga ashairiya(tribal knock),acts of terror.The degga involved shooting(or“knocking”)at someone’s house.It was a useful way to get people to the negotiating table.It was also abused.Many Iraqis welcomed the ban.

　　其中一个原因可能是最近通过的一项法律宣告了部落恐吓策略，也就像degga ashairiya(部落敲门)这样的恐怖行为，degga涉及向某人的房子开枪(或“敲门”)。这是一种能够让人们坐到谈判桌前进行谈判的有效方式。然而它也被滥用了。许多伊拉克人对于这条法律的禁令表示支持。

　　They complain,though,that the government has not also strengthened the legal system.After years of war.Adel Abdul-Mahdi,the prime minister,has vowed to boost investment to bring down unemployment.

　　然而，他们对政府不加强合法系统的构建大肆抱怨。多年战争后，总理阿德尔•阿卜杜勒-马赫迪誓言要增加投资以降低失业率。

　　But few investors dare inject money into a country where sheikhs and militias wield more influence than judges.Take the case of Muhannad,who turned to the tribes when a commercial tenant refused to vacate his building—then stuck an AK-47 in his face.

　　但却鲜有投资者敢向一个酋长和民兵组织的影响力超过法官的国家注资。以穆罕默德为例，当一个商业租户拒绝搬出他的建筑时，他向背后的部落求助，得到的是AK-47枪对准他的脸。

　　According to a hand-scribbled tribal agreement,Muhannad must pay the tenant$140,000 to leave.“The government isn’t strong enough to finish the case,”said Muhannad.“So we prefer to buy our peace and safety with money.”

　　根据一份手写的部落协议，穆罕纳德必须向他支付14万美元才能脱身。他说:“政府还不够强大到足以解决这个案子。所以我们更愿意用金钱来购买我们的和平与安全。”

　　出租酋长服务，尽管其中只有一部分是真实可靠的。部落协商确可以在短短几天内达成协议。他们擅长解决社区或家庭的争端。但这一制度正受到越来越多的滥用，尤其是当它被用于处理越来越多商业纠纷。更多奇速英语阅读资讯，请持续关注奇速英语官网：www.qisuabc.com