The other Asian tiger (越南可望成為亞洲之虎)

The other Asian tiger  (越南可望複製南韓、台灣經驗成為亞洲之虎)

Vietnam, with a population of more than 90m, has notched up the world’s second-fastest growth rate per person since 1990, behind only China. If it can maintain a 7% pace over the next decade, it will follow the same trajectory as erstwhile Asian tigers such as South Korea and Taiwan.

merit

verb [ T ]

If something merits a particular treatment, it deserves or is considered important enough to be treated in that way

（…）值得，應受

This plan merits careful attention.這項計劃值得仔細考慮。

dynamo

noun (plural dynamos)

[ C ] a device which changes energy of movement into electrical energy

發電機

A dynamo on a bicycle will power a pair of lights while the wheels are going round.腳踏車發電機在車輪轉動時可爲兩盞燈提供電力。

notch sth up

informal — phrasal verb with notch /nɒtʃ/   /nɑːtʃ/ verb [ T ]

to achieve something

取得，獲得

She has recently notched up her third win at a major tennis tournament.最近，她在一項重要的網球錦標賽中獲勝，取得了她的第三次勝利。

trajectory

noun [ C ]

the curved path that an object follows after it has been thrown or shot into the air

（射體在空中的）軌道，軌跡

the trajectory of a bullet/missile子彈／導彈的彈道

erstwhile

adjective [ before noun ]

previous; former adjective

以前的，先前的；過去的

techno-

prefix

relating to or involving technology

科技的；技術的；和科技（或技術）有關的

a technophile (= a person who loves technology)科技愛好者（愛好科技的人）

pessimism

noun [ U ]

emphasizing or thinking of the bad part of a situation rather than the good part, or the feeling that bad things are more likely to happen than good things

悲觀情緒；悲觀主義

There is now a mood of deepening pessimism about/over the economy.對經濟的悲觀情緒越來越濃。

counter

noun [ C ] (OBJECT) 物體

a small object used to mark someone's place in some games played on boards

籌碼

pay off

— phrasal verb with pay

If something you have done pays off, it is successful

取得成功，得到好結果

All her hard work paid off in the end, and she finally passed the exam.她的所有努力最終有了收穫——她終於通過了考試。

doorstep

noun [ C ] (STEP) 台階

a step in front of an outside door

（門前的）台階

Don't keep her on the doorstep (= outside the door), Jamie, invite her in.別讓她在門口站著了，傑米，請她進來吧。

pivotal

adjective

central and important

關鍵性的，核心的

a pivotal figure/role/idea關鍵人物／角色／想法

ascent

noun [ C ] (SLOPE) 斜坡

a slope, path or road that goes up something

向上的斜坡／小徑／道路

We struggled up the slippery ascent.那段上坡路很滑，我們吃力地向上走。

bloated

adjective (VERY RICH) 富貴的

larger or richer than necessary

過於龐大的；富有的

a bloated bureaucracy臃腫的官僚機構

a bloated capitalist有錢到不像話的資本家

liability

noun [ S ] (RISK) 風險

something or someone that causes you a lot of trouble, often when they should be helping you

麻煩，累贅

After a certain age, a car's just a liability.汽車在使用了一定年限後就會變成一個累贅。

Sue always manages to upset somebody when we go out - she's a real liability.我們出去玩時，休總是讓人掃興——她真是個累贅。

repressive

adjective

controlling what people do, especially by using force

（尤指透過武力進行的）鎮壓，壓制

a repressive military regime殘酷專制的軍事政權

brittle

adjective (UNKIND) 不友好的

unkind and unpleasant

不友好的；冷淡的

She gave a brittle laugh and turned away.她冷笑了一聲，轉身走了。

bust [countable]

4 informal a situation in which the police go into a place in order to catch people doing something illegal:

a drug bust

brit‧tle

2 a situation, relationship, or feeling that is brittle is easily damaged or destroyed:

He spoke with the brittle confidence of someone who, underneath, was very worried.

de‧cent

1 [usually before noun] of a good enough standard or quality:

a decent salary

bar past tense and past participle barred, present participle barring[transitive]

1 to officially prevent someone from entering a place or from doing something

bar somebody from (doing) something

They seized his passport and barred him from leaving the country.

The government barred officials from forcing foreigners to buy inputs domestically. Contrast that with local-content rules in Indonesia.

Competing provinces, long a benefit, are a liability when they duplicate infrastructure.