2014届高考英语考前突破阅读理解能力：《2013福布斯权力排行榜普京居首》.docVIP

2013福布斯权力排行榜 普京居首 Russian President Vladimir Putin has been named the worlds most powerful person by Forbes magazine. 俄罗斯总统弗拉基米尔·普京被《福布斯》题名为最有权力的人。 ? He has beaten US President Barack Obama into second place on the US magazines 2013 list. ?Pope Francis features at number four after Chinese President Xi Jinping. ? Mr Obamas lame duck period had started earlier than usual while Mr Putin had consolidated his control of Russia, Forbes says. ? German Chancellor Angela Merkel ranked number five - one of only two women to feature in the top 20.? ? British PM David Cameron is 11th most powerful, in the magazines opinion - well ahead of his French counterpart but well behind American philanthropist（慈善家） Bill Gates.? ? Lame duck ? It is the first time in three years that Mr Obama has dropped to second place on the Forbes list. ? It comes as relations between the US and Russia have been hit by the civil war in Syria. ? Mr Putin, who has been dominating Russian politics for 12 years, was re-elected president in March 2012. ? Mr Obama, on the other hand, has emerged bruised（青肿的） from a 16-day US government shutdown caused by a budget and debt crisis in Washington, Forbes says: ? Putin has solidified his control over Russia, while Obamas lame duck period has seemingly set in earlier than usual for a two-term president - latest example: the government shutdown mess. ? Russia granted asylum in August to former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden, who is wanted in the US over intelligence leaks. ? A month later, Mr Putin played the trump card again by averting Mr Obamas threatened missile strikes on Syria with a plan for Damascus to hand over chemical weapons, the magazine says. ? Anyone watching this years chess match over Syria and NSA leaks has a clear idea of the shifting individual power dynamics, it adds.