【读新闻学英语】新西兰帮派分子比士兵还多，占据了三分之一的牢房

New Zealand is said to have more gang members than soldiers. More than 5300 members or "prospects" are lining up to join one of 25 listed groups.

据说，新西兰的帮派分子比士兵还要多。超过5300名成员或预期成员正在排队加入25个帮派组织中的一个。

soldiers：士兵

prospects：前景，预期

lining up：列队

A recent article by The Economist quoted police saying gangs were a bigger force than the army, and organised criminal groups were thriving in rural areas as well as cities.

“经济学人”杂志的最近一篇文章援引警方的话说到，帮派是一支比军队更强大的力量，有组织的犯罪集团在农村和城市里很兴旺。

quoted：引述

thriving：繁荣，兴盛

Police say three-quarters of the country's mobsters are Maori - despite the fact they make up just 15 per cent of the population.

警方说，该国四分之三的暴徒是毛利裔族人群，尽管事实上他们只占人口的15%。

mobsters：歹徒

despite：尽管

Many Maoris claimed to join as much for whanau, or family, as for money, power or thrills,The Economist said.

“经济学人”说，很多毛利裔人表示他们加入帮派组织为了家族，或家庭，或为了钱财，权利和刺激。

whanau：大家庭

thrills：惊险，刺激

For decades the groups have fought ruthlessly for turf, beat and raped women, and pushed wannabe members into violent crime,but The Economist reports times are changing and ageing leaders are now prohibiting gang rapes and campaigning against methamphetamine use.

几十年来，这些团体为了势力范围而打架，强奸妇女，推动崇拜者加入犯罪行列。“经济学人”报告称，随着时间的推移，年老的帮派领导者现在不允许帮派成员强奸或吸毒了。

turf：势力范围

wannabe：崇拜模仿者

But despite a move towards reform, gangs are still keeping the prisons in business, filling about a third of cells and accounting for more than 14 per cent of all murder charges, according to police.

警方表示，尽管有改革的举措，但帮派成员仍在监狱中开展业务，他们占据了三分之一的牢房，占所有谋杀指控中的14%以上。

reform：改革

murder charges：谋杀指控