中文
化工企业永远不可能高枕无忧。美国汽车销售在萎缩，可能会影响对化工产品的需求。中国的两大化工巨头中国化工和中化可能很快就会合并，最终可能会威胁到它们更成熟老到的西方对手。
术语补充：
中国化工 ChemChina
中化 Sinochem
我的译文
Chemical companies can never be free from worries. Car sales in America are shrinking, which may further affect the need for chemical products. There is a strong signal for the merger of ChemChina and Sinochem—— the two big chemical giants in China, putting a threat to their more established Western competitors.
经济学人原文
Chemical firms can never rest easy. Car sales are flagging in America, which could hurt demand. China’s two giants, ChemChina and Sinochem, may soon merge and could eventually threaten their more sophisticated Western rivals.
原文中惊艳到自己的地方
📌用词精妙
👉flag
/flæg; flæɡ/N[C]
1.a piece of cloth with a coloured pattern or picture on it that represents a country or organization旗，旗帜：
Children waving flags greeted the Russian leader.孩子们挥舞着旗帜，欢迎俄罗斯领导人。
a flag is flying (=a flag is shown on a pole)旗帜飘扬
Flags were flying at half-mast because of the death of the Premier.因为总理的逝世国旗下了半旗致哀。
2.a coloured piece of cloth used in some sports as a signal or as a sign showing the position of something信号旗：
The flag went down, and the race began.信号旗落下，比赛开始了。
a free kick near the corner flag (=flag on a football pitch)角旗附近的任意球see picture at 见GOLF图
3.the flag an expression meaning a country or organization and its beliefs, values, and people旗帜〔指国家、组织以及所代表的信仰、价值和民众〕:
loyalty to the flag对国家的忠诚
4.keep the flag flying to achieve success on behalf of your country in a competition〔比赛中〕使国旗飘扬，代表祖国获胜：
Bristol kept the flag flying for English rugby with this win.布里斯托尔队的这一场胜利意味着英格兰橄榄球在这次比赛中还会继续走下去。
5.a FLAGSTONE〔铺地面或路的〕石板
fly the flag at 见FLY1(13)
flag
V flagged,flagging
1.[T] to make a mark against some information to show that it is important〔用特殊记号〕标示，标出〔表示重要〕:
I’ve flagged the parts I want to comment on.我已经特别标示出我要评论的部分。
2.[I] to become tired or weak疲倦；变虚弱：
By the end of the meeting we had begun to flag.会议结束时，我们已经开始打蔫了。
flag sb/sth↔down phr v
to make the driver of a vehicle stop by waving at them挥手拦下〔车辆〕:
I flagged down a taxi.我挥手拦下一辆出租车。
📌表达简洁精炼
👉高枕无忧——rest easy
👉影响对化工产品的需求——hurt demand
