Unit 1　Women of achievement

　　安格拉·默克尔是德国历史上第一位女总理，并在2009年和2013年的大选中成功连任。

　　Angela Merkel-A great woman politician

　　Angela Merkel is a woman of great achievements and is Germany's first female Chancellor (总理)．Forbes' magazine listed her as the most powerful woman in the world in 2006 and 2007.Western media often describe her as the "Iron Lady"．

　　Merkel，born in Hamburg in 1954，grew up in the former German Democratic Republic (民主德国)．She was a member of the socialist youth movement and took part in many communist­led activities.She earned a Ph.D.based on her research on chemistry.

　　After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989，Merkel became involved in the growing democracy movement.She won a seat in German parliament in 1990 and was appointed Minister for Women and Youth.In 1994，she was made Minister for the Environment.This was her spring­board to rise to the top.

　　She was elected Chancellor in November 2005.In 2007，Merkel took on the six­month position of President of the European Council and the chair of the G8.She also received the Charlemagne Prize for her work to reform the European Union.

　　Merkel was elected Chancellor in 2005，and was re­elected in 2009 and was elected a third time in 2013.

　　1．parliament n．　　　　　　 议会

　　2．appoint vt. 委任；委派

3．spring­board n. 跳板