Theresa May came to power following Britain’s vote to leave the European Union. Her failure to deliver Brexit forced her resignation. 

I believe it was right to persevere even when the odds against success seemed high, but it is now clear to me that it is, it is in the best interest of the country for a new prime minister to lead that effort. 

Her voice cracking, as her husband looked on, the prime minister struggled to hide her emotions. I will shortly leave the job that it has been the honor of my life to hold, the second female Prime Minister, but certainly not the last. I do so with no ill will but with enormous and enduring gratitude to have the opportunity to serve the country I love. 

May’s decision to call a snap general election in 2017 backfired and cost her, her parliamentary majority. Three times she failed to get enough MPs to back the Brexit deal she had negotiated with Brussels. In the end her Conservative Party had seen enough.

It will choose a new leader after June 7th, a process that could take two months or more. The difficulty for any new leader is that the majorities in the House of Commons have not changed. More than a dozen Conservative MPs are expected to put their names forward to replace May. Most are demanding a tougher line with Brussels.

The chances that the EU will substantively reopen the withdrawal agreement are pretty much zero. Given how unpopular that deal has proven to be in the UK, I think the chance of no deal are very high. Many leadership candidates say Britain must walk away with no deal if the EU doesn’t budge, among them: former foreign secretary and now leadership front runner Boris Johnson. He is also well known in terms of the kind of tricks he played, trying to manipulate the electorate and in the end voting for leave, so I certainly think he’s not seen as a positive figure in Brussels. With the October 31st deadline looming, the chances of Britain crashing out with no deal appear to have risen. Most analysts say that would have a big negative impact on Britain’s economy. May will still be an office for President Trump’s state visit to Britain at the beginning of June, likely to be her final act on the political stage. She’s a leader who promised to heal Britain’s divisions over Brexit, but who leaves office with the country even more deeply divided, and its future in or out of Europe still highly uncertain.

Adapted from http://www.kekenet.com/broadcast/201905/586823.shtml

1. resignation n. the act of giving up your job or position; the occasion when you do this 辞职。例如：

a letter of resignation辞职信

There were calls for her resignation from the board of directors. 有人要求她辞去董事会中的职务。

Further resignations are expected. 预计还会有人辞职。

2. persevere v. preserve (in sth./in doing sth.) | preserve (with sth./sb.) (approving) to continue trying to do or achieve sth. despite difficulties 坚持；孜孜以求。例如：

Despite a number of setbacks, they persevered in their attempts to fly around the world in a balloon. 虽屡遭挫折，他们仍不断尝试乘气球环游世界。

She persevered with her violin lessons. 她孜孜不倦地学习小提琴。

You have to persevere with difficult students. 对难教的学生你必须坚持诲人不倦的精神。

3. the odds n. (usually the odds) the degree to which sth. is likely to happen （事物发生的）可能性，概率，几率，机会。例如：

The odds are very much in our favour (= we are likely to succeed). 我方胜算的几率极大。

The odds are heavily against him (= he is not likely to succeed). 他成功的几率很小。

The odds are that (= it is likely that) she'll win. 她有可能会赢。

What are the odds (= how likely is it) he won't turn up? 他不会露面的可能性有多大？

4. crack v. if your voice cracks , it changes in depth, volume, etc. suddenly and in a way that you cannot control （突然）变嘶哑，变沙哑。例如：In a voice cracking with emotion, he told us of his son's death. 他悲恸失声地告诉我们他儿子去世的消息。

5. enduring adj. lasting for a long time 持久的；耐久的。例如：

enduring memories永存的记忆

What is the reason for the game's enduring appeal? 这种游戏为什么具有经久不衰的吸引力呢？

6. gratitude n. gratitude (to sb.) (for sth.) the feeling of being grateful and wanting to express your thanks 感激之情；感谢。例如：

He smiled at them with gratitude. 他向他们笑了笑表示谢意。

I would like to express my gratitude to everyone for their hard work. 我要对所有辛勤劳动的人表示感谢。

She was presented with the gift in gratitude for her long service. 这礼物赠送给她以表达对她长期服务的感激之情。

a deep sense of gratitude深深的谢意

I owe you a great debt of gratitude (= feel extremely grateful). 我对你感激不尽。

7. snap adj. made or done quickly and without careful thought or preparation 匆忙的；仓促的。例如：

It was a snap decision. 那是个仓促的决定。

They held a snap election. 他们临时举行了选举。

8. backfire v. backfire (on sb.) to have the opposite effect to the one intended, with bad or dangerous results 产生事与愿违的不良（或危险）后果。例如：Unfortunately the plan backfired.不幸的是，计划产生了适得其反的结果。

9. substantively adv. 真实地; 实质上

10. budge v. to change your opinion about sth.; to make sb. change their opinion （使）改变主意，改变观点。用法：

 例如：He won't budge an inch on the issue. 在这一点上他丝毫不肯让步。

 例如：He was not to be budged on the issue. 在这一点上他不会让步。

11. manipulate v. manipulate (sb. into sth./into doing sth.) (disapproving) to control or influence sb./sth., often in a dishonest way so that they do not realize it （暗中）控制，操纵，影响。例如：

She uses her charm to manipulate people. 她利用自身的魅力来摆布别人。

As a politician, he knows how to manipulate public opinion. 身为一位政客，他知道如何左右公众舆论。

They managed to manipulate us into agreeing to help. 他们设法促使我们答应了提供帮助。

12. loom v. to appear important or threatening and likely to happen soon 显得突出；逼近。例如：There was a crisis looming. 危机迫在眉睫。

1. Theresa May came to power following Britain’s vote to leave the European Union, and her failure to deliver Brexit forced her resignation. 

2. May’s decision to call a snap general election in 2018 backfired and cost her parliamentary majority. 

3. Four times Theresa May failed to get enough MPs to back the Brexit deal she had negotiated with Brussels. 

4. It will choose a new leader after June 7th, a process that could take two months or more. 

5. The difficulty for any new leader is that the majorities in the House of Commons have changed. 

6. There is little chance for the EU to substantively reopen the withdrawal agreement.

7. Boris Johnson is not seen as a positive figure in Brussels. 

8. With the October 31st deadline looming, the chances of Britain crashing out with no deal appear to have fallen. 

9. May will still be an office for President Trump’s state visit to Britain at the beginning of June.

10. Theresa May’s a leader who promised to heal Britain’s divisions over Brexit, but who leaves office with the country even more deeply divided.

√1. Theresa May came to power following Britain’s vote to leave the European Union, and her failure to deliver Brexit forced her resignation. 

×2. May’s decision to call a snap general election in 2018 backfired and cost her parliamentary majority. 正确表达：May’s decision to call a snap general election in 2017 backfired and cost her parliamentary majority. 

×3. Four times Theresa May failed to get enough MPs to back the Brexit deal she had negotiated with Brussels. 正确表达：Three times Theresa May failed to get enough MPs to back the Brexit deal she had negotiated with Brussels. 

√4. It will choose a new leader after June 7th, a process that could take two months or more. 

×5. The difficulty for any new leader is that the majorities in the House of Commons have changed. 正确表达：The difficulty for any new leader is that the majorities in the House of Commons have not changed. 

√6. There is little chance for the EU to substantively reopen the withdrawal agreement.

√7. Boris Johnson is not seen as a positive figure in Brussels. 

×8. With the October 31st deadline looming, the chances of Britain crashing out with no deal appear to have fallen. 正确表达：With the October 31st deadline looming, the chances of Britain crashing out with no deal appear to have risen. 

√9. May will still be an office for President Trump’s state visit to Britain at the beginning of June.

√10. Theresa May’s a leader who promised to heal Britain’s divisions over Brexit, but who leaves office with the country even more deeply divided.