国会是美国政府的立法部门。

8.background n.背景情况,出身背景；学历；经历

例句：The riots took place against a background of widespread unemployment.

暴乱是在普遍失业的情况下发生的。

9.trigger vt.引发, 引起(连锁反应)

例句：The incident triggered an armed clash.

这起事件触发了一场武装冲突。

1.Meanwhile, the incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo is clinging on in defiance of growing international calls for him to hand over power.

cling on坚持

例句：Throughout this 15-year ordeal, Japan has struggled with the difficult issue of what to jettison and what to cling on to.

在这15年的痛苦经历中，经济问题中应该扬弃一些什么，成为困扰日本的难题。

in defiance of不管…; 无视…

例句：She acted in defiance of my orders.

她无视我的命令行动了。

He climbed the ladder in defiance of the warning.

他蔑视警告爬上了那架梯子。

2.The second rise in interest rates in China in just over two months is coming into effect as the government steps up its fight against inflation.

come into effect(文件、合同）生效

例句：The contract will come into effect upon signature.

此合同将在签字后生效。