wait in the wings, gift, superpower, soft power, role model, all along

A Slate of G-20 Rivals Is Waiting in the Wings

The G-20 is emerging as the board of directors of the global economy. But the forum of industrialized and developing nations has plenty of potential rivals.

“I would be careful calling China a superpower. It is not one,” David Shambaugh, who directs the China Policy Program at George Washington University in Washington, wrote in an e-mail message. “It has no global military reach, its soft power is limited, and its diplomatic reach, while now global, is still limited in areas such as the Middle East and Latin America.”

• 1. 贈り物、プレゼント、与えること
• 2. 神からの贈り物、特別｛とくべつ｝の能力｛のうりょく｝、天賦｛てんぷ｝の才、天資｛てんし｝、天稟｛てんぴん｝
• 3. 《契約書》贈与書｛ぞうよ しょ｝◆贈与の意思表示を行う契約書のタイトル

All the men on that cover were Americans, but nobody considered that odd. After all, in 1999 the United States was the unquestioned leader of the global crisis response. That leadership role was only partly based on American wealth; it also, to an important degree, reflected America’s stature as a role model. The United States, everyone thought, was the country that knew how to do finance right.

The sumo champion, the sickie and the story that shook Japan

Indeed, these days America is looking like the Bernie Madoff of economies: for many years it was held in respect, even awe, but it turns out to have been a fraud all along.

all along

from the very beginning:

Do you think he's been cheating us all along?

The term Role model was introduced by Robert K. Merton ^[1]. Merton says that individuals compare themselves with "reference groups" of people who occupy the social role to which the individual aspires. ^[2]. The term has passed into general use to mean any person who is an example to others.

Reference

1. ^ Robert K. Merton article on Wikipedia
2. ^ article about Merton by Gerald Holton

gift was found in the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary at the entries listed below.

• gift (PRESENT)
• gift (ABILITY)
• token (PAPER WORTH MONEY)
• free gift
• gift box
• gift shop
• gift token/voucher
• gift-wrapped
• God's gift
• a gift from the gods
• the gift of the gab
• Never look a gift horse in the mouth.

said to advise someone not to refuse something good that is being offered

in the wingsAlso, waiting in the wings. Nearby in the background, available on short notice. For example, Some police were in the wings in case of trouble at the rally, or There are at least a dozen young managers waiting in the wings for Harold to retire. This expression alludes to the theater, where a player waits in the wings or backstage area, unseen by the audience, for his or her turn to come on stage. [Second half of 1800s]



the wings plural noun
the sides of a stage which cannot be seen by the people watching the play:
I was in the wings waiting for my cue to come on stage.


wait in the wings in the wings　（姿を見せずに）待ち構えて.
If someone or something is waiting in the wings, they are not yet active or important, but are ready or likely to be so soon:
The team has several talented young players waiting in the wings.

Buddhism in Germany Finding New Adherents
It's been around in the wings for several decades already, yet only recently has Buddhism begun to venture out towards mainstream German society. And it would seem that a growing number of people like what they see.

http://newsletter.dw-world.de/re?l=evwjd5I44va89pI6