Putin Announces Run For President in 2012

 　　Russia's President and Prime Minister have unveiled a plan to switch jobs next year.

　　Ending months of intense speculation¹, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin agreed Saturday that he would run for a third term as President next March.  Putin previously² served as Russian president from 2000 to 2008.  Given Kremlin control of the media and political parties, the 58-year-old leader is all but guaranteed to win again this time.

　　Russia's Constitution has changed and now allows two six-year presidential terms, so a victory could open the doors to a Putin quarter century.  If he wins two presidential terms he would be in office until 2024.  In recent history, only Joseph Stalin ruled Russia for a similar span.

　　Speaking at a United Russia party convention in Moscow, Prime Minister Putin nominated President Dmitry Medvedev to head the ruling party's list in parliamentary elections December 4.  Putin then said he expected that his protégé would serve as Russia Prime Minister.

　　Analysts³ long speculated that Medvedev was merely a "seat warmer" while Putin served as Prime Minister due to constitutional restrictions⁴. Today, both men publicly said that, four years ago, at the beginning of Medvedev's presidency⁵, they had made a job swap⁶ deal.

　　Medevedev said it was a well thought out decision that he and Putin discussed at the very start of their political collaboration⁷ in running Russia.

　　Saturday's convention of United Russia echoed accusations⁸ that the party is the spiritual successor to the Communist Party of the Soviet⁹ Union.  In a carefully choreographed¹⁰ event at Russia's largest sports stadium, orderly rows of black suited delegates gave virtually unanimous approval in the vote on the candidate list headed by President Medvedev.

　　Popular politician

　　Putin, a judo¹¹ expert, maintains his popularity with an ever changing variety of televised action events. Most recently, he donned a wet suit and dove for archeological treasures in the Black Sea, and then he donned black leather and rode with a motorcycle club, Wolves of the Night.

　　Saturday when his microphone failed, the Prime Minister, a former KGB colonel bellowed¹²: "I have not lost my commander's voice."

　　But Russia's action leader is more popular than his party. Four years ago, in the last parliamentary elections, United Russia polled 64 percent of votes.  Today, Putin's approval ratings stand around that level, but the party's approval ratings have dwindled¹³ to about 40 percent.

　　On Friday, Putin lectured party members to "listen to the heartbeat" of voters.

1 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

2 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

3 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

4 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

5 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

6 swap   

n.交换；vt.交换，用...作交易

参考例句：

• I will swap you my bicycle for your radio.我想拿我的自行车换你的收音机。
• This comic was a swap that I got from Nick.这本漫画书是我从尼克那里换来的。

7 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

8 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

9 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

10 choreographed   

v.设计舞蹈动作( choreograph的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• There was some carefully choreographed flag-waving as the President drove by. 总统的车经过时，人们按精心编排的动作挥舞着旗帜。
• Achim had choreographed the dance in Act II himself. 阿希姆自己设计了第2幕的舞蹈动作。 来自辞典例句

11 judo   

n.柔道

参考例句：

• The judo is a kind of fighting sport.柔道是一种对抗性体育活动。
• Which is more important in judo, strength or techniques?柔道运动中，力量和技术哪个更重要？

12 bellowed   

v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的过去式和过去分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫

参考例句：

• They bellowed at her to stop. 他们吼叫着让她停下。
• He bellowed with pain when the tooth was pulled out. 当牙齿被拔掉时，他痛得大叫。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

13 dwindled   

v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Support for the party has dwindled away to nothing. 支持这个党派的人渐渐化为乌有。
• His wealth dwindled to nothingness. 他的钱财化为乌有。 来自《简明英汉词典》