2006年VOA标准英语-Nigeria Census Struggles With Obstacles

By Gilbert da Costa
Abuja
23 March 2006
 
Administrative¹ lapses², violence and deep-seated suspicions continue to plague Nigeria's census³ efforts. The organizers are under a lot of pressure to deliver, with only three days left to complete the census.

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National Population Commission official takes stock of census materials in Lagos, Nigeria 
  

The authorities have asked Nigerians to stay at home on Friday and Saturday to facilitate the head count, which has been bogged⁴ down by administrative lapses.
 
In most communities across Nigeria, census officials are only now beginning the count, two days later than they were supposed to begin.
 
The slow pace of the process has prompted calls for the census to be extended by a few more days. But senior census officials are optimistic they will complete the exercise within the five-day period.

"We have started on a good footing, if I can say so myself," said Dotun Oduneye, the census commissioner⁵ for Abuja.  "The first day is usually the roughest, and things are stabilizing⁶ now. People are in the field, working round the clock, and people are monitoring. I believe we will complete the exercise in the allotted⁷ time. And, tomorrow and Saturday are restricted days."

Observers say the credibility of the census is also being threatened by heightened political tension ahead of elections next year.

Nigeria has about 250 ethnic⁸ groups, each demanding a voice in the politics of the country.

National Population Commission official takes count in Lagos, March 21, 2006  
  
For the second day running, police and separatists clashed Wednesday in the southeast. Field workers have been attacked. Hundreds of disgruntled census workers have disappeared with their materials.
 
Ibrahim Musa, of a civil society group based in Abuja, says the credibility of the exercise is already in very serious doubt.

"Previous exercises will even be more credible⁹, more acceptable to Nigerians, because Nigerians believe that there is a hidden agenda for the exercise at this particular period in time," he said.  "The government, if it is serious, should have done the exercise long before now, so that Nigerians will not associate it with the third term that the government is pushing. People have not been properly trained, and people who had been trained have been substituted with people who were not trained. Everything is not done in a manner that will bring credible result."

Nigeria, regarded as Africa's most populous¹⁰ nation, relies on estimated figures as a result of difficulties with previous attempts to determine its actual population.
 
Four previous censuses¹¹ were marred¹² by controversy¹³.

1 administrative   

adj.行政的，管理的

参考例句：

• The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
• He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。

2 lapses   

n.失误，过失( lapse的名词复数 )；小毛病；行为失检；偏离正道v.退步( lapse的第三人称单数 )；陷入；倒退；丧失

参考例句：

• He sometimes lapses from good behavior. 他有时行为失检。 来自辞典例句
• He could forgive attacks of nerves, panic, bad unexplainable actions, all sorts of lapses. 他可以宽恕突然发作的歇斯底里，惊慌失措，恶劣的莫名其妙的动作，各种各样的失误。 来自辞典例句

3 census   

n.(官方的)人口调查，人口普查

参考例句：

• A census of population is taken every ten years.人口普查每10年进行一次。
• The census is taken one time every four years in our country.我国每四年一次人口普查。

4 bogged   

adj.陷于泥沼的v.（使）陷入泥沼， （使）陷入困境( bog的过去式和过去分词 )；妨碍，阻碍

参考例句：

• The professor bogged down in the middle of his speech. 教授的演讲只说了一半便讲不下去了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The tractor is bogged down in the mud. 拖拉机陷入了泥沼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

6 stabilizing   

n.稳定化处理[退火]v.（使）稳定， （使）稳固( stabilize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The disulfide bridges might then be viewed primarily as stabilizing components. 二硫桥可以被看作是初级的稳定因素。 来自辞典例句
• These stabilizing design changes are usually not desirable for steady-state operation. 这些增加稳定性的设计改变通常不太符合稳态工作的要求。 来自辞典例句

7 allotted   

分配，拨给，摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• I completed the test within the time allotted . 我在限定的时间内完成了试验。
• Each passenger slept on the berth allotted to him. 每个旅客都睡在分配给他的铺位上。

8 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

9 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

10 populous   

adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的

参考例句：

• London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
• China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。

11 censuses   

人口普查，统计( census的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Data derived from population censuses is useful for social researchers. 从人口普查中得到的数据对社会研究者们很有用处。
• UNFPA also helps countries compile reliable demographic data and carry out censuses. 人口基金还帮助各国汇编可靠的人口数据及开展人口普查。

12 marred   

adj. 被损毁, 污损的

参考例句：

• The game was marred by the behaviour of drunken fans. 喝醉了的球迷行为不轨，把比赛给搅了。
• Bad diction marred the effectiveness of his speech. 措词不当影响了他演说的效果。

13 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。