VOA常速英语2007-Argentines to Vote Sunday in National Elections

By Michael Bowman
Buenos Aires
25 October 2007

Argentines go to the polls Sunday to elect a new president, along with legislators and provincial¹ governors. In a country that produced the iconic figure of Eva Peron [wife of two-time President Juan Peron] more than 50 years ago, all eyes are on another woman: the current first lady. Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner is running to succeed her husband, President Nestor Kirchner, and pre-election polls show her with a commanding lead in the race. From Buenos Aires, VOA's Michael Bowman reports.

Argentina could be on the verge² of making history. A victory by Cristina Fernandez, who is both first lady and a senator, would give the country its first elected female leader. Polls show her with about a 30-point lead over her nearest rival, fueled by Argentina's strong economic performance during her husband's term - a fact she has stressed during the campaign.

"The truth is that with this year's growth, Argentina has seen the best economic growth in the last hundred years," she says. "Argentina has recorded five consecutive³ years of growth for the first time in a century."

The presidential slate⁴ features a dozen other candidates, ranging across the political spectrum⁵. Among them is Roberto Lavagna, who gained international prominence⁶ as economy minister under President Kirchner and his predecessor⁷.

Lavagna, who stepped down in 2005, says he was the architect of Argentina's recovery from an economic meltdown in 2001. He accuses Mr. Kirchner of squandering⁸ these gains and says Cristina Fernandez would do no better.

"I believe the president has lost a great opportunity," he says. "The economic recovery the country experienced between 2002 and 2005, which no one thought possible, neither at home nor abroad, is being wasted."

On the streets of Buenos Aires, opinions on the presidential race are decidedly mixed. Polls show nearly half the electorate⁹ backing the first lady, who hails from Argentina's Peronist Party, but is running as a center-left coalition¹⁰ candidate.

Buenos Aires lawyer Adriana Gomez says she will vote for Fernandez.

"Cristina seems to be consistent as a politician," she said. "She strikes me as intelligent. I would like for her to become president."

Businessman Eduardo Roig agrees.

"The fact that she is a woman does not guarantee anything, but is nothing negative, either," he said. "I have hope that she would do a good job [as president]."

Argentina's opposition¹¹ is severely¹² fragmented, with no candidate polling above 15 percent. Many who plan to vote for the opposition seem to have only one thing in common: a dislike for Cristina Fernandez.

"The fact that she is a woman does not bother me," said University student Julieta Solis. "But I am not going to vote for her because she seems very arrogant¹³ and I do not like her or the [current] president."

Despite billboards¹⁴ and campaign posters, the election campaign has been very low-key. Argentine political consultant¹⁵ Sergio Berensztein notes there have been no public debates among the presidential contenders, and most campaign appearances by the candidates go virtually unnoticed by the broader public.

"This campaign and these candidates have not generated any enthusiasm," he says. "Only one in four Argentines is paying attention to the campaign. Important issues are not being debated, in part because the Kirchners [Nestor and Cristina Fernandez] have refused to do so."

The president and first lady refuse to talk to reporters, to field questions and give answers.

To avoid a runoff election, Cristina Fernandez would have to win 45 percent of the vote - or receive 40 percent with a 10-point lead over the second-place finisher. Most political analysts¹⁶ believe the first lady can win outright¹⁷, but note that pre-election polls are often unreliable in Argentina.

1 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

2 verge   

n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。

3 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。

4 slate   

n.板岩，石板，石片，石板色，候选人名单；adj.暗蓝灰色的，含板岩的；vt.用石板覆盖，痛打，提名，预订

参考例句：

• The nominating committee laid its slate before the board.提名委员会把候选人名单提交全体委员会讨论。
• What kind of job uses stained wood and slate? 什么工作会接触木头污浊和石板呢？

5 spectrum   

n.谱，光谱，频谱；范围，幅度，系列

参考例句：

• This is a kind of atomic spectrum.这是一种原子光谱。
• We have known much of the constitution of the solar spectrum.关于太阳光谱的构成，我们已了解不少。

6 prominence   

n.突出；显著；杰出；重要

参考例句：

• He came to prominence during the World Cup in Italy.他在意大利的世界杯赛中声名鹊起。
• This young fashion designer is rising to prominence.这位年轻的时装设计师的声望越来越高。

7 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

8 squandering   

v.（指钱，财产等）浪费，乱花( squander的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• You're faced with ending it all, of squandering what was given. 把到手的东西就这样随随便便弄掉。 来自辞典例句
• I see all this potential And I see squandering. 你们的潜力都被浪费了。 来自互联网

9 electorate   

n.全体选民；选区

参考例句：

• The government was responsible to the electorate.政府对全体选民负责。
• He has the backing of almost a quarter of the electorate.他得到了几乎1/4选民的支持。

10 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

11 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

12 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

13 arrogant   

adj.傲慢的，自大的

参考例句：

• You've got to get rid of your arrogant ways.你这骄傲劲儿得好好改改。
• People are waking up that he is arrogant.人们开始认识到他很傲慢。

14 billboards   

n.广告牌( billboard的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Large billboards have disfigured the scenery. 大型告示板已破坏了景色。 来自辞典例句
• Then, put the logo in magazines and on billboards without telling anyone what it means. 接着我们把这个商标刊在杂志和广告看板上，却不跟任何人透漏它的涵意。 来自常春藤生活英语杂志-2006年4月号

15 consultant   

n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生

参考例句：

• He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
• Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。

16 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。

17 outright   

adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的

参考例句：

• If you have a complaint you should tell me outright.如果你有不满意的事，你应该直率地对我说。
• You should persuade her to marry you outright.你应该彻底劝服她嫁给你。