VOA常速英语2007-Argentines Await National Election Results

By Michael Bowman
Buenos Aires
28 October 2007

Polls have closed in Argentina, where citizens voted for a new president, plus legislators and provincial¹ governors. VOA's Michael Bowman reports from Buenos Aires.

More than 20 million Argentines are believed to have cast ballots³ in a country where voting is compulsory⁴ for those aged⁵ 18 to 70.

The frontrunner in the presidential race, Argentina's first lady and a senator, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, cast her ballot² in her hometown in the south of the country. She reminded people that it was only a few decades ago that military dictators ruled Argentina, and said that democracy must be cherished.

"When I was 18 years old, I could not vote," she said. "This is an important process that we must treasure, where citizens can decide the country's future. I come from a generation that grew up in a time where no one could decide anything, and so I especially value the chance to vote."

One opposition⁶ presidential candidate, provincial Governor Alberto Rodriguez Saa, warned of a high probability of fraud in the election, suggesting that the government of President Nestor Kirchner might attempt to rig the vote to favor the first lady, whom Mr. Kirchner chose as his successor.

But former socialist⁷ lawmaker Elisa Carrio, who polled second in pre-election surveys, warned against jumping to conclusions.

"We are going to wait and see," she said. "Once the polls close, we will know the truth and we will be able to deal with the situation in a calm and rational fashion."

Many polling stations opened late. Buenos Aires resident Matilda Gonzales stood patiently in a line that snaked around a block near the city's center.

"I am voting with great enthusiasm. That is why I am here. I am excited to vote. It is my right to do so," she said.

The campaign season featured no public debates among the presidential contenders, and opinion polls showed few of the country's 27 million eligible⁸ voters fully⁹ satisfied with the slate¹⁰ of candidates.

Truck driver Marco Santarelli said he only recently made up his mind as to which candidate would get his vote.

"I decided¹¹ yesterday, and I am still not fully convinced," he said. "I think some people do not know who to vote for, and will make up their minds in the voting booth. During the campaign, none of the candidates had anything to say, made any proposals or put forth¹² a platform of what they intend to do. So we are voting blind. I am voting because I have to. If it were voluntary, I would not be here."

To win outright¹³, Cristina Fernandez would need to capture 45 percent of the vote, or 40 percent with a 10 point lead over the second-place finisher.

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 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

3 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 compulsory   

n.强制的，必修的；规定的，义务的

参考例句：

• Is English a compulsory subject?英语是必修课吗？
• Compulsory schooling ends at sixteen.义务教育至16岁为止。

5 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

6 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。

7 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

8 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

9 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

10 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？

11 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

12 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

13 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。