2007年VOA标准英语-Preliminary Results Indicate Victory for Cambod

By Rory Byrne
Phnom Penh
03 April 2007

Preliminary results indicate that the ruling Cambodian People's Party has won a landslide¹ victory in recent local elections. The margin² of victory was similar to the result of the last election and was widely forecast by political analysts³ who say that the results will allow the CPP to tighten⁴ its grip on power. VOA's Rory Byrne reports from Phnom Penh.

ballot5 before casting it for the Commune Councils Election, in Kandal Province, Cambodia, 01 Apr 2007 " hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070530/0846370.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

Prime Minister Hun Sen holds his ballot before casting it for the Commune Councils Election, in Kandal Province, 1 Apr 2007

While the official results from the elections will not be announced for weeks, observers predict the Cambodian People's Party won control of about 98 percent of the country's local councils or communes.

Twelve political parties fielded more than 100,000 candidates in the elections, only the second local poll to be held in Cambodia after decades of conflict.

The margin of the ruling party's victory came as no surprise to many. Kek Galabru led a team of independent election observers.

"I was not surprised at all. We expected this kind of victory because the ruling party controls everything in Cambodia and they use sticks and carrots. Carrot is a gift - a promise to build the school, the road, dig the well et cetera. And stick is intimidation⁶, threat," she said.

Although there were some reported cases of voter intimidation before the voting Sunday, observers say there was less violence and fewer irregularities than in previous elections.

Voter turnout was about 70 percent, significantly lower than in previous elections. According to the National Election Committee, which organized the polls, voter apathy⁷ was the main reason for the low turnout. But some election monitors say that many people were prevented from voting because they could not find their names on the lists of registered voters at the polling stations.

Kek Galabru says the local elections are important because the winners are tasked with organizing the general election.

"We think that this election is very important because it will link to the nominations⁸, selection, election of the village chief," she added. "The village chief is very important, they are the one who will prepare the general election, 2008."

Prime Minister Hun Sen, who heads the CPP, has dominated Cambodian politics since the Khmer Rouge⁹ group of ultra-Maoists was ousted¹⁰ from power in 1979. His party controls the parliament, which has used measures such as anti-defamation laws, to silence critics. Several opposition¹¹ activists¹² have fled the country in recent years, fearing arrest.

1 landslide   

n.(竞选中)压倒多数的选票；一面倒的胜利

参考例句：

• Our candidate is predicated to win by a landslide.我们的候选人被预言将以绝对优势取胜。
• An electoral landslide put the Labour Party into power in 1945.1945年工党以压倒多数的胜利当选执政。

2 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

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 tighten   

v.(使)变紧；(使)绷紧

参考例句：

• Turn the screw to the right to tighten it.向右转动螺钉把它拧紧。
• Some countries tighten monetary policy to avoid inflation.一些国家实行紧缩银根的货币政策，以避免通货膨胀。

5 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。

6 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

7 apathy   

n.漠不关心，无动于衷；冷淡

参考例句：

• He was sunk in apathy after his failure.他失败后心恢意冷。
• She heard the story with apathy.她听了这个故事无动于衷。

8 nominations   

n.提名，任命( nomination的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Nominations are invited for the post of party chairman. 为党主席职位征集候选人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Much coverage surrounded his abortive bids for the 1960,1964, and 1968 Republican Presidential nominations. 许多消息报道都围绕着1960年、1964年和1968年他为争取提名为共和党总统候选人所做努力的失败。 来自辞典例句

9 rouge   

n.胭脂，口红唇膏；v.(在…上)擦口红

参考例句：

• Women put rouge on their cheeks to make their faces pretty.女人往面颊上涂胭脂，使脸更漂亮。
• She didn't need any powder or lip rouge to make her pretty.她天生漂亮，不需要任何脂粉唇膏打扮自己。

10 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

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 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》