2007年VOA标准英语-State Governor Candidates Try to Woo Voters in

By Sarah Simpson
Lagos
13 April 2007

Nigeria, Africa's most populous¹ nation, is preparing to go to the polls for the first in a series of crucial elections. First up are elections on Saturday for state governors.  In the commercial capital of Lagos candidates are wooing voters with catchy² tunes³ and grandiose⁴ promises in a city where most people live in slums.  Sarah Simpson reports for VOA from Lagos.

Jimi Agbaje of the Democratic People's Alliance is just one of 22 candidates running for governor of Lagos State. He says he is the man who can provide the state's nine million residents with good roads, electricity and security; food, water and shelter.

Lagos State is home to Lagos city, Nigeria's sprawling⁵ commercial capital.  The city is so large that it extends beyond the state limits and has an estimated population of 15 million.

Two out of three residents in this mega-city, known for high crime and choking traffic jams, live in slums, according to local government authorities.

Not surprisingly, every party is promising⁶ to provide basic needs.

Lagos is the sixth largest city in the world, and government officials acknowledge it lacks the infrastructure⁷ to support this massive population.  Electricity is at best sporadic⁸.  Fewer than one percent of residents have a flushing toilet. Human and industrial waste chokes the lagoons⁹ on which the city sits.

Lagos used to be Nigeria's capital and remains¹⁰ the country's commerce and business hub. Despite the problems, thousands of Nigerians flock to the city every year in search of work and prosperity

Campaign posters cover streets and walls across Lagos ahead of Saturday's governor election

With a population growth rate of around six percent a year, Lagos will be the third largest city in the world by 2015, according to government officials.

Whoever wins Saturday's poll faces a formidable task, but many residents doubt whether any of them will be able to live up to their promises.

During the rare hours when there is power, music plays from Chukwuma Udeogaranya's tiny electrical shop in a bustling¹¹ Lagos shopping district.

Like the other young men hanging out in his shop, Udeogaranya has heard politicians' jingles¹² on the radio, but he is not impressed by any of them.

UDEOGARANYA: "In radio we heard about them, on the streets we see their posters, we have seen many things about them, but they are all politicians, you know. They keep on promising and promising and promising. Just empty promising empty promises, they are all Nigeria politicians."

SIMPSON: "Have you heard these things before? These promises?"

UDEOGARANYA: "Ah! Oh! Since 1960 they have been promising, 'I will do this for you, I will do this for you' and at the end of the day they will not even do anything. They are not there for the masses. They are not there to enrich themselves. You can see!"

Nigeria is a former British colony that gained independence in 1960. It operates a federal system of government much like the United States.

State governors have considerable powers and control spending on health and education.

Each of Nigeria's states receives millions of dollars of revenue from the federal government each year, their share of the nation's vast oil earnings¹³.

But the average Nigerian derives¹⁴ little benefit from his country's wealth.  According to the United Nations, most struggle to survive on less than $2 a day.

Still, Lagos' aspiring¹⁵ governors say they know how voters suffer.

Up for grabs on Saturday are 36 state governor posts and hundreds of state legislator's seats.

Voting stations open at 8 a.m.  Results are expected within days.

Crucial presidential elections are to follow on April 21.  They should mark Nigeria's first ever transfer of power from one civilian¹⁶ head of state to another.

1 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。

2 catchy   

adj.易记住的，诡诈的，易使人上当的

参考例句：

• We need a new slogan.The old one's not catchy enough.我们需要新的口号，旧的不够吸引人。
• The chorus is very catchy to say the least.副歌部分很容易上口。

3 tunes   

n.曲调，曲子( tune的名词复数 )v.调音( tune的第三人称单数 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调

参考例句：

• a potpourri of tunes 乐曲集锦
• When things get a bit too much, she simply tunes out temporarily. 碰到事情太棘手时，她干脆暂时撒手不管。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 grandiose   

adj.宏伟的，宏大的，堂皇的，铺张的

参考例句：

• His grandiose manner impressed those who met him for the first time.他那种夸大的举止给第一次遇见他的人留下了深刻的印象。
• As the fog vanished,a grandiose landscape unfolded before the tourists.雾气散去之后，一幅壮丽的景观展现在游客面前。

5 sprawling   

adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着）

参考例句：

• He was sprawling in an armchair in front of the TV. 他伸开手脚坐在电视机前的一张扶手椅上。
• a modern sprawling town 一座杂乱无序拓展的现代城镇

6 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

7 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

8 sporadic   

adj.偶尔发生的 [反]regular；分散的

参考例句：

• The sound of sporadic shooting could still be heard.仍能听见零星的枪声。
• You know this better than I.I received only sporadic news about it.你们比我更清楚，而我听到的只是零星消息。

9 lagoons   

n.污水池( lagoon的名词复数 )；潟湖；（大湖或江河附近的）小而浅的淡水湖；温泉形成的池塘

参考例句：

• The Islands are by shallow crystal clear lagoons enclosed by coral reefs. 该群岛包围由珊瑚礁封闭的浅水清澈泻湖。 来自互联网
• It is deposited in low-energy environments in lakes, estuaries and lagoons. 它沉淀于湖泊、河口和礁湖的低能量环境中，也可于沉淀于深海环境。 来自互联网

10 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

11 bustling   

adj.喧闹的

参考例句：

• The market was bustling with life. 市场上生机勃勃。
• This district is getting more and more prosperous and bustling. 这一带越来越繁华了。

12 jingles   

叮当声( jingle的名词复数 )； 节拍十分规则的简单诗歌

参考例句：

• Can I give Del and Mr. Jingles some? 我可以分一点给戴尔和金格先生吗？
• This story jingles bells for many of my clients. 这个故事对我许多客户来说都耳熟能详。

13 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

14 derives   

v.得到( derive的第三人称单数 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取

参考例句：

• English derives in the main from the common Germanic stock. 英语主要源于日耳曼语系。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He derives his income from freelance work. 他以自由职业获取收入。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 aspiring   

adj.有志气的；有抱负的；高耸的v.渴望；追求

参考例句：

• Aspiring musicians need hours of practice every day. 想当音乐家就要每天练许多小时。
• He came from an aspiring working-class background. 他出身于有抱负的工人阶级家庭。 来自辞典例句

16 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。