2007年VOA标准英语-Vietnamese Voters Choose From a Narrow Range of

By Matt Steinglass
Hanoi
21 May 2007

Vote counting is underway after millions of Vietnamese went to the polls Sunday to elect a new National Assembly. Although voters had a slightly wider choice than in previous elections, all candidates were vetted¹ by the ruling Communist Party. Matt Steinglass reports from Hanoi.

Residents leave a voting station in Hanoi, 20 May 2007

Vietnamese officials said on Monday that turnout was an astonishing 99 percent.

Ngo Gia An is the elections inspector² in the Hanoi neighborhood of Nghi Tam. An says every single one of Nghi Tam's 1,662 voters exercised their right to vote.

That does not necessarily mean they were excited about the choices. Proof of having voted is sometimes required in Vietnam for certain certificates, and local party officials compete to produce high voter turnouts.

More candidates were competing this year, with 875 candidates competing for 500 seats. In Nghi Tam, voters had to choose three out of five candidates, including a woman, Nguyen Thi Nguyet Huong, who is not a Communist Party member.

The 62-year-old tea seller Pham Van Hung said he voted for her. Hung says he looked at candidates' resumes posted at polling stations. Little information is available about the candidates' policy positions.

Despite the limits, elections of the National Assembly help move Vietnam towards a system of government less dominated by the Communist Party, says Carl Thayer, a Vietnam expert at the Australian National Defense³ University.

"The Party has tried to create a situation where they give strategic direction to the country, and end their constant interference with day-to-day management and administration," he said. "How do you implement⁴ it? And that's what the National Assembly has done."

In recent years, the National Assembly has dramatically increased the amount of legislation it passes. Delegates have shown independence by altering proposed laws, and sharply questioning ministers accused of corruption⁵.

But overall control still rests with the Communist Party. Only 30 out of 238 independents were allowed onto the ballot⁶ after screening, and non-communist political parties are banned.

As Thayer explains, the Party and the mass organizations shape the makeup⁷ of the Assembly by deciding which candidates to put forward.

"You know, the Party leaders determine what they call the structure and composition, and it's so many ethnic⁸ minorities, and women, and military, etc," he said. "And they come close to getting it."

Whatever the results of the vote counting, the government will point to the elections as evidence of overwhelming popular support.

1 vetted   

v.审查（某人过去的记录、资格等）( vet的过去式和过去分词 )；调查；检查；诊疗

参考例句：

• The recruits were thoroughly vetted before they were allowed into the secret service. 情报机关招募的新成员要经过严格的审查。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All staff are vetted for links with extremist groups before being employed. 所有职员录用前均须审查是否与极端分子团体有关。 来自辞典例句

2 inspector   

n.检查员，监察员，视察员

参考例句：

• The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
• The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。

3 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

4 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

5 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

6 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。

7 makeup   

n.组织；性格；化装品

参考例句：

• Those who failed the exam take a makeup exam.这次考试不及格的人必须参加补考。
• Do you think her beauty could makeup for her stupidity?你认为她的美丽能弥补她的愚蠢吗？

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。