2007年VOA标准英语-Congo Vote Slow as Fraud Fears Persist

By Franz Wild
Brazzaville
24 June 2007

Parliamentary elections in the Republic of Congo are proceeding¹ in most of the country. As Franz Wild reports for VOA from Brazzaville, many Congolese say they have no voting cards and cannot find their voting office.

A long line forms at a polling station in Makelekele, a suburb of Brazzaville, 24 June 2007

Most voting centers across Congo opened with a delay, as officials were waiting for materials to arrive. In some areas of the capital, Brazzaville, it took untill long after noon.

President Denis Sassou-Nguesso, who looks to be consolidating² his domination over the national assembly, arrived with his wife and daughter to vote at midday in Ouenze, a Brazzaville district.

He told reporters the ballot³ was free and fair.

He said, he thinks the fact that there are more than a1,000 candidates for 137 seats in the assembly is a good sign.

With all regular traffic barred, kids played soccer on the streets, as small groups of people made their way to voting centers.

Many were disappointed, as they realized their names were not on the list or had to trek⁴ across the city to get to their station, without any transport allowed.

Johnson Igo is one of these.

He says, the Congolese who want to vote today cannot find their polling stations, and if they do, he says, they cannot find their name on the list.

Others joined the boycott⁵ called by about 40 opposition⁶ parties, but the main opposition parties have decided⁷ to compete.

Anyone who does not receive an absolute majority in the first round, faces a July 22 run-off.

Mr. Sassou-Nguesso, who is in power the second time after a 1997 coup⁸, is up for election in 2009.

1 proceeding   

n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报

参考例句：

• This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。
• The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。

2 consolidating   

v.（使）巩固， （使）加强( consolidate的现在分词 )；（使）合并

参考例句：

• These measures are meant for consolidating the system of basic medical care. 这些举措旨在夯实基层医疗体系，让老百姓看大病不必出远门。 来自互联网
• We are consolidating the Chinese and English versions of our homepage. 我们将为您提供中英文版本一起的主页。 来自互联网

3 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。

4 trek   

vi.作长途艰辛的旅行；n.长途艰苦的旅行

参考例句：

• We often go pony-trek in the summer.夏季我们经常骑马旅行。
• It took us the whole day to trek across the rocky terrain.我们花了一整天的时间艰难地穿过那片遍布岩石的地带。

5 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

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 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。

8 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。