2007年VOA标准英语-Sierra Leoneans Vote for President, Parliament

By Naomi Schwarz
Freetown
11 August 2007

In Sierra Leone, turnout is high for presidential and parliamentary elections. These are the first elections since peacekeepers left Sierra Leone after more than ten years of civil war. Some are saying the vote is a test for democracy in the West African country. Naomi Schwarz has more for VOA from the capital, Freetown.

Ernest Koroma, the candidate for president from Sierra Leone's principal opposition¹ party, the All People's Congress (APC), says the country is ready for a new government.

APC candidate Earnest Koroma

"I am confident. I believe that if the process is not manipulated, if the results are not manufactured, there is no way we will have a runoff," he said.

Seven candidates are running for president.  If none gains at least 55 percent of the vote, a runoff election will be scheduled. 

Observers say the real contest is between Koroma and Vice² President Solomon Berewa, from the ruling Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) and that the vote may be close, requiring a runoff.

A woman casts her vote at a polling station in Freetown, 11 Aug 2007

A third presidential candidate, Charles Margai, from a new party, the People's Movement for Democratic Change, is also expected to get a significant percentage of votes.

Voters are also choosing representatives for parliament.

"My name is Richard Gbondo J and I want to vote," said on voter.

Enthusiasm is high among voters.  Many began lining³ up hours before the polls were scheduled to open.

Gbondo, 37, a soldier dressed in civilian⁴ clothes, says he arrived at four in the morning.

He says he does not want violence.

Ballots5 arrived late in some polling stations in Sierra Leone, 11 Aug 2007" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070817/1117572.jpg" width="209" vspace="2" border="0" />

Ballots arrived late in some polling stations in Sierra Leone, 11 Aug 2007

"No violence. Peaceful, patriotic⁶, unique, in a gentle manner.  Unique, gentle, intelligent manner. We vote. No quarrel, no brutality⁷, no fight, no bad words. We go clean and clear into our polling booths," he added.

He says after voting, he will return to his garrison⁸.

But long lines and confusion at some of the largest polling centers in Freetown have led to frustration⁹.

At Wilberforce village, more than 3,000 voters were scheduled to vote at a primary and secondary school.

Voters were confused about which number on their ID cards would tell them which line to join.

Sierra Leone's elections are during the height of rainy season

Heavy rains in Freetown during the two days ahead of voting delayed the arrival of ballots both here and in other polling centers.

The ruling party's candidate, Vice President Berewa, was scheduled to vote at this center early in the morning. But chaotic¹⁰ conditions when he arrived led him to postpone¹¹ his vote until the afternoon.

Election observers say the problems were mostly concentrated in the largest polling centers and not typical across the country. Marian Gabriel is an observer and political analyst¹² with the European Union mission.

"We know that the megacenters are mainly in Freetown and outside of the Freetown area you have normally up to four polling stations per center so there are not so many problems," he explained.

Reports from outside Freetown say voting is peaceful, including in Bo, Sierra Leone's second largest city, the site of violence early in the campaign.

Observers have said fraud has not been a problem. But tensions are high, and voters are anxious that the vote be transparent¹³, free, and fair. Sierra Leone, one of the world's poorest countries, is also ranked among the world's most corrupt¹⁴.

1 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。

2 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

3 lining   

n.衬里，衬料

参考例句：

• The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
• Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。

4 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。

5 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》

6 patriotic   

adj.爱国的，有爱国心的

参考例句：

• His speech was full of patriotic sentiments.他的演说充满了爱国之情。
• The old man is a patriotic overseas Chinese.这位老人是一位爱国华侨。

7 brutality   

n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮

参考例句：

• The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
• a general who was infamous for his brutality 因残忍而恶名昭彰的将军

8 garrison   

n.卫戍部队；驻地，卫戍区；vt.派(兵)驻防

参考例句：

• The troops came to the relief of the besieged garrison.军队来援救被围的守备军。
• The German was moving to stiffen up the garrison in Sicily.德军正在加强西西里守军之力量。

9 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

10 chaotic   

adj.混沌的，一片混乱的，一团糟的

参考例句：

• Things have been getting chaotic in the office recently.最近办公室的情况越来越乱了。
• The traffic in the city was chaotic.这城市的交通糟透了。

11 postpone   

v.延期，推迟

参考例句：

• I shall postpone making a decision till I learn full particulars.在未获悉详情之前我得从缓作出决定。
• She decided to postpone the converastion for that evening.她决定当天晚上把谈话搁一搁。

12 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

13 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

14 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。