VOA标准英语2008年-Voters in Serbia Vote for President on Sunday

By Barry Wood
Belgrade
19 January 2008

Serb voters Sunday will choose from nine candidates running for a five-year term as president.  VOA's Barry Wood reports from Belgrade that as nobody is expected to win a majority Sunday, a run-off between the top two finishers is likely to be held February 3.

Analysts¹ expect that incumbent² president Boris Tadic and Radical³ party leader Tomislav Nikolic will win the most votes. Opinion surveys indicate Mr. Nikolic has 21 percent support and Mr. Tadic 19 percent.

Prospective⁴ voters outside a super-market in New Belgrade Saturday voiced disparate views.

VOTER1:  "President Tadic, I won't vote for him but I know he will win in the second round."

VOTER2:  "I would be thrilled and very happy if someone pro-European oriented can win the elections, but I think that is impossible.  Tadic will win, but I'm not satisfied with it."

VOTER3:  "Nikolic, I don't know. My president is Boris Tadic."

VOTER4:  "I think in the first round Nikolic will be first. But in second, Tadic has better support from the Serbs who live outside."

Serbs living outside the country - mostly in Britain, Germany and America - are eligible⁵ to vote for president.

The election is seen as a choice between radical nationalism, represented by Mr. Nikolic, and a more moderate pro-European orientation⁶, espoused⁷ by Mr. Tadic. The major candidates oppose independence for Kosovo, the south Serbian province administered by the United Nations since 1999. Its 90 percent Albanian majority is expected to declare independence in the coming weeks.

Voter turnout in the first round is not expected to be much more than 50 percent. This is the first election to be held under Serbia's new constitution that went into effect after Montenegro severed⁸ its ties with Serbia in 2006.

1 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。

2 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

3 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

4 prospective   

adj.预期的，未来的，前瞻性的

参考例句：

• The story should act as a warning to other prospective buyers.这篇报道应该对其他潜在的购买者起到警示作用。
• They have all these great activities for prospective freshmen.这会举办各种各样的活动来招待未来的新人。

5 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

6 orientation   

n.方向，目标；熟悉，适应，情况介绍

参考例句：

• Children need some orientation when they go to school.小孩子上学时需要适应。
• The traveller found his orientation with the aid of a good map.旅行者借助一幅好地图得知自己的方向。

7 espoused   

v.（决定）支持，拥护（目标、主张等）( espouse的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• They espoused the notion of equal opportunity for all in education. 他们赞同在教育方面人人机会均等的观念。
• The ideas she espoused were incomprehensible to me. 她所支持的意见令我难以理解。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 severed   

v.切断，断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 )；断，裂

参考例句：

• The doctor said I'd severed a vessel in my leg. 医生说我割断了腿上的一根血管。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We have severed diplomatic relations with that country. 我们与那个国家断绝了外交关系。 来自《简明英汉词典》