VOA标准英语10月-Conservatives Win Lithuania's Ballot for First Ti

A conservative party critical of Russia has declared victory in the second and final round of Lithuania's parliamentary election. Stefan Bos reports for VOA from Budapest that official results show the Homeland Union received as many as 44 seats in the 141-member parliament.

With street musicians enthusiastically playing in the capital Vilnius, Lithuania seems a peaceful place. Yet voters tell a different story. Weary of scandals surrounding the ruling Social Democratic Party and fearing rising energy dependence¹ on Russia, many have demonstrated their desire for change.

Official results of Sunday's run-off ballot² show that for the first time in nearly a decade, the conservative Homeland Union will return to power in a coalition³ government.

The outcome is expected to add to the country's tensions with Russia. Homeland Union leader Andrius Kubilius, has been the most active in portraying⁴ Russia as a threat during the election campaign.

Kubilius, who is expected to become the next prime minister, criticized Russia's recent military actions in Georgia and warned that Lithuania could be next. Such statements are taken seriously in Lithuania, which was the first Soviet⁵ republic to declare independence from the Soviet Union in 1990.
　

Homeland Union Party leader Andrius Kubilius, second from right, with the leaders of the Liberal Movement, right, the Liberal and Centro Union, left, and the National Resurrection party, second from left, in Vilnius, 27 Oct. 2008

Kubilius also wants to re-open talks with the European Union on keeping open the aging Ignalina nuclear power plant, which provides 70 percent of the country's energy needs.

Speaking through an interpreter on Russia Today television, Lithuania's president Valdas Adamkus has already said he supports delaying the closure of the plant till its scheduled replacement⁶ in perhaps 2015.

"I have no doubts now that Lithuania would not be able to live without nuclear energy in the future," he said.

Some voters speaking to Russia Today television share his opinion.

"We should only close it when it become unsafe," said one man. "It should stay open for as long as possible."

"If we close it now, we are left with nothing," one woman said. "Of course I am worried."

"Nobody is ready here for any hikes in energy prices," said another voter.

But outgoing Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas has complained his hands are tied as closing the station was a key condition for Lithuania to join the European Union in 2004.

Besides the future of the power plant, the economy will be high on the agenda during expected coalition talks between the Homeland Union and its center right allies.

The projected incoming Prime Minister Kubilius, who is 51, wants to revive an economic boom in the country, where people earn on average of less than $900 a month.

He also backs tax cuts and an eventual⁷ launch of the euro currency in 2011 or 2012. But analysts⁸ have warned this will be difficult as economic growth is expected to slow sharply because of the global financial crisis and credit crunch⁹.

1 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

2 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。

3 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

4 portraying   

v.画像( portray的现在分词 )；描述；描绘；描画

参考例句：

• The artist has succeeded in portraying my father to the life. 那位画家把我的父亲画得惟妙惟肖。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Ding Ling was good at portraying figures through careful and refined description of human psychology. 《莎菲女士的日记》是丁玲的成名作，曾引起强烈的社会反响。 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说

5 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

6 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。

7 eventual   

adj.最后的，结局的，最终的

参考例句：

• Several schools face eventual closure.几所学校面临最终关闭。
• Both parties expressed optimism about an eventual solution.双方对问题的最终解决都表示乐观。

8 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。

9 crunch   

n.关键时刻；艰难局面；v.发出碎裂声

参考例句：

• If it comes to the crunch they'll support us.关键时刻他们是会支持我们的。
• People who crunch nuts at the movies can be very annoying.看电影时嘎吱作声地嚼干果的人会使人十分讨厌。