voa标准英语2008-Ghana Ruling Party Candidate Leads Presidential

Vote counting continues from Sunday's elections in Ghana with two leading candidates in a tight race to be the country's next president. Both Nana Akufo-Addo of the governing party and opposition¹ candidate John Atta-Mills are veteran politicians with long histories of service to the country.
　

Ghana's opposition party candidate John Atta Mills, left, and Ruling party presidential candidate Nana Akufo-Addo in Accra, Ghana, 09 Dec 2008

Many analysts⁴ say that although the campaign to be Ghana's next president was intense and sometimes personal, government policies are not likely to change drastically, no matter which candidate wins.

President John Kufuor is retiring after eight years in office. The candidate and fellow-founder of his New Patriotic⁵ Party, Nana Akufo-Addo, is a 64-year-old former attorney-general and foreign minister whose father and grandfather were part of Ghana's early nationalist elite⁶.

An analyst³ with Accra's Center for Democratic Development, Emmanuel Gyimah-Boadi, says Akufo-Addo also founded the Ghana Committee on Human and People's Rights. As attorney-general he helped repeal⁷ laws restricting freedom of expression and drafted a law investigating human rights abuses in his country.

"He has a long and glorious track record of human rights activism, going for about 30 years back. He is fairly dynamic and does project a vision of moving the country properly into the 21st Century," said Gyimah-Boadi.

The Africa director of London-based Chatham House, Alex Vines, says Akufo-Addo is likely to continue his predecessor's economic policies.

"He's [Akufo-Addo] certainly a supporter of free market economies and said that he has wanted to see Ghana develop into a modern, responsible and educated nation," said Vines.

Vines notes that the other leading candidate, John Atta-Mills of the opposition National Democratic Congress, is running for the presidency⁸ for a third time. The 64-year-old law professor was defeated by Mr. Kufuor in 2004 in another close race.

"He [Atta-Mills] has served as a vice² president before but he does see this as his last chance at the bid of the presidency of Ghana," added Vines.

Atta-Mills is also an expert on tax law who introduced the value added tax to Ghana. Gyimah-Boadi says he, too, is a member of the political elite.

"He comes to this with solid credentials⁹, a solid member of the Ghanaian political establishment. He's generally considered humble¹⁰. He is considered to be responsible and a man of peace," said Gyimah-Boadi.

Atta-Mills is a close associate of former President Jerry Rawlings who came to power in a coup¹¹ 27 years ago preaching revolution and war on corruption¹².

After a decade of political turbulence¹³ and economic decline in Ghana, Mr. Rawlings introduced economic and political reforms. He handed over power to Mr. Kufuor eight years ago following national elections.

Many Ghanaians say the struggle against poverty and corruption is not over. But their choices for president indicate they appreciate the stability and relative prosperity of recent years and would prefer that this continue.

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 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。

4 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。

5 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。

6 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

7 repeal   

n.废止，撤消；v.废止，撤消

参考例句：

• He plans to repeal a number of current policies.他计划废除一些当前的政策。
• He has made out a strong case for the repeal of the law.他提出强有力的理由，赞成废除该法令。

8 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

9 credentials   

n.证明，资格，证明书，证件

参考例句：

• He has long credentials of diplomatic service.他的外交工作资历很深。
• Both candidates for the job have excellent credentials.此项工作的两个求职者都非常符合资格。

10 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

11 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。

12 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。

13 turbulence   

n.喧嚣，狂暴，骚乱，湍流

参考例句：

• The turbulence caused the plane to turn over.空气的激流导致飞机翻转。
• The world advances amidst turbulence.世界在动荡中前进。