voa标准英语2008-ZANU-PF Prepares for Annual Conference as Choler

Harare's streets are busy as hundreds of delegates to President Robert Mugabe's annual ZANU-PF conference converge¹ from all over the country. The annual conference is being held as the death toll² continues to climb from a cholera³ epidemic⁴ that has further strained the country's crumbling⁵ healthcare system.
　

Woman suspected to be suffering from cholera, is transported in a wheelbarrow to a Harare clinic for treatment

The United Nations says 1,100 people have died in the cholera epidemic spreading through mostly urban areas in Zimbabwe.

Anti-cholera drugs, clean water and medical assistance are mostly being provided by the non-governmental sector⁶, as the state's hospitals and most of its clinics are either closed or have no equipment or staff. The health ministry⁷, once one of Africa's best, has virtually collapsed⁸ because of lack of drugs and worthless salaries for medical staff.

In addition to the health crisis, President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF conference is also being held amid the possibility that Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai may be returning home from Botswana. Political sources in Harare say Zimbabwe negotiations⁹ facilitator, former South African president Thabo Mbeki has sent a letter to Mr. Tsvangirai encouraging him to return home to be sworn in as prime minister.

Mr. Tsvangirai's aides say they have been told that a new passport is due to be issued to him. He has been denied one since June.

The MDC won control of Zimbabwe's parliament in March elections, but there are several views within the MDC about whether the party should take part in a government of national unity¹⁰. Mr. Tzvangirai was to become prime minister as part of a power-sharing agreement that was worked out following the controversial presidential elections earlier this year.

Some, such as party spokesman Nelson Chamisa and secretary-general Tendai Biti say there are still too many fundamental issues outstanding for the MDC to take part in an inclusive government.

Mr. Tsvangirai is due to hold a press conference Friday in Botswana.

While the inclusive government is still not formed, ZANU-PF continues to make crucial appointments and has appointed party loyalist Johannes Tomana as attorney general. Recently Mr. Mugabe re-appointed an ally, Central Bank Governor Gideon Gono for another five-year term.

Economists¹¹ say Gono is responsible for hyperinflation and record-breaking devaluation of the Zimbabwe dollar. The local currency is now largely replaced by U.S. dollars or South African rands.

ZANU-PF and the MDC signed a political agreement in September for an inclusive government under which Mr. Mugabe would not be able to make any senior public appointments without Mr. Tsvangirai's approval once he is sworn in as prime minister..

Meanwhile, at least three MDC activists¹² have been abducted¹³ from their home area, Bindura, about 40 kilometers from Harare. This brings to nearly 30 people abducted from their home or workplace in the past seven weeks.

1 converge   

vi.会合；聚集，集中；(思想、观点等)趋近

参考例句：

• The results converge towards this truth.其结果趋近于这个真理。
• Parallel lines converge at infinity.平行线永不相交。

2 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

3 cholera   

n.霍乱

参考例句：

• The cholera outbreak has been contained.霍乱的发生已被控制住了。
• Cholera spread like wildfire through the camps.霍乱在营地里迅速传播。

4 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

5 crumbling   

adj.摇摇欲坠的

参考例句：

• an old house with crumbling plaster and a leaking roof 一所灰泥剥落、屋顶漏水的老房子
• The boat was tied up alongside a crumbling limestone jetty. 这条船停泊在一个摇摇欲坠的石灰岩码头边。

6 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

7 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

8 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

9 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

10 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

11 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 abducted   

劫持，诱拐( abduct的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（肢体等）外展

参考例句：

• Detectives have not ruled out the possibility that she was abducted. 侦探尚未排除她被绑架的可能性。
• The kid was abducted at the gate of kindergarten. 那小孩在幼儿园大门口被绑架走了。