VOA常速英语2008年-Reluctant Bhutans Vote in Country's First-Ever

By Raymond Thibodeaux
Thimphu, Bhutan
24 March 2008

After being ruled by kings for more than a century, citizens in the Himalayan nation of Bhutan are voting Monday in the country's first-ever democratic election. Raymond Thibodeaux files this report for VOA from the Bhutanese capital, Thimphu.

Thousands of Bhutanese lined up at polling stations in Bhutan's capital to take part in the democratic exercise.

 

Choden Dorji, a 29-year-old administrator¹ for Bhutan's education ministry², says she is both excited and uneasy about Bhutan's move toward democracy.

 

"We should be cautious. But it is good also," she said. "We really have to be careful on this day. So many things can happen, so many things."

 

Still, voters in Bhutan appear eager to cast their ballots³. Within the first two hours of polling, more than a third of the country's eligible⁴ 318,000 voters had turned up to cast their ballots.

 

Kunzang Wangdi is Bhutan's election commissioner⁵. He says he is pleased with the turnout so far, which he expects to top 70 percent.

 

"It is a history-making event today because after the poll day is closed, tomorrow we declare the result," he said. "Then we can confirm that we are a democratic constitutional monarchy⁶. So we have left one legacy⁷ behind and moving into a new era."

 

Voters are choosing between candidates from Bhutan's two main parties, the People's Democratic Party, or PDP, and the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa, or DPT, which in the Bhutanese language translates to the Bhutan Prosperity Party.

 

There are no major ideological⁸ differences between the two parties. Both want more roads, more schools, more health clinics, more trade and more openness with the rest of the world. Both are running on a pledge to pursue what Bhutanese call the "Gross National Happiness," a theory of civic⁹ success that combines environmental and cultural preservation¹⁰ with sustainable economic growth.

 

Among the contenders for Bhutan's top post are Jigmi Thinley, leader of the DPT, and his opponent, Sangay Ngedup, the PDP leader. Both have served twice as prime minister under Bhutan's current Wangchuck dynasty.

 

Ngedup says he does not envy the next prime minister, whether it is him or anyone else. He says it is a huge

responsibility in a country where the current king is much-loved and revered¹¹.

 

"I can say very frankly¹² that there is no way in the world that I or my party can ever fill the big shoes of His Majesty¹³, the King. He will always remain an inspiration for parties, party leaders and candidates," he said. "We will always be judged by the high standards of leadership given by His Majesty, the King."

 

Most government offices and many businesses were closed for the voting. Bhutan also closed its border with neighboring India for the day.

 

So far, the voting has been peaceful and orderly.

Bhutan's election commission is expected to announce an unofficial tally¹⁴ after the polls close. Final election results are expected by early Tuesday.

1 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。

2 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。

3 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》

4 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。

5 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

6 monarchy   

n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国

参考例句：

• The monarchy in England plays an important role in British culture.英格兰的君主政体在英国文化中起重要作用。
• The power of the monarchy in Britain today is more symbolical than real.今日英国君主的权力多为象徵性的，无甚实际意义。

7 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

8 ideological   

a.意识形态的

参考例句：

• He always tries to link his study with his ideological problems. 他总是把学习和自己的思想问题联系起来。
• He helped me enormously with advice on how to do ideological work. 他告诉我怎样做思想工作，对我有很大帮助。

9 civic   

adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的

参考例句：

• I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
• The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。

10 preservation   

n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持

参考例句：

• The police are responsible for the preservation of law and order.警察负责维持法律与秩序。
• The picture is in an excellent state of preservation.这幅画保存得极为完好。

11 revered   

v.崇敬，尊崇，敬畏( revere的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• A number of institutions revered and respected in earlier times have become Aunt Sally for the present generation. 一些早年受到尊崇的惯例，现在已经成了这代人嘲弄的对象了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Chinese revered corn as a gift from heaven. 中国人将谷物奉为上天的恩赐。 来自辞典例句

12 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

13 majesty   

n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权

参考例句：

• The king had unspeakable majesty.国王有无法形容的威严。
• Your Majesty must make up your mind quickly!尊贵的陛下，您必须赶快做出决定！

14 tally   

n.计数器，记分，一致，测量；vt.计算，记录，使一致；vi.计算，记分，一致

参考例句：

• Don't forget to keep a careful tally of what you spend.别忘了仔细记下你的开支账目。
• The facts mentioned in the report tally to every detail.报告中所提到的事实都丝毫不差。