VOA常速英语2008年-Voting Ends in Zimbabwe

By Scott Bobb
Johannesburg
29 March 2008

Zimbabweans went to the polls Saturday to choose a president, parliament and local councils. The balloting² was mostly peaceful although police said a bomb went off at the home of a ruling party parliamentary candidate in the city of Bulawayo. VOA's Scott Bobb reports from our Southern Africa Bureau in Johannesburg.

Zimbabweans began lining³ up outside polling stations before dawn Saturday, hoping to cast their ballots⁴ early. The elections were seen as a choice between keeping in power the government of President Robert Mugabe, which has ruled since independence 28 years ago, and regime change advocated by two opposition⁵ candidates, Morgan Tsvangirai and Simba Makoni.

Nearly six million people were registered to vote at one of the more than 9,000 polling stations. They were to choose a president, a national assembly, a newly created senate and local councils.

Opposition candidate Tsvangirai told reporters after casting his ballot¹ that he is confident of success.

"The people's victory is assured in spite of the regime's attempt to subvert⁶ the people's will through other fraudulent activities," he said.

Opposition leaders and pro-democracy groups have expressed concern over what they said were irregularities that could be used to rig the vote. They said they had evidence that voter registration⁷ lists had been inflated⁸ and that 50 percent more ballot papers had been printed than registered voters.
And they said that the police were allowed inside polling booths.

However, Mr. Mugabe dismissed these allegations as he voted.

"We don't rig elections," he said.  "We have that sense of honesty. I cannot sleep with my conscience if I have cheated on elections. Why should I cheat? The people are there supporting us."

The voting was mostly peaceful, but soldiers and police put on a show of force patrolling the capital,
Harare, in a convoy⁹ of armored personnel carriers and water cannon¹⁰ trucks.

In the city of Bulawayo, a bomb went off at the home of a ruling party parliamentary candidate, Judith Mkwanda.  No injuries were reported.

Zimbabwe police Chief Augustine Chihuri warned against any violence.

"All the defense¹¹ and security forces of Zimbabwe are on full alert from now onwards covering the election period and beyond," he said.

The winner of the presidential election must receive 51 percent of votes cast. Otherwise, he must stand against the second-placed candidate in a run-off election within three weeks.

1 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。

2 balloting   

v.（使）投票表决( ballot的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Clark took a commanding leading in the early balloting. 在最初投票时，克拉克遥遥领先。 来自辞典例句
• The balloting had stagnated, he couldn't win. 投票工作陷于停顿，他不能得胜。 来自辞典例句

3 lining   

n.衬里，衬料

参考例句：

• The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
• Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。

4 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》

5 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。

6 subvert   

v.推翻；暗中破坏；搅乱

参考例句：

• The rebel army is attempting to subvert the government.反叛军队企图颠覆政府统治。
• They tried to subvert our state and our Party. This is the crux of the matter.他们是要颠覆我们的国家，颠覆我们的党，这是问题的实质。

7 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

8 inflated   

adj.（价格）飞涨的；（通货）膨胀的；言过其实的；充了气的v.使充气（于轮胎、气球等）( inflate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）膨胀；（使）通货膨胀；物价上涨

参考例句：

• He has an inflated sense of his own importance. 他自视过高。
• They all seem to take an inflated view of their collective identity. 他们对自己的集体身份似乎都持有一种夸大的看法。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 convoy   

vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队

参考例句：

• The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。
• Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

10 cannon   

n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮

参考例句：

• The soldiers fired the cannon.士兵们开炮。
• The cannon thundered in the hills.大炮在山间轰鸣。

11 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。