VOA标准英语2008年-Britain's Ruling Party Suffers Defeat in Local

By Tom Rivers
London
02 May 2008

Britain's ruling Labor¹ party appears set to suffer its worst defeat in 40 years in local elections against the opposition² Conservative party. Preliminary results indicate Labor will receive about 24 percent of the vote, finishing third behind the opposition Conservative party and the Liberal Democrats⁴. Tom Rivers reports for VOA from London.

Gordon Brown, 02 May 2008

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown admitted Friday his party took a beating in local elections, calling it a "bad night" of results.

Projections⁵ point to a large switch in local seats and councils from Labor to the main opposition party, the Conservatives and to a lesser⁶ degree to the Liberal Democrats.

The margin⁷ is similar to the one former Prime Minister John Major endured in 1995, two years before a Labor landslide⁸ removed him from office.

Deputy Labor leader Harriet Harman said the results were disappointing.

"We recognize the difficult economic context with people feeling the pinch," said Herman. "But I think that we are determined⁹ to listen and confident to take the country forward."

For the Conservatives, gaining control of at least eight government councils across the country is a sign of good things to come in the next general election. Conservative leader David Cameron says his job will be to keep the pressure on with new and better ideas and programs.

"I think this a very big moment for the Conservative party, but I do not want anyone to think that we would deserve to win an election just on the back of a failing government," said Cameron. "I want us to really prove to people that we can make the changes that they want to see in terms of schools and hospitals and crime and other issues that really matter to all of us."

Liberal Democrat³ party leader Nick Clegg, whose party also gained seats at the expense of Labor, said he was delighted at the outcome of the election.

"We are regaining¹⁰ momentum," he said. "Politics is very much on the move again. There is everything up for grabs and I think we have shown in these results that we have confounded expectations."

Prime Minister Brown, looking dour¹¹ amid his party's defeat, acknowledged that regaining lost ground ahead of the next general election in two years will not be easy, especially given the economic downturn the country is going through.

"The test of leadership is not what happens in a period of success, but what happens in difficult circumstances and the challenge of leadership is to take the country through difficult times as well as through good times," said Brown. "And the challenge is to show that we have the strength and resolution as well as the conviction and ideas to take the country forward and that is exactly what we are going to do."

Brown's reputation for economic competence¹² has been questioned over the past year as the global downturn continues to be felt here. The British leader has repeatedly warned that more difficult economic times lie ahead.

1 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

2 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。

3 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

4 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 projections   

预测( projection的名词复数 )； 投影； 投掷； 突起物

参考例句：

• Their sales projections are a total thumbsuck. 他们的销售量预测纯属估计。
• The council has revised its projections of funding requirements upwards. 地方议会调高了对资金需求的预测。

6 lesser   

adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地

参考例句：

• Kept some of the lesser players out.不让那些次要的球员参加联赛。
• She has also been affected,but to a lesser degree.她也受到波及，但程度较轻。

7 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

8 landslide   

n.(竞选中)压倒多数的选票；一面倒的胜利

参考例句：

• Our candidate is predicated to win by a landslide.我们的候选人被预言将以绝对优势取胜。
• An electoral landslide put the Labour Party into power in 1945.1945年工党以压倒多数的胜利当选执政。

9 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

10 regaining   

复得( regain的现在分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地

参考例句：

• She was regaining consciousness now, but the fear was coming with her. 现在她正在恢发她的知觉，但是恐怖也就伴随着来了。
• She said briefly, regaining her will with a click. 她干脆地答道，又马上重新振作起精神来。

11 dour   

adj.冷酷的，严厉的；（岩石）嶙峋的；顽强不屈

参考例句：

• They were exposed to dour resistance.他们遭受到顽强的抵抗。
• She always pretends to be dour,in fact,she's not.她总表现的不爱讲话，事实却相反。

12 competence   

n.能力，胜任，称职

参考例句：

• This mess is a poor reflection on his competence.这种混乱情况说明他难当此任。
• These are matters within the competence of the court.这些是法院权限以内的事。