VOA标准英语2008年-Massive Walk Out of S. African Ministers and De

Eleven key cabinet ministers and three deputies have resigned and will leave their posts along with President Thabo Mbeki Thursday. However, as VOA's Delia Robertson reports from our Johannesburg bureau, the Finance Minister says he will be available to the incoming president if he chooses.
　
Thabo Mbeki, 21 Sep 2008

The news of the resignations came as a great shock to South Africans already anxious following the resignation of Mr. Mbeki and was immediately felt in the market. The currency lost 18 points against the dollar but rallied slightly when it was revealed that Finance Minister Trevor Manuel is willing to continue in his post.

Manuel's spokesperson, Thoraya Pandy, told national radio Minister Manuel has no desire to impose himself on the incoming president.

"It also provides space and opportunity for the new president to choose whichever ministers he wants in cabinet," she said. "And the minister therefore provides that space to say that you are not duty bound to keep me on as your minister of finance, but I am willing to serve if that is what you are asking of me."

Pandy says that the deputy finance minister is also available for re-appointment.

One economist¹ suggested the Manuel may also have been concerned about the economic direction the new administration would take and that by resigning he had put himself in a position to stipulate² the conditions of his return to cabinet.

University of Johannesburg political analyst³ Adam Habib tells VOA that up until yesterday it appeared as though both factions⁴ in the ANC had agreed to a smooth transition. Now he says, it seems clear that despite the reassuring⁵ statements from the ministers, something serious has happened to upset Mr. Mbeki's supporters.

"Well the big question is this, how come on Saturday afternoon when [Finance Minister Trevor Manuel] was approached and prevailed upon to stay, he had agreed to do that," said Habib. "Clearly something has changed in the last 24 hours, if we sift⁶ through the diplomatic speak something has happened that has antagonized such a large lay of people."

Some commentators⁷ say that the tone of a press conference addressed by ANC president Jacob Zuma on Monday may have offended some in the cabinet. South Africans were left confused following the press conference in which Zuma failed to offer certainty to the country on a number of issues, and some analysts⁸ described his attitude as flippant and lacking in leadership.
　
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka waves from a doorway⁹, following her resignation, in Cape¹⁰ Town, South Africa, 23 Sep 2008

Among those leaving is Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, who spearheaded a turnaround in government HIV/AIDS policies and forged a partnership¹¹ between government and AIDS organizations to implement¹² it.

Other ministers who have resigned include Defense¹³ Minister Mosioua Lekota, Public Service Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, Sydney Mufamadi, Minister of Provincial¹⁴ and Local Government and Minister of Public Enterprises, Alex Erwin. All are experienced ministers who run key departments in government.

In a hastily arranged press conference in response to the resignations, ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe said the party did not ask any minister to leave and hoped they would stay on.

 

1 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

2 stipulate   

vt.规定，（作为条件）讲定，保证

参考例句：

• International rules stipulate the number of foreign entrants.国际规则规定了外国参赛者的人数。
• Some manufacturers stipulate the price at which their goods are to be sold.有些制造商规定出售他们生产的商品的价格。

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 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别

5 reassuring   

a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的

参考例句：

• He gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. 他轻拍了一下她的肩膀让她放心。
• With a reassuring pat on her arm, he left. 他鼓励地拍了拍她的手臂就离开了。

6 sift   

v.筛撒，纷落，详察

参考例句：

• Sift out the wheat from the chaff.把小麦的壳筛出来。
• Sift sugar on top of the cake.在蛋糕上面撒上糖。

7 commentators   

n.评论员( commentator的名词复数 )；时事评论员；注释者；实况广播员

参考例句：

• Sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 体育解说员翻来覆去说着同样的词语，真叫人腻烦。
• Television sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 电视体育解说员说来说去就是那么几句话，令人厌烦。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 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。

9 doorway   

n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径

参考例句：

• They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。
• Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。

10 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

11 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

12 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

13 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。

14 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。