VOA标准英语2009年-Election Conflict Puts Indian Cricket Season in

Security worries are causing trouble for the planned second season of a new Indian cricket league. India's home minister says the matches cannot be played as originally scheduled because elite¹ forces will need to provide security for national elections. The concern comes in wake of this week's attack in Lahore, Pakistan on Sri Lanka's cricket team.
　
Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram addresses a press conference in Hyderabad, 06 Mar² 2009

Security for national polling takes precedence over sports. That is what the cabinet minister tasked with India's internal security is telling officials of the Indian Premier³ League, known as the IPL. The cricket league's second season is scheduled from April 10 through May 24 in eight cities. India is to hold its first national election in five years between mid-April and mid-May.

Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram, speaking to reporters in Hyderabad Friday called that an unacceptable conflict from the standpoint of security.

"Cricket when played in India is completely safe. Nobody need worry about playing cricket in India or the safety of anyone. All I'm saying is the dates have to be re-jigged so I can provide paramilitary forces, if necessary," he said.

IPL commissioner⁴ Lalit Modi says host cities are being shifted so as to not conflict with polling and no matches will occur when the ballots⁵ are being tabulated⁶.

"The day of the counting there will be no matches in any city because we want to assure that the counting is going on and there are no matches taking place on that day. Otherwise the schedule is being adjusted up and down and we will have a revised schedule out," he said.

The IPL includes star cricketers from abroad playing a faster-paced version of the game (known as 20-20), debuted⁷ last year. It has become a big financial success for its franchise⁸ holders⁹ and broadcasters airing the matches.
　
Pakistani policemen stand guard outside The Gaddafi Stadium after an attack by masked gunmen on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, 03 Mar 2009

Indian officials say this week's suspected terrorist attack in Lahore, Pakistan, on the Sri Lankan national cricket team, which left six policemen and a driver dead, highlights the need for reinforced security surrounding high-profile sporting events.

The Indian home minister says the Lahore attack, with gunmen carrying automatic weapons, grenades and a rocket launcher, reinforces the necessity for Pakistan to crack down hard on militants¹⁰ within its own borders.

"The entire terrorist infrastructure¹¹ must be dismantled¹³. If that terror infrastructure remains¹⁴ intact, it's like riding a tiger. And you know what happens to somebody who rides a tiger. They have to dismantle¹² the terror infrastructure and declare zero tolerance¹⁵ for any kind of terrorist activity," he said.

Kevin Rudd, the prime minister of Australia, home to two officials who survived the attack, says he wants answers from Pakistan on how up to 12 men were able to carry out the 20-minute assault. Several Sri Lankan players were wounded.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack. Pakistan has made some arrests and says it has identified those who conducted the attacks, but is not releasing details.

Threats that curtail¹⁶ cricket matches have ramifications¹⁷ beyond the pitch as it is the most popular sport in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. And to many observers cricket is what continues to give the sub-continent a common bond in the post-colonial era.

1 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

2 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

3 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

4 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。

5 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》

6 tabulated   

把（数字、事实）列成表( tabulate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Results for the test program haven't been tabulated. 试验的结果还没有制成表格。
• A large number of substances were investigated and the relevant properties tabulated. 已经研究了多种物质，并将有关性质列成了表。

7 debuted   

初次表演，初次登台（debut的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• In late 2003 a full-size SUV, the Pathfinder Armada, debuted. 2003年末，全尺寸SUV的探路者无敌舰队，推出。
• The album debuted at number two and quickly went platinum. 专辑一亮相就荣登排行榜第二名，很快就取得了白金销量。

8 franchise   

n.特许，特权，专营权，特许权

参考例句：

• Catering in the schools is run on a franchise basis.学校餐饮服务以特许权经营。
• The United States granted the franchise to women in 1920.美国于1920年给妇女以参政权。

9 holders   

支持物( holder的名词复数 )； 持有者； （支票等）持有人； 支托（或握持）…之物

参考例句：

• Slaves were mercilessly ground down by slave holders. 奴隶受奴隶主的残酷压迫。
• It is recognition of compassion's part that leads the up-holders of capital punishment to accuse the abolitionists of sentimentality in being more sorry for the murderer than for his victim. 正是对怜悯的作用有了认识，才使得死刑的提倡者指控主张废除死刑的人感情用事，同情谋杀犯胜过同情受害者。

10 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

11 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

12 dismantle   

vt.拆开，拆卸；废除，取消

参考例句：

• He asked for immediate help from the United States to dismantle the warheads.他请求美国立即提供援助，拆除这批弹头。
• The mower firmly refused to mow,so I decided to dismantle it.修完后割草机还是纹丝不动，于是，我决定把它拆开。

13 dismantled   

拆开( dismantle的过去式和过去分词 )； 拆卸； 废除； 取消

参考例句：

• The plant was dismantled of all its equipment and furniture. 这家工厂的设备和家具全被拆除了。
• The Japanese empire was quickly dismantled. 日本帝国很快被打垮了。

14 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

15 tolerance   

n.宽容；容忍，忍受；耐药力；公差

参考例句：

• Tolerance is one of his strengths.宽容是他的一个优点。
• Human beings have limited tolerance of noise.人类对噪音的忍耐力有限。

16 curtail   

vt.截短，缩短；削减

参考例句：

• The government hopes to curtail public spending.政府希望缩减公共事业开支。
• The minister had to curtail his visit.部长不得不缩短访问日期。

17 ramifications   

n.结果，后果( ramification的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• These changes are bound to have widespread social ramifications. 这些变化注定会造成许多难以预料的社会后果。
• What are the ramifications of our decision to join the union? 我们决定加入工会会引起哪些后果呢？ 来自《简明英汉词典》