VOA标准英语 South Africans Prepare to Vote as Election Campaign

South Africans are preparing to vote Wednesday in national and provincial¹ elections. Candidates are making last-minute appeals to voters.

South Africa's Independent Electoral Commission Chairman Brigalia Bam said her organization is expecting a turnout as high as 80 percent, because nearly three-million new voters are registered.

"If people make a special effort to get their ID's, they make a special effort to register, that is always a sign of people who are interested," said Barn.
　
ANC President Jacob Zuma reacts during a news conference on the eve of a parliamentary vote, in Johannesburg, South Africa, 21 Apr 2009

The head of the ruling African National Congress, Jacob Zuma, said this campaign has been the most exciting since the one that ended apartheid in 1994.

"We know that our people have great expectations as the ANC campaign message has captured their imagination," said Zuma. "They will expect faster action and visible change in their lives."

He said the ANC, if victorious², would exert all its energy to meet these expectations and work with all South Africans to build a nation of growing opportunities for all.

The ANC is expected to win the vote, making Mr. Zuma South Africa's next president. But opposition³ parties are campaigning hard, hoping to deprive the ANC of its two-thirds majority in parliament and win control of some provincial assemblies.

Most parties agree on the major issues. These include greater efforts to combat poverty and unemployment and to accelerate delivery of education, health-care and sanitation⁴ services to the millions who still do not have them.

But in the final days of the campaign, much of the opposition's rhetoric⁵ has focused on the ruling party's record and the need for change.

The leader of the Independent Democrats⁶, Patricia De Lille, accused the ANC of abuse of power and of using patronage⁷ to influence the vote.

"They [ANC] are not democrats. They are not respecting the diversity in our society," she said. "They are not respecting your choice to vote for the political party of your choice."

Twenty-three-million voters are registered to cast ballots⁸ at 19,000 polling centers across the nation.

Thousands of observers are being deployed⁹ as monitors from political parties, the African Union, the Southern African Development Community and dozens of South African organizations.

1 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。

2 victorious   

adj.胜利的，得胜的

参考例句：

• We are certain to be victorious.我们定会胜利。
• The victorious army returned in triumph.获胜的部队凯旋而归。

3 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。

4 sanitation   

n.公共卫生，环境卫生，卫生设备

参考例句：

• The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看，这个地段非常糟糕。
• Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。

5 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

6 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》

7 patronage   

n.赞助，支援，援助；光顾，捧场

参考例句：

• Though it was not yet noon,there was considerable patronage.虽然时间未到中午，店中已有许多顾客惠顾。
• I am sorry to say that my patronage ends with this.很抱歉，我的赞助只能到此为止。

8 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》

9 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。