VOA标准英语2009-Former Military Ruler Joins Mauritanian Pres

Mauritania's former military ruler joined his county's presidential race late Saturday. Next month's election is part of a power-sharing deal between the country's current military rulers and their political opponents.

Colonel Ely Ould Mohamed Vall announced his candidacy just days after a political power-sharing agreement saw the main opposition¹ parties drop their electoral boycott².

Vall led a ruling military council from 2005 to 2007. He is the only Mauritanian military ruler to give up power to a civilian³ president and helped to organize the nation's first free presidential vote, which elected Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi.

Mr. Abdallahi was toppled in a coup⁴ last August led by General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz. Aziz then resigned his military commission to run for president in elections that were to be held on Saturday.

But Aziz agreed to delay that vote until July 18 as part of a power-sharing deal in which the opposition will drop its electoral boycott and Mr. Abdallahi will formally resign as president to head a transitional government.

By doing so, Aziz has the opportunity to contest an election more legitimate⁵ than the one he would have won Saturday. But he will also face more challengers in next month's vote - including former military ruler Vall.

In announcing his candidacy, Vall said there is no reason to justify⁶ a coup after he handed over power to civilian authorities in 2007.

It was Vall's first public comment on the Aziz coup and sets him on a campaign to challenge Aziz - not only as a civilian candidate, but also as a former military leader with considerable administrative⁷ and defense⁸ experience, including 20 years as director of national security.

Members of the Aziz campaign say Vall is just another presidential candidate and that his entering the race has no impact on the Aziz candidacy.

Aziz has already been campaigning across the country on a slogan of "constructive⁹ change," promising¹⁰ to fight corruption¹¹ and improve Mauritania's infrastructure¹².

If no candidate wins an outright majority on July 18, the power-sharing deal calls for a second round of voting on August 1

1 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。

2 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

3 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

4 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

5 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

6 justify   

vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护

参考例句：

• He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。
• Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗？

7 administrative   

adj.行政的，管理的

参考例句：

• The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
• He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。

8 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。

9 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

10 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

11 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

12 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。