VOA标准英语2009年-Karzai Widens Lead in Afghan Presidential

With partial results in, Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai saw his slender lead widen Wednesday as the second batch¹ of election returns were announced.
　
Afghan President Hamid Karzai (file)

President Hamid Karzai has widened his lead over former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah.

The tabulation² of 17 percent of all returns, announced by Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission Wednesday, shows the incumbent³ with a lead of 90,000 votes over his closest challenger.

Mr. Karzai now has about a nine percent lead, compared to just two percent after Tuesday's results. The president will need a simple majority of more than 50 percent to a run-off election against Mr. Abdullah.

Election officials and analysts⁴ caution the vote totals released are still too small to draw any conclusions about the outcome, which is already tainted⁵ by widespread voter fraud allegations.

Attention was diverted from the election results by the deadliest suicide bombing in the country in more than a year.
　
Abdullah Abdullah (File photo)

Officials blame the Taliban for setting off a truck bomb in Kandahar two hours after the initial election results were released Tuesday. At least 43 Afghans died in the blast, which destroyed several residential⁶ buildings.

The explosion occurred near a Japanese construction company, government offices and a guest house popular with foreigners.

Some Kandahar residents, such as Haji Toryali, are questioning the ability of the government and the foreign troops to provide security.

Toryali says says if the foreigners cannot provide security for the people - something the government must also ensure - then the foreigners should leave Afghanistan.
　
People look at the destruction left by a car bomb in Kandahar, 25 Aug 2009

There are about 100,000 foreign troops under either NATO or U.S. command in the country.

Kandahar is President Karzai's home province and also has a significant Taliban presence.

The insurgents⁷ had vowed⁸ to disrupt the election, which is seen as a key test of the country's fledging democratic system of government.

Meanwhile, in Paktika the provincial⁹ government says a group of motorcycle-riding Taliban stormed a hospital there. Afghan and coalition¹⁰ forces responded killing¹¹ at least 14 of the insurgents and rescuing the hospital staff.

1 batch   

n.一批(组，群)；一批生产量

参考例句：

• The first batch of cakes was burnt.第一炉蛋糕烤焦了。
• I have a batch of letters to answer.我有一批信要回复。

2 tabulation   

作表，表格； 表列结果； 列表； 造表

参考例句：

• A tabulation of a function of two variables is cumbersome, but possible. 二元函数的列表法是不方便的，然而是可能的。
• Such a tabulation cannot represent adequately the complex gradation relationships between the types. 这样的图表不能充分代表各类型之间的复杂级配关系。

3 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

4 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。

5 tainted   

adj.腐坏的；污染的；沾污的；感染的v.使变质( taint的过去式和过去分词 )；使污染；败坏；被污染，腐坏，败坏

参考例句：

• The administration was tainted with scandal. 丑闻使得政府声名狼藉。
• He was considered tainted by association with the corrupt regime. 他因与腐败政府有牵连而名誉受损。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 residential   

adj.提供住宿的；居住的；住宅的

参考例句：

• The mayor inspected the residential section of the city.市长视察了该市的住宅区。
• The residential blocks were integrated with the rest of the college.住宿区与学院其他部分结合在了一起。

7 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

8 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

9 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。

10 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

11 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。