VOA标准英语2010年-Yushchenko Apparently Loses Ukrainian

Exit polls announced within minutes after elections ended in Ukraine indicate the country's current and former prime ministers will emerge from a field of 18 candidates to face one another in a run-off in three weeks.  Incumbent¹ President Viktor Yushchenko appears out of the running with a reported fifth-place finish.

An exit poll conducted by Kyiv's Razumkov Center shows Viktor Yanukovych, who was accused of rigging the 2004 election, has garnered² more than 31 percent of the vote.  Yulia Tymoshenko, the current head of government, has more than 27 percent, a bit higher than expected.  Incumbent President Viktor Yushchenko is running behind businessman Serhiy Tihipko and newcomer Arseniy Yatseniuk with six percent.

After casting his ballot³, President Yushchenko, whose pre-election support numbered in the single digits⁴, pronounced the election a success.

Mr. Yushchenko says he has no doubt this election will once again demonstrate Ukraine is a democratic European country; a free nation with free people and where free elections are ensured.

Elections officials say about a million people, roughly three percent of the electorate⁵, cast their votes at home because they could not come to polls for health reasons.

Early reports do not indicate systemic vote fraud.  There are however, numerous accounts of minor⁶ infractions in some polling stations - food handed out as bribes⁷, campaign material displayed after Friday's midnight deadline to remove it, ballot shortages, electric blackouts, cell phone pictures taken of ballots⁸ or residents of an entire building being left off of a voter list.

Ukrainian PM and presidential candidate Yulia Tymoshenko greets supporters during a campaign visit to the town of Vasylivka, Zaporizhia region (File)

The Central Election Commission authorized⁹ about 3,000 international observers from North America, Europe and former Soviet¹⁰ republics.  The Commission made no decision about 2,000 Georgians accused by Viktor Yanukovych of seeking to disrupt the vote in his eastern Ukrainian stronghold on behalf of rival Yulia Tymoshenko.  Tbilisi says its citizens came as neutral observers.

The legitimacy¹¹ of the Election Commission itself could face a challenge after one of its members reached the mandatory¹² retirement¹³ age of 65.  This tips the 15-member group's political balance and could be a factor in case of any post-election disputes.

The election included Ukrainian citizens abroad, with those in Australia and the Russian Far East being the first to cast ballots.  The last, Ukrainians in California who are 10 times zones west of Ukraine.

Official results are not expected until January 27.  But if exit polls hold up, Viktor Yanukovych will face Yulia Tymoshenko in a runoff February 7.  Analysts¹⁴ are predicting both candidates will mount more intense campaigns than they ran in the first round.

1 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。

2 garnered   

v.收集并（通常）贮藏（某物），取得，获得( garner的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Mr. Smith gradually garnered a national reputation as a financial expert. 史密斯先生逐渐赢得全国金融专家的声誉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He has garnered extensive support for his proposals. 他的提议得到了广泛的支持。 来自辞典例句

3 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

4 digits   

n.数字( digit的名词复数 )；手指，足趾

参考例句：

• The number 1000 contains four digits. 1000是四位数。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The number 410 contains three digits. 数字 410 中包括三个数目字。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

5 electorate   

n.全体选民；选区

参考例句：

• The government was responsible to the electorate.政府对全体选民负责。
• He has the backing of almost a quarter of the electorate.他得到了几乎1/4选民的支持。

6 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

7 bribes   

n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• corrupt officials accepting bribes 接受贿赂的贪官污吏

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 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

10 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

11 legitimacy   

n.合法，正当

参考例句：

• The newspaper was directly challenging the government's legitimacy.报纸直接质疑政府的合法性。
• Managing from the top down,we operate with full legitimacy.我们进行由上而下的管理有充分的合法性。

12 mandatory   

adj.命令的；强制的；义务的；n.受托者

参考例句：

• It's mandatory to pay taxes.缴税是义务性的。
• There is no mandatory paid annual leave in the U.S.美国没有强制带薪年假。

13 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

14 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。