VOA标准英语2010年-Australia Deadlocked After Indecisive

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard of the Federal Labor¹ Party waves to well-wishers at the end of voting in Melbourne, 21 Aug 2010

Australia is in political deadlock² after national elections seem almost certain to deliver the country's first hung parliament since World War II. Exit polls and partial results show that neither side, the governing Labor Party nor the conservative Liberal-National opposition³ is likely to get the clear majority in parliament needed to form a new government.

 

Senior Labor Party figures concede they cannot form a majority government, while opposition strategists still believe they can win outright⁴ with a handful of seats yet to be declared.

Analysts⁵ say the most likely outcome is a hung parliament, where the balance of power would rest with a handful of Green and independent MPs in the 150-member House of Representatives.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard of the Labor Party told supporters in the southern city of Melbourne that it could be days before the final election result was known.

If Ms. Gillard is to claim victory, and become Australia's first elected female prime minister, she is almost certain to need the support of independent lawmakers and is already reaching out to them.

"I have had a good track record in the federal parliament working positively⁶ and productively with the independents in the House of Representatives and working with the Greens in the Senate," said Gillard.  "I believe in respecting the role of every representative in the House of Representatives including the independents and the Greens."

There are unmistakable signs that the Gillard government has been punished by voters.  There have been many factors at play.  The ruthless fashion in which the former Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was ousted⁷ by his own party two months ago has been of great concern to many Australians.

A lack of action on climate change may also have contributed to a sharp decline in Labor's support in the eastern states of Queensland and New South Wales.

The Liberal-National opposition leader Tony Abbott has also run a mostly solid and energetic campaign focusing on immigration and the economy.

Analysts say that Abbott may find it easier to form a coalition⁸ government because most of the independent lawmakers who are likely to hold the balance of power are on the conservative side of Australian politics.  However, tradition may dictate⁹ that the governing Labor Party be given the first opportunity to form a minority administration.

Abbott said it was clear the Labor government had lost its legitimacy¹⁰.

A hung parliament would be Australia's first since 1940.

14 million Australians were eligible¹¹ to cast a ballot¹² in a country where voting is compulsory¹³.

 

1 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

2 deadlock   

n.僵局，僵持

参考例句：

• The negotiations reached a deadlock after two hours.两小时后，谈判陷入了僵局。
• The employers and strikers are at a deadlock over the wage.雇主和罢工者在工资问题上相持不下。

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 outright   

adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的

参考例句：

• If you have a complaint you should tell me outright.如果你有不满意的事，你应该直率地对我说。
• You should persuade her to marry you outright.你应该彻底劝服她嫁给你。

5 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。

6 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

7 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

8 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。

9 dictate   

v.口授；(使)听写；指令，指示，命令

参考例句：

• It took him a long time to dictate this letter.口述这封信花了他很长时间。
• What right have you to dictate to others?你有什么资格向别人发号施令？

10 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。

11 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

12 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。

13 compulsory   

n.强制的，必修的；规定的，义务的

参考例句：

• Is English a compulsory subject?英语是必修课吗？
• Compulsory schooling ends at sixteen.义务教育至16岁为止。