VOA标准英语2012--Russia's Democracy Movement Looks Ahead

Russia's Democracy Movement Looks Ahead

Russia's democracy movement is searching for new directions after Vladimir Putin's election to a six-year term as president.

Ksenia Sobchak, a television personality turned activist¹, told demonstrators in Moscow that the movement has to clearly state positive goals.

She says that the movement has to get beyond chanting "Russia Without Putin." She says democrats² have to say that they are for an independent court system, a diversity of opinion on television, and a restoration of direct elections for mayors and governors.

Protester Mikhail Makarov says that democracy advocates should spread the movement across Russia.

An Internet user, Makarov says people in Russia’s far-flung regions depend too heavily on state-controlled TV for their news.

Nearby, Olga Sergeyeva says that the expansion of civil society will be key to building a more open system in Russia. She says Russian democrats now need a real political party.

Opposition³ protesters with a placard depicting⁴ Czar Ivan The Terrible gathered during a rally in Moscow, Russia, March 10, 2012. 

In the March 4 elections, Mikhail Prokhorov, a billionaire businessman, got more votes in central Moscow than Prime Minister Putin. This week, Prokhorov is building on this middle-class base to form a new political party.

Andrei Khoroshilov, an organizer, sees this party as a natural outgrowth of this winter’s citizen poll-watching movement.

He believes that with the warm weather of spring, Russians will become active in Prokhorov's party and in other grassroots movements.

Moscow has Russia’s largest concentration of universities.

Asya Shvydkova, a 20-year-old language student, came to the rally with her boyfriend. She says young Russians have a new interest in politics.

“We just talk a lot and think what we can change. That's why we are here,” Shvydkova said.

As the anti-Putin coalition⁵ prepares for spring, it is losing its extremes.

Saturday's rally lacked the black flags of the nationalists - and the red flags of the communists.

The nationalists were angry that their leaders were not allowed to speak to the crowd.

They broke away, conducted an unauthorized march and were promptly⁶ arrested.

Sergei Udaltsov, a leader of the Left Front, spoke⁷ at the rally and called for a “March of 1 Million” to protest Mr. Putin's inauguration⁸ on May 7.

He then led his own breakaway march. But he was followed by only a small group, and he, too, was promptly arrested.

Within hours, liberal leaders broke with Udaltsov.

Determined⁹ to keep middle-class support, liberals say they will work in the coming months for reform in Russia - not revolution.

1 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

2 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》

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 depicting   

描绘，描画( depict的现在分词 )； 描述

参考例句：

• a painting depicting the Virgin and Child 一幅描绘童贞马利亚和圣子耶稣的画
• The movie depicting the battles and bloodshed is bound to strike home. 这部描写战斗和流血牺牲的影片一定会取得预期效果。

5 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。

6 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

8 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。

9 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。