VOA标准英语2012--Friday Protests Continue Before Egypt's Contested Election

Friday Protests Continue Before Egypt's Contested Election

Hundreds of mostly young men turned out for Friday's protest, chanting slogans against the country's ruling Supreme¹ Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF). The turnout fell far short of what had been billed as a “million man march,” and highlighted growing divisions among secular² and Islamic activists³.

Bearded Islamic fundamentalists, or Salafists, erected⁴ a separate podium across from their secular rivals, as both sides protested.

Loudspeakers for the Salafists played verses of the Koran as the young activists repeated slogans from last year's revolution which toppled former President Hosni Mubarak.

The election commission announced the final list of 13 candidates for president on Thursday. Ten candidates were disqualified. The roster⁵ included the two top Islamists, but reinstated Ahmed Shafiq, who served under Mubarak during last year's uprising. Missing from the list are liberal reformers who spurred last year's protests.

Veteran Egyptian editor and publisher Hisham Kassem argues that revolutionary fervor⁶ is waning⁷ as the country's economy continues to deteriorate⁸. He also argues that support for Islamic fundamentalists has diminished:

"On the whole, the Islamists have lost points. People's expectations are too high, and I don't think that even if the liberals or any other current had [won last year's election], that they would have done better. They would have lost a lot of points. People now are result-oriented. They don't want to just keep hearing political jargon⁹ and not feel this is reflecting on their life,” said Kassem.

Kassem says that parliament has been trying to remove the government and to prosecute¹⁰ people who have allegedly insulted Islam, issues which do not resonate with most Egyptians.

The first round of voting is set for May 23-24. If none of the candidates wins more than 50 per cent of votes, a run-off will be held in June. A winner will be declared on June 21. The military has pledged to turn over power to a civilian¹¹ government by the end of June.

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 secular   

n.牧师，凡人；adj.世俗的，现世的，不朽的

参考例句：

• We live in an increasingly secular society.我们生活在一个日益非宗教的社会。
• Britain is a plural society in which the secular predominates.英国是个世俗主导的多元社会。

3 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 ERECTED   

adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立

参考例句：

• A monument to him was erected in St Paul's Cathedral. 在圣保罗大教堂为他修了一座纪念碑。
• A monument was erected to the memory of that great scientist. 树立了一块纪念碑纪念那位伟大的科学家。

5 roster   

n.值勤表，花名册

参考例句：

• The teacher checked the roster to see whom he would teach this year.老师查看花名册，想了解今年要教的学生。
• The next day he put himself first on the new roster for domestic chores.第二天，他把自己排在了新的家务值日表的第一位。

6 fervor   

n.热诚；热心；炽热

参考例句：

• They were concerned only with their own religious fervor.他们只关心自己的宗教热诚。
• The speech aroused nationalist fervor.这个演讲喚起了民族主义热情。

7 waning   

adj.（月亮）渐亏的，逐渐减弱或变小的n.月亏v.衰落( wane的现在分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡

参考例句：

• Her enthusiasm for the whole idea was waning rapidly. 她对整个想法的热情迅速冷淡了下来。
• The day is waning and the road is ending. 日暮途穷。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 deteriorate   

v.变坏；恶化；退化

参考例句：

• Do you think relations between China and Japan will continue to deteriorate?你认为中日关系会继续恶化吗？
• He held that this would only cause the situation to deteriorate further.他认为，这只会使局势更加恶化。

9 jargon   

n.术语，行话

参考例句：

• They will not hear critics with their horrible jargon.他们不愿意听到评论家们那些可怕的行话。
• It is important not to be overawed by the mathematical jargon.要紧的是不要被数学的术语所吓倒.

10 prosecute   

vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官

参考例句：

• I am trying my best to prosecute my duties.我正在尽力履行我的职责。
• Is there enough evidence to prosecute?有没有起诉的足够证据？

11 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。