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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
By Michael Kitchen
In a surprise move on the eve of Afghanistan's first-ever presidential election, two candidates say they are withdrawing from the race and throwing their support behind current transitional President Hamid Karzai, also a candidate.
In separate announcements on the final day of the presidential campaign Wednesday, Syed Ishaq Gilani and Abdul Hasseb Aryan said they were dropping out of the race.
Although it is now too late to strike the two men's names from the ballot1, both publicly called on their supporters to vote instead for President Karzai.
Mr. Gilani, the more prominent of the two candidates, is known for his religious fervor2 and his past service as a fighter against the Soviet3 occupation of Afghanistan.
His support is believed to be strongest among conservative ethnic4 Pashtuns in the south and east of the country, who respect his pious5 image.
Mr. Aryan, the other candidate leaving the race, is a former policeman whose sparsely6 attended rallies have marked him as a minor7 candidate in the field of 18.
Mr. Aryan says in exchange for his support, he expects Mr. Karzai to redouble his efforts to stamp out illegal drug production and to disarm8 militia9 leaders, whom he referred to as warlords.
Mr. Aryan did not give a clear reason for his decision to drop out and Mr. Gilani said he was acting10 for the unity11 of Afghanistan.
With no comprehensive opinion polls published on the Afghanistan presidential election, set to take place Saturday, the importance of the new support for Mr. Karzai is difficult to judge.
But for his own part, Mr. Karzai has previously12 said he expects not only to win, but to get more than 50 percent of the vote and avoid a second run-off election.
Michael Kitchen, VOA News, Kabul.
注释:
prominent 卓越的
conservative 保守的,保守派
Pashtuns 普什图族人
pious 虔诚的
sparsely 稀疏地, 稀少地
disarm 解除,缓和
comprehensive 全面的
opinion polls 民意测验
1 ballot | |
n.(不记名)投票,投票总数,投票权;vi.投票 | |
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2 fervor | |
n.热诚;热心;炽热 | |
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3 Soviet | |
adj.苏联的,苏维埃的;n.苏维埃 | |
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4 ethnic | |
adj.人种的,种族的,异教徒的 | |
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5 pious | |
adj.虔诚的;道貌岸然的 | |
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6 sparsely | |
adv.稀疏地;稀少地;不足地;贫乏地 | |
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7 minor | |
adj.较小(少)的,较次要的;n.辅修学科;vi.辅修 | |
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8 disarm | |
v.解除武装,回复平常的编制,缓和 | |
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9 militia | |
n.民兵,民兵组织 | |
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10 acting | |
n.演戏,行为,假装;adj.代理的,临时的,演出用的 | |
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11 unity | |
n.团结,联合,统一;和睦,协调 | |
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12 previously | |
adv.以前,先前(地) | |
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