VOA慢速英语 2008 0114a

This is the VOA Special English Development Report.

Governments are always judged by how they use power. But they differ by how they divide power. Some have strong presidents or prime ministers. Others have military control. But political scientist Matthew Kroenig believes that in developing nations, the best solution may be a powerful legislature.

Professor Kroenig is a researcher at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University. He and Steven Fish at the University of California, Berkeley, have written "The Handbook¹ of National Legislatures: A Global Survey." Cambridge University Press will release the book later this year.

Professor Kroenig says the study is the first of its kind. It rates legislative² strengths in one hundred fifty-eight countries. At least five experts provided information about each. They were given a list of thirty-two yes-or-no questions grouped into four areas.

One of these categories measured a legislature’s influence over the president or prime minister. For example, can the legislature remove the leader from office? Other questions rated the legislature’s independence, any special powers it may hold and the resources available to do its work.

There was a three-way tie for what Professor Kroenig calls the strongest legislature in the world: Germany, Italy and Mongolia. At the same time, two countries, Burma and Somalia, have none of the thirty-two legislative powers.

The study found that Kenya's parliament has only about one-third of these powers. In the recent elections there, the opposition³ won ninety-five of the one hundred twenty-six seats in parliament.

 
Kenyans caught up in the election-related conflict reach out for food aid in the Kibera slum⁴ in Nairobi
Professor Kroenig says that because Kenya’s parliament is so weak, the opposition did not believe a majority would be enough to secure its interests. Yet it did not win the presidency⁵. Deadly violence broke out as the opposition protested what it said was a stolen election.

Professor Kroenig says strong legislatures can help prevent civil wars. The idea is that when many groups compete for power, no single individual or group can take control. Also, the public in general can create change through the legislative process.

The study leads Matt Kroenig to think that countries with strong legislatures will have higher levels of economic growth. He also thinks they will be less likely to get involved in international wars. But more research is needed to confirm these theories.

And that’s the VOA Special English Development Report, written by Jill Moss⁶. I’m Steve Ember.

 

1 handbook   

n.手册，便览，指南

参考例句：

• Her mother bought a handbook of English grammar for her last Sunday.上星期天她母亲给她买了一本英语语法手册。
• None of them has got a handbook to tourists.他们谁也没搞到旅游指南。

2 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

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 slum   

n.贫民窟，贫民区；vi.（因好奇而）逛贫民区

参考例句：

• These children came from a slum area.这些孩子来自贫民窟区。
• What a wretched existence the people in the slum lead!这个贫民窟里的人们过着多么令人悲惨的生活啊！

5 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

6 moss   

n.苔，藓，地衣

参考例句：

• Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。
• He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。