VOA慢速英语--缅甸新议会宣誓就职

AS IT IS 2016-02-02 Myanmar's New Legislature Takes Oath 缅甸新议会宣誓就职

New members of Myanmar's legislature, many dressed in traditional clothing, took a joint¹ oath of office Monday in the capital, Naypyidaw.

The new legislature, or parliament, is being called the country's first democratically elected government in more than 50 years.

European Union ambassador Roland Cobia observed the ceremony. He said, “This is the first really concrete institutional transition of what the elections have produced and the expression of the will of the people.”

The National League for Democracy won 80 percent of the available seats in both houses of the parliament. The NLD is the party of democracy activist² and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi.

However, it remains³ unclear who will replace retired⁴ general Thein Sein as president. Aung San Suu Kyi is very popular. But she is barred by the constitution from becoming president.

Myanmar’s military remains politically powerful. It automatically holds one-fourth of the seats in both houses of parliament.

Observers say Aung San Suu Kyi is talking with the military to suspend the clause in the constitution that prevents her from being president.

NLD officials contacted by VOA have not confirmed that talks are under way with military leaders.

The clause states that a presidential candidate must be a citizen, be born of parents who are both Myanmar citizens, and cannot have a foreign spouse⁵ or children. It effectively bars Aung San Suu Kyi whose two sons are British citizens.

The NLD leader has said she will be “above the presidency⁶.” But she has not said whom she prefers to take the office.

This month, the parliament will likely choose the president from three vice-presidential nominees⁷. They will be selected by the elected lower house of representatives, the elected upper house and the appointed army representatives.

No dates have been announced for the parliamentary procedures.

President Thein Sein and the military have promised a smooth transition of power.

The country's military has governed directly or indirectly⁸ since 1962 when it seized power after years of instability under civilian⁹ rule.

NLD won a major victory last November 8th. It was 25 years after the party won a national election only to see the results cancelled by the military.

The military-supported Union Solidarity¹⁰ and Development Party won an election in 2010. However, the NLD boycotted¹¹ that election.

Words in This Story

transition – n. a change from one state to another

automatically – adv. happening because of a rule, law or past agreement

speculation¹² – n. ideas about something that is not known

clause – n. a separate part of a legal document

1 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

2 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。

3 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

4 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

5 spouse   

n.配偶(指夫或妻)

参考例句：

• Her spouse will come to see her on Sunday.她的丈夫星期天要来看她。
• What is the best way to keep your spouse happy in the marriage?在婚姻中保持配偶幸福的最好方法是什么？

6 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。

7 nominees   

n.被提名者，被任命者( nominee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She's one of the nominees. 她是被提名者之一。 来自超越目标英语 第2册
• A startling number of his nominees for senior positions have imploded. 他所提名的高级官员被否决的数目令人震惊。 来自互联网

8 indirectly   

adv.间接地，不直接了当地

参考例句：

• I heard the news indirectly.这消息我是间接听来的。
• They were approached indirectly through an intermediary.通过一位中间人，他们进行了间接接触。

9 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。

10 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

11 boycotted   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Athletes from several countries boycotted the Olympic Games. 有好几国的运动员抵制奥林匹克运动会。
• The opposition party earlier boycotted the Diet agenda, demanding Miyaji's resignation. 反对党曾杯葛国会议程，要宫路下台。

12 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。