VOA标准英语2009年-Indian Prime Minister in Hospital for Heart Sur

Indian government officials say prime minister Manmohan Singh was taken to a New Delhi hospital and is due to undergo coronary artery¹ bypass graft² surgery Saturday to clear blockages³ in his heart. Earlier in the week, the prime minister canceled a trip to Kolkatta and underwent a series of tests that reportedly indicated multiple arterial blockages. The Prime Minister had complained of suffering chest pains.
　
Manmohan Singh (file)

External affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee is expected to take over the day-to-day operation of the government if Mr. Singh is incapacitated. He told reporters in New Delhi that it is premature⁴ to talk about him as acting⁵ prime minister.

"These are all theoretical propositions," he said. "We don't know how long it will take, what would happen. But this is normal, government is there."

Medical experts say the 76-year-old prime minister appears to be in relatively⁶ good shape for a man his age. But it will likely be a number of weeks before he could fully⁷ resume his duties.

The prime minister had a similar procedure in Britain in 1990 and has undergone several minor⁸ unrelated surgeries during his five years in office.

The prime minister's health is raising political concerns. His Congress Party leads the coalition⁹ that governs the world's largest democracy and elections are expected to be held within five months.

Mr. Singh, who has a reputation as a brilliant technocrat¹⁰ rather than a savvy¹¹ politician, has been the trusted choice of Congress Party matriarch Sonia Gandhi.

Political analysts¹² say there are no other alternatives in the senior generation to assume power. That means Mrs. Gandhi, the Congress Party president, may be compelled to push forward her 38-year-old son, Rahul. The junior politician still being groomed¹³ to wear the mantle¹⁴ of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty would represent the fourth consecutive¹⁵ generation of his family to be a prime minister of India.

Questions about Mr. Singh's health will likely see trial balloons floated for lesser-known alternative candidates in the Congress Party and by its coalition partners.

The largest opposition¹⁶ party, the BJP, also is hoping for another chance to lead the country. The Hindu nationalistic center-right party was last in power from 1998 to 2004.

1 artery   

n.干线，要道；动脉

参考例句：

• We couldn't feel the changes in the blood pressure within the artery.我们无法感觉到动脉血管内血压的变化。
• The aorta is the largest artery in the body.主动脉是人体中的最大动脉。

2 graft   

n.移植，嫁接，艰苦工作，贪污；v.移植，嫁接

参考例句：

• I am having a skin graft on my arm soon.我马上就要接受手臂的皮肤移植手术。
• The minister became rich through graft.这位部长透过贪污受贿致富。

3 blockages   

n.堵塞物( blockage的名词复数 )；堵塞，阻塞

参考例句：

• The storms could increase the risks posed by river blockages. 暴风雨会增加因河道堵塞所造成的危险。 来自互联网
• An angiogram shows the location and severity of blockages in blood vessels. 冠状动脉造影能够显示血管内的阻塞位置以及阻塞的严重程度。 来自互联网

4 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

5 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

6 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

7 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

8 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

9 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。

10 technocrat   

n.技术人员，技术官僚

参考例句：

• He is a distant technocrat who is unable to connect with ordinary voters.作为一个冷淡的技术官僚，他不能做到与普通选民息息相通。
• Jack Lew,the new budget director,is the quintessential technocrat.新预算主管杰克·卢就是一个典型的技术官僚。

11 savvy   

v.知道，了解；n.理解能力，机智，悟性；adj.有见识的，懂实际知识的，通情达理的

参考例句：

• She was a pretty savvy woman.她是个见过世面的漂亮女人。
• Where's your savvy?你的常识到哪里去了？

12 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

13 groomed   

v.照料或梳洗（马等）( groom的过去式和过去分词 )；使做好准备；训练；（给动物）擦洗

参考例句：

• She is always perfectly groomed. 她总是打扮得干净利落。
• Duff is being groomed for the job of manager. 达夫正接受训练，准备当经理。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 mantle   

n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红

参考例句：

• The earth had donned her mantle of brightest green.大地披上了苍翠欲滴的绿色斗篷。
• The mountain was covered with a mantle of snow.山上覆盖着一层雪。

15 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。

16 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。