VOA标准英语2009年-Citizens in Madagascar React to New Government

Madagascar's newly installed President Andry Rajoelina held his first cabinet meeting and met with the diplomatic corps¹. It was all part of an attempt to ease the worries of a general population that is traumatized by months of civil unrest.
　
Newly-installed President of Madagascar Andry Rajoelina (l) is received in the capital, Antananarivo, by French ambassador Jean-Marc Chataignier (r), 19 Mar² 2009

A group of people have gathered outside the burned-out shell of a department store in downtown Antananarivo. The store was looted during the violence that accompanied the confrontation³ between former president Marc Ravalomanana and the country's new leader, Andry Rajoelina.

Street vendor⁴ Frederic Rurofonandorasalla says he is happy that Mr. Rajoelina's group has prevailed because it gives him hope for a better life.

He says he is sorry people lost their belongings⁵ because of the looting during the crisis. We could have found another solution, he says. Now we have dead people on our conscience and it makes me unhappy.

The confrontation began in January after the former president shut down a radio station owned by Mr. Rajoelina.

Angry crowds subsequently sacked and looted business owned by Mr. Ravalomanana, one of the country's wealthiest citizens. More than 100 people were killed in the clashes before soldiers mutinied saying they would no longer take orders to shoot their own people.

Retired⁶ civil servant Jean-Paul Reiser says rising food prices and growing signs of corruption⁷ and authoritarianism⁸ by the former president were the main cause of the confrontation.

He wants the new government to give hope to the people, three-fourths of whom live on less than $2.00 per day. He says we need to live. The new leaders should support the unemployed⁹, find them jobs. Because in all of Africa, we are very poor.

Remia Razafindrasda, a 17-year-old student trying to finish her last year of high school, says she was due to take her graduation exams [the "BAC"] this year, but because of the strikes she almost lost the entire school year. All we want, she says, is for calm to be restored for good so that we can pursue our studies.

Taxi-driver Jose Radaomanga is sitting with some colleagues by a line of taxis that stretches to the end of the block.

The unrest has severely¹⁰ affected¹¹ his business. He says now he is lucky to have one fare a day. He says he does not care about Mr. Ravalomanana or Mr. Rajoelina. All he wants to do is to feed his family.

The new leaders say their transitional government will draft a new constitution and hold elections within two years. Mr. Rajoelina has also pledged to lower prices for basic food items and to free political prisoners.

Graduate student Andre Arthur hopes that the promised elections will be held and competent people will come to power.

He says previous political transitions in his country have often been violent and that is because people who attain¹² power make promises, but do not deliver on them.

Nevertheless he says he remains¹³ optimistic about this government because otherwise nothing will change in Madagascar.

1 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

2 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

3 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

4 vendor   

n.卖主；小贩

参考例句：

• She looked at the vendor who cheated her the other day with distaste.她厌恶地望着那个前几天曾经欺骗过她的小贩。
• He must inform the vendor immediately.他必须立即通知卖方。

5 belongings   

n.私人物品，私人财物

参考例句：

• I put a few personal belongings in a bag.我把几件私人物品装进包中。
• Your personal belongings are not dutiable.个人物品不用纳税。

6 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。

7 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

8 authoritarianism   

权力主义，独裁主义

参考例句：

• Modern authoritarianism is a vestige of traditional personal rule. 现代独裁主义则是传统的个人统治的残余。
• In its latter days it was a byword for authoritarianism, incompetence, and corruption. 在后期，它是独裁、无能和腐化的代号。

9 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

10 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

11 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

12 attain   

vt.达到，获得，完成

参考例句：

• I used the scientific method to attain this end. 我用科学的方法来达到这一目的。
• His painstaking to attain his goal in life is praiseworthy. 他为实现人生目标所下的苦功是值得称赞的。

13 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。