新西兰英语 374 New Minister of Women’s Affairs

　　The Prime Minister, John Key, has chosen Hekia Parata to replace Pansy Wong. Ms Parata has also been given three Associate Minister positions: Associate Minister of ACC, Energy and Resources, and Community and Voluntary Sector¹.
She has only been an MP for two years but the Prime Minister is very impressed with her. She stood as a National candidate in the Mana by-election and although she didn’t win, a large number of people voted for her. She said she will stand in the Mana electorate² again in the next elections and thinks she will win next time. At the moment she is a list MP.
She has an impressive background. She is Maori and comes from Ruatoria near Gisborne. She has a Masters degree from Waikato University and also studied at Oxford³ and Harvard universities. She is a successful business woman. In the past she has held many senior positions in the public service such as the Ministry⁴ of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry for the Environment. She also finds time for long distance running and cycling.
Questions
Pansy Wong and her husband will repay $237 each for their trip to China where they were involved in business. She has apologized for using taxpayer⁵ money for this trip. Do you think she should get another chance to be a Minister in the future?
The Minister of the Community and Voluntary Sector is Tariana Turia. This is a new Ministry. What will this Ministry do?

1 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

2 electorate   

n.全体选民；选区

参考例句：

• The government was responsible to the electorate.政府对全体选民负责。
• He has the backing of almost a quarter of the electorate.他得到了几乎1/4选民的支持。

3 Oxford   

n.牛津（英国城市）

参考例句：

• At present he has become a Professor of Chemistry at Oxford.他现在已是牛津大学的化学教授了。
• This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。

4 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

5 taxpayer   

n.纳税人

参考例句：

• The new scheme will run off with a lot of the taxpayer's money.这项新计划将用去纳税人许多钱。
• The taxpayer are unfavourably disposed towards the recent tax increase.纳税者对最近的增加税收十分反感。