VOA常速英语2007-Argentines Vote in National Elections Sunday

By Michael Bowman
Buenos Aires
28 October 2007

Argentines are preparing to go to the polls Sunday to elect a new president, along with legislators and provincial¹ governors. VOA's Michael Bowman reports from Buenos Aires, few Argentines are expressing genuine excitement over the elections, despite the fact that the country appears poised² to elect its first-ever female leader.

More than 20 million Argentines are expected to cast ballots³ in a country where voting is compulsory⁴ for all citizens aged⁵ 18 to 70. Leading the presidential field is Argentina's current first lady and senator, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, wife of outgoing President Nestor Kirchner.

Pre-election polls have shown she is the clear favorite, backed by 40 to 45 percent of the electorate⁶ in a 13-candidate presidential field that spans Argentina's political spectrum⁷. Other contenders include former socialist⁸ lawmaker Elisa Carrio and former economy minister Roberto Lavagna, neither of whom polled above 15 percent in pre-election surveys.

Buenos Aires lawyer Adriana Gomez says she will vote for Fernandez. She says, "Cristina seems to be consistent as a politician. She strikes me as intelligent. I would like for her to become president."

Others shudder⁹ at the thought of President Kirchner transferring the presidential sash to his wife. Architecture student Adrian Torres says he has nothing against having a woman president -- in principle. He says, "It would be historic, but what remains¹⁰ to be seen is if it would be beneficial. I would like to see a female president, but not this one [Cristina Fernandez]."

Sitting next to Adrian in a Buenos Aires park is his girlfriend, Gaby, who is also wary¹¹ of the first lady coming to power.

She says, "Cristina was able to enter the race because she is the president's wife. There were no primary elections."

Fernandez hails from Argentina's historically-dominant Peronist Party, but is running as a center-left coalition¹² candidate. During the campaign, she stressed the strong economic growth rates recorded during President Kirchner's term, and pledged to make sure the gains benefit all Argentines.

As they prepare to cast ballots, some Argentines say they remain unsure who they will end up voting for. Yet many believe that Cristina Fernandez will win. The widespread perception that a Fernandez victory is all but certain appears to have sapped the election of any suspense¹³ or excitement it might have had.

Buenos Aires hotel employee Maribel Lescano. She says, "I will vote. I will fulfill¹⁴ my civic¹⁵ responsibility. But I will not be voting for someone, rather against [someone else]. And that is not a good thing."

To secure a first-round victory and avoid a run-off, Cristina Fernandez would have to get 45 percent of the vote, or 40 percent with a 10 point lead over the second place contender.

1 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

2 poised   

a.摆好姿势不动的

参考例句：

• The hawk poised in mid-air ready to swoop. 老鹰在半空中盘旋，准备俯冲。
• Tina was tense, her hand poised over the telephone. 蒂娜心情紧张，手悬在电话机上。

3 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 compulsory   

n.强制的，必修的；规定的，义务的

参考例句：

• Is English a compulsory subject?英语是必修课吗？
• Compulsory schooling ends at sixteen.义务教育至16岁为止。

5 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

6 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。

7 spectrum   

n.谱，光谱，频谱；范围，幅度，系列

参考例句：

• This is a kind of atomic spectrum.这是一种原子光谱。
• We have known much of the constitution of the solar spectrum.关于太阳光谱的构成，我们已了解不少。

8 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

9 shudder   

v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动

参考例句：

• The sight of the coffin sent a shudder through him.看到那副棺材，他浑身一阵战栗。
• We all shudder at the thought of the dreadful dirty place.我们一想到那可怕的肮脏地方就浑身战惊。

10 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。

11 wary   

adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的

参考例句：

• He is wary of telling secrets to others.他谨防向他人泄露秘密。
• Paula frowned,suddenly wary.宝拉皱了皱眉头，突然警惕起来。

12 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。

13 suspense   

n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑

参考例句：

• The suspense was unbearable.这样提心吊胆的状况实在叫人受不了。
• The director used ingenious devices to keep the audience in suspense.导演用巧妙手法引起观众的悬念。

14 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

15 civic   

adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的

参考例句：

• I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
• The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。