VOA常速英语2007年-Former Seoul Mayor Predicted to Win S. Korean P

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
19 December 2007

Voting stations are now closed in South Korea's presidential vote, and exit polls so far show no deviation¹ from the result many have expected for weeks. Former Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak is projected to win about half of the popular vote, despite a last minute flare-up of corruption² allegations against him. VOA's Kurt Achin reports from Seoul.

Campaign officials at the headquarters of Lee Myung-bak's Grand National Party erupted into cheers Wednesday, as national news networks predicted a landslide³ victory in the presidential election.

Exit polls sponsored by national news networks predicted Lee would receive more than 50 percent of the popular vote - a result election officials say they will be able to confirm before midnight.

Lee's closest challenger, United New Democrat⁴ Party candidate Chung Dong-young, is projected to receive about 26 percent of the popular vote. Independent candidate Lee Hoi-chang is expected to garner⁵ about 14 percent.

 

Lee Myung-bak, a former Seoul mayor and corporate⁶ chairman, has promised to cut taxes, double per capita income, and boost South Korea's growth rate from the current four percent to seven percent. He has also said he will take a more "businesslike" approach to doling⁷ out South Korean aid and investment to North Korea.

That economically focused message has proven extremely popular among South Koreans, who blame outgoing President Roh Moo-hyun for stalling the economy. Many voters say supporting Lee is all about improving their bottom line.

Ji Seung-yong, a taxi driver in his 40's, says he supported Lee because he saw "no other option" for reviving the economy.

Lee's double-digit poll leads have persevered⁸ through months of allegations he once engaged in fraud and stock manipulation. South Korean prosecutors⁹ cleared him last week of formal charges, but lawmakers approved an independent counsel investigation¹⁰ of the matter this week.

South Korean officials say turnout reached a record low in this election, with only about 59 percent of the country's roughly 37 million eligible¹¹ voters casting a ballot¹² compared to about 70 percent five years ago.

1 deviation   

n.背离，偏离；偏差，偏向；离题

参考例句：

• Deviation from this rule are very rare.很少有违反这条规则的。
• Any deviation from the party's faith is seen as betrayal.任何对党的信仰的偏离被视作背叛。

2 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。

3 landslide   

n.(竞选中)压倒多数的选票；一面倒的胜利

参考例句：

• Our candidate is predicated to win by a landslide.我们的候选人被预言将以绝对优势取胜。
• An electoral landslide put the Labour Party into power in 1945.1945年工党以压倒多数的胜利当选执政。

4 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

5 garner   

v.收藏；取得

参考例句：

• He has garnered extensive support for his proposals.他的提议得到了广泛的支持。
• Squirrels garner nuts for the winter.松鼠为过冬储存松果。

6 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

7 doling   

救济物( dole的现在分词 )； 失业救济金

参考例句：

• "What are you doling?'she once demanded over the intercom. 有一次他母亲通过对讲机问他：“你在干什么？ 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史
• Many scrollbars are quite parsimonious in doling out information to users. 很多滚动条都很吝啬，给用户传递的信息太少。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

8 persevered   

v.坚忍，坚持( persevere的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She persevered with her violin lessons. 她孜孜不倦地学习小提琴。
• Hard as the conditions were, he persevered in his studies. 虽然条件艰苦，但他仍坚持学习。 来自辞典例句

9 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

10 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

11 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

12 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。