VOA常速英语2008年-Maoist Victory in Nepal Could Prompt New Era fo

By Steve Herman
New Delhi
14 April 2008

India is expressing a willingness to work with the Maoists in Nepal, who are in line to form the new government in Kathmandu, based on election results so far. VOA Correspondent Steve Herman reports from New Delhi a Maoist victory could mean a lessening¹ of Indian influence over its smaller neighbor to the north.

India is putting its best face forward in reacting to the Maoists lead in the balloting² for Nepal's special assembly. The results will determine the fate of the world's last Hindu kingdom. A Maoist victory is expected to doom³ the monarchy⁴, and may see Nepal pursuing a foreign policy more independent of New Delhi.

India's external affairs minister calls the results a "positive development" because the Maoists kept their pledge to participate in the election. India's ambassador in Kathmandu says his government will accept the mandate⁵ given by Nepal's people.

It is not just geographic⁶ ties - such as Indian rivers with sources in Nepal, and a porous⁷ border - that closely bind⁸ the two countries. Many Nepalese are ethnic⁹ Indians, and both countries have a Hindu religious majority.

India's government paid little heed¹⁰ to the growing clout¹¹ of the Maoists as the rebels fought a decade-long civil war to rid Nepal of the monarchy. The executive director of India's Institute for Conflict Management, Ajai Sahni, says no one in New Delhi expected the Maoists to perform so well in a free election.

"Certainly this has come as a shock to the establishment here," he said. "It was the Indian intelligence establishment and the Indian diplomatic establishment which had, in a sense, mid-wifed the agreement between a completely emasculated political formation, the seven-party alliance and an extremely violent and dominant¹² Maoist grouping, without really thinking out the consequences."

That 2006 peace pact¹³ resulted in the Maoists, which the United States still regards as a terrorist group, laying down their arms and pledging to continue their battle through the political process.

Analysts¹⁴ say a Maoist victory in Nepal will boost the hopes of India's Maoist rebels that they can eventually be victorious¹⁵, as well.

With that in mind, India's establishment continued to ally itself with the Nepali Congress Party and the unpopular King Gyanendra, who has been stripped of power. But Congress Party politicians suffered stunning¹⁶ losses to the Maoists in many key districts in last Thursday's national election.

An intellectual with a history of serving as a middleman between Indian officials and Nepal's Maoists, Bishnu Pathak of the Conflict Study Center in Kathmandu, says two-way communication is currently under way.

"Maoists will not be that much offensive to this Indian government and Indian people too. Maoist and Indian diplomats¹⁷ are trying to have their improved relations to each other," Pathak said.

The Maoists have long called for renegotiating the 58-year-old India-Nepal Peace and Friendship Treaty. That agreement allows nationals of both countries to freely move across the border and own property. The pact has also effectively placed Nepal under India's security umbrella and prevented Nepal from making strategic ties with **, its other giant neighbor.

1 lessening   

减轻，减少，变小

参考例句：

• So however much he earned, she spent it, her demands growing and lessening with his income. 祥子挣多少，她花多少，她的要求随着他的钱涨落。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子
• The talks have resulted in a lessening of suspicion. 谈话消减了彼此的怀疑。

2 balloting   

v.（使）投票表决( ballot的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Clark took a commanding leading in the early balloting. 在最初投票时，克拉克遥遥领先。 来自辞典例句
• The balloting had stagnated, he couldn't win. 投票工作陷于停顿，他不能得胜。 来自辞典例句

3 doom   

n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定

参考例句：

• The report on our economic situation is full of doom and gloom.这份关于我们经济状况的报告充满了令人绝望和沮丧的调子。
• The dictator met his doom after ten years of rule.独裁者统治了十年终于完蛋了。

4 monarchy   

n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国

参考例句：

• The monarchy in England plays an important role in British culture.英格兰的君主政体在英国文化中起重要作用。
• The power of the monarchy in Britain today is more symbolical than real.今日英国君主的权力多为象徵性的，无甚实际意义。

5 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

6 geographic   

adj.地理学的，地理的

参考例句：

• The city's success owes much to its geographic position. 这座城市的成功很大程度上归功于它的地理位置。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Environmental problems pay no heed to these geographic lines. 环境问题并不理会这些地理界限。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

7 porous   

adj.可渗透的，多孔的

参考例句：

• He added sand to the soil to make it more porous.他往土里掺沙子以提高渗水性能。
• The shell has to be slightly porous to enable oxygen to pass in.外壳不得不有些细小的孔以便能使氧气通过。

8 bind   

vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬

参考例句：

• I will let the waiter bind up the parcel for you.我让服务生帮你把包裹包起来。
• He wants a shirt that does not bind him.他要一件不使他觉得过紧的衬衫。

9 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

10 heed   

v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心

参考例句：

• You must take heed of what he has told.你要注意他所告诉的事。
• For the first time he had to pay heed to his appearance.这是他第一次非得注意自己的外表不可了。

11 clout   

n.用手猛击；权力，影响力

参考例句：

• The queen may have privilege but she has no real political clout.女王有特权，但无真正的政治影响力。
• He gave the little boy a clout on the head.他在那小男孩的头部打了一下。

12 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。

13 pact   

n.合同，条约，公约，协定

参考例句：

• The two opposition parties made an electoral pact.那两个反对党订了一个有关选举的协定。
• The trade pact between those two countries came to an end.那两国的通商协定宣告结束。

14 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。

15 victorious   

adj.胜利的，得胜的

参考例句：

• We are certain to be victorious.我们定会胜利。
• The victorious army returned in triumph.获胜的部队凯旋而归。

16 stunning   

adj.极好的；使人晕倒的

参考例句：

• His plays are distinguished only by their stunning mediocrity.他的戏剧与众不同之处就是平凡得出奇。
• The finished effect was absolutely stunning.完工后的效果非常美。

17 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 override   

vt.不顾，不理睬，否决；压倒，优先于

参考例句：

• The welfare of a child should always override the wishes of its parents.孩子的幸福安康应该永远比父母的愿望来得更重要。
• I'm applying in advance for the authority to override him.我提前申请当局对他进行否决。

19 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。