VOA标准英语2008年-Pakistan's President Resigns

Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf has announced his resignation, before his political opponents planned to begin impeachment¹ proceedings² against him. VOA's Barry Newhouse reports from Islamabad, where Mr. Musharraf denied any wrongdoing and said he is stepping down for the good of the country.
　
Handout³ photo released by Pakistan's Press Information department shows Pervez Musharraf addressing nation in Islamabad, 18 Aug 2008

The president announced his resignation live on national television, during a midday address from the president's house in Islamabad. The president at times appeared emotional during the hour-long speech, as he reviewed the accomplishments⁴ of his nearly nine years in power.

The president scoffed⁵ at the as-yet unspecified impeachment charges against him - calling them baseless. However, he said that contesting them could further destabilize the country.
He says he is resigning for the good of Pakistan.

Mr. Musharraf's resignation ends a remarkable⁶ political career that began when he seized power in a bloodless coup⁷ in 1999. During much of his reign⁸, he maintained a tight grip on Pakistan's military and the political establishment.

But, during a series of legal challenges to his rule last year, he dismissed the government and declared a state of emergency. Mr. Musharraf then came under increasing domestic and international pressure for more political openness. He later stepped down as army chief and held national elections that saw his party soundly defeated.

Pakistan People's Party Senator Raza Rabbani called the Musharraf resignation a victory for democracy.

"I think this is perhaps the first time in Pakistan's political history where you have the will of the people prevailing⁹ over establishment institutions," the senator said.

Mr. Musharraf says his political opponents have made baseless accusations¹⁰ against him, including blaming him for the country's faltering¹¹ economy that only further plummeted¹² after they came to power.

In recent months, rolling blackouts, rising food prices, a sinking stock market and the devaluation of the Pakistani Rupee have been top issues in the impoverished¹³ country.

Ehsan Iqbal is a spokesman for the Pakistan Muslim League-N party. He says Mr. Musharraf's resignation will allow the government to address other pressing issues.

"Musharraf's exit will only make Pakistan more stable," Iqbal said. "You have seen that Pakistan's stock market has responded very positively¹⁴. And, you have seen that the rupee has appreciated against the dollar. And, the restoration of judges will only improve things even further."

With Mr. Musharraf's departure, the restoration of the top judges he dismissed is expected to be high on the agenda of the coalition¹⁵ government.

But the president's fate is also under scrutiny¹⁶, because some political leaders have indicated they want to press criminal charges against him.

Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan is a leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-N party. He says the president's crimes include the imprisonment¹⁷ of judges, as well as restrictions¹⁸ on the media and civil society.

"We are very clear and consistent in our stance that General Pervez Musharraf should be brought into a court of law to answer for the crimes he has committed against the people of Pakistan," he said.

In recent days, some politicians have indicated that, if the president resigned, he could be granted legal immunity¹⁹ or be given safe passage into exile in another country.

Mr. Musharraf addressed his legal fate near the end of his resignation speech, saying that he wanted to let "the nation and the public" determine his future.

"Let them be the judges and let them do justice, " he said.

In concluding his live address, Mr. Musharraf's said "I am going, but God save Pakistan."

 

1 impeachment   

n.弹劾；控告；怀疑

参考例句：

• Impeachment is considered a drastic measure in the United States.在美国，弹劾被视为一种非常激烈的措施。
• The verdict resulting from his impeachment destroyed his political career.他遭弹劾后得到的判决毁了他的政治生涯。

2 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

3 handout   

n.散发的文字材料；救济品

参考例句：

• I read the handout carefully.我仔细看了这份分发的资料。
• His job was distributing handout at the street-corner.他的工作是在街头发传单。

4 accomplishments   

n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就

参考例句：

• It was one of the President's greatest accomplishments. 那是总统最伟大的成就之一。
• Among her accomplishments were sewing,cooking,playing the piano and dancing. 她的才能包括缝纫、烹调、弹钢琴和跳舞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

5 scoffed   

嘲笑，嘲弄( scoff的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He scoffed at our amateurish attempts. 他对我们不在行的尝试嗤之以鼻。
• A hundred years ago people scoffed at the idea. 一百年前人们曾嘲笑过这种想法。

6 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

7 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

8 reign   

n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势

参考例句：

• The reign of Queen Elizabeth lapped over into the seventeenth century.伊丽莎白王朝延至17世纪。
• The reign of Zhu Yuanzhang lasted about 31 years.朱元璋统治了大约三十一年。

9 prevailing   

adj.盛行的；占优势的；主要的

参考例句：

• She wears a fashionable hair style prevailing in the city.她的发型是这个城市流行的款式。
• This reflects attitudes and values prevailing in society.这反映了社会上盛行的态度和价值观。

10 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

11 faltering   

犹豫的，支吾的，蹒跚的

参考例句：

• The economy shows no signs of faltering. 经济没有衰退的迹象。
• I canfeel my legs faltering. 我感到我的腿在颤抖。

12 plummeted   

v.垂直落下，骤然跌落( plummet的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Share prices plummeted to an all-time low. 股票价格暴跌到历史最低点。
• A plane plummeted to earth. 一架飞机一头栽向地面。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

15 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。

16 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

17 imprisonment   

n.关押，监禁，坐牢

参考例句：

• His sentence was commuted from death to life imprisonment.他的判决由死刑减为无期徒刑。
• He was sentenced to one year's imprisonment for committing bigamy.他因为犯重婚罪被判入狱一年。

18 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

19 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。