VOA标准英语2008年-S. Africa's Zuma Fails to Confirm Party Candida

Despite promising¹ to do so, African National Congress president Jacob Zuma has failed to name the party candidate to replace President Thabo Mbeki. But as VOA's Delia Robertson reports from our Johannesburg bureau, Zuma appeared to anoint his deputy for the job.
　
Jacob Zuma (File)

Jacob Zuma failed in his first address since forcing the ouster of Thabo Mbeki, to categorically answer the question of who his party will nominate to become president of the country. All Zuma was willing to do, was hint that the party's deputy, Kgalema Motlanthe, might be a good choice.

"But I went further to say, we do not run short of comrades to undertake that task," Zuma said. "We have got experienced ministers who are there, including the deputy president of the ANC who is part of the cabinet, who if given that task, will equal it."

Zuma urged South Africans not to be apprehensive², but did not offer them the certainty they hoped for in the wake of Mr. Mbeki's resignation.

Motlanthe, who is believed to have been born in 1949, came to the ANC through the Black Consciousness Movement of slain³ activist⁴ Steve Biko. He was jailed by the apartheid government for his political activities for about 10 years.

While in jail he forged relationships with several ANC leaders, paving the way for his future in the organization. After his release from prison he joined the trade-union movement, and became secretary general of the National Union of Mineworkers. In 1997 he was elected secretary general of the ANC, and last year became the party's deputy president.

He is among those leaders of the ANC who believe Zuma was unfairly targeted by the prosecuting⁵ authority and is a strong supporter of the ANC president. Even so, he enjoys broad support across most factions⁶ in the ANC because of his calm approach to party disagreements and is considered a peacemaker.

Parliament is expected to meet Thursday to elect a new president who will remain in office until scheduled general elections around April of next year. The ANC is likely to win that election, although experts say with a reduced majority, at which time Jacob Zuma is likely to become president of South Africa.

 

1 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

2 apprehensive   

adj.担心的，恐惧的，善于领会的

参考例句：

• She was deeply apprehensive about her future.她对未来感到非常担心。
• He was rather apprehensive of failure.他相当害怕失败。

3 slain   

杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词)

参考例句：

• The soldiers slain in the battle were burried that night. 在那天夜晚埋葬了在战斗中牺牲了的战士。
• His boy was dead, slain by the hand of the false Amulius. 他的儿子被奸诈的阿缪利乌斯杀死了。

4 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

5 prosecuting   

检举、告发某人( prosecute的现在分词 )； 对某人提起公诉； 继续从事（某事物）； 担任控方律师

参考例句：

• The witness was cross-examined by the prosecuting counsel. 证人接受控方律师的盘问。
• Every point made by the prosecuting attorney was telling. 检查官提出的每一点都是有力的。

6 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别