VOA标准英语2010-Top British Politicians to Debate on TV

Analysts² say this is the closest election in Britain in decades, so television viewers might be watching not only for who wins the debates, but also for leaders who can work together in a possible coalition³ government.

Jennifer Glasse | London 15 April 2010

A combination of file images show British Leader of the opposition⁴ Conservative party David Cameron (L) Labour leader and Prime Minister Gordon Brown (C), and leader of the opposition Liberal Democrats⁵ Nick Clegg in London, 09 Apr 2010

 

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the head of Britain's the Labor⁶ Party, is scheduled to debate his two main rivals, David Cameron of the Conservative Party and Nick Clegg of the Liberal Democrats, in three live, televised debates.

Political communications expert Stephen Coleman of the University of Leeds says it is a political turning point. "Britain has never had televised debates before.  It has taken a great number of years to negotiate them into existence.  Finally we are going to see the three main party leaders slogging it out on television in front of a mass audience," he said.

Coleman and other analysts say the debates will make campaign issues more accessible to the public. "I actually think it is a good thing because all of the evidence from America and indeed from European televised debates suggests that people learn more about the issues as a result of watching them," said Coleman.

Critics say it is a move toward personality driven politics.  And Coleman says that in the upcoming debates, there is a lot at stake for the candidates.

"So, of course, there are going to be gotcha moments.  Of course, there is going to be a danger of gaffes⁷.  Of course, a lot of people are going to be looking at the body language and all the rest of it.  And if any of these political leaders go wrong in those terms, then they could do very badly as a result of this," he said.

But analysts say substance could triumph over appearance in these 90-minute debates.

The guidelines for the debates, including asking the studio audience not to react during the program and rules restricting the journalist moderating the forum⁸, are being criticized by pundits⁹ and the public.

Analyst¹ Coleman says this is the debates' biggest problem. "It seems to me that what has happened in 2010, is that Britain has adopted an American style democratic model.  But they have actually employed a Soviet-style format¹⁰ in order to run it," he said.

Political economist¹¹ Dermot Hodson of London's Birkbeck University says the debates are a clear shift toward American presidential-style politics. "The term 'presidential' is important here because it is a parliamentary system, so that the idea that the leaders represent their parties in such a direct way is quite unusual in a political system where parties tend to matter," he said.

Ultimately, he says that will mean change for the British political system. "We are going to see the continuing strengthening of the executive branch of government, where the prime minister matters more and more, the Cabinet matters less and less and parliament, for all of the attention it gets, becomes somewhat of a second order player in this game," said Hodson.

Analysts say this is the closest election in Britain in decades, so television viewers might be watching not only for who wins the debates, but also for leaders who can work together in a possible coalition government.

 

1 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

2 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。

3 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。

4 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

5 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

7 gaffes   

n.失礼，出丑( gaffe的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The presidential candidate made three mistakes, or gaffes, during his speech. 校长候选人在演讲中出了三次错，或失态。 来自超越目标英语 第4册
• When the microphones were on, gaffes gushed from his lips. 而当电话响起，他却口无遮拦，屡屡失言。 来自互联网

8 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

9 pundits   

n.某一学科的权威，专家( pundit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The pundits disagree on the best way of dealing with the problem. 如何妥善处理这一问题，专家众说纷纭。 来自辞典例句
• That did not stop Chinese pundits from making a fuss over it. 这并没有阻止中国的博学之士对此大惊小怪。 来自互联网

10 format   

n.设计，版式；[计算机]格式，DOS命令:格式化(磁盘)，用于空盘或使用过的磁盘建立新空盘来存储数据；v.使格式化，设计，安排

参考例句：

• Please format this floppy disc.请将这张软盘格式化。
• The format of the figure is very tasteful.该图表的格式很雅致。

11 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。