VOA标准英语2012--World Bank Searches for New Leadership

World Bank Searches for New Leadership

Nominations² to replace Robert Zoellick, the latest in a long line of Americans to head the World Bank, are not being made public until top bank officials cut the list down to only three names.

That will probably happen sometime after March 23, when the nomination¹ process closes.

Under an informal agreement that some critics call outdated³ and unfair, an American has always run the the bank. 

And the Obama administrations says it will nominate a strong candidate for the post. 

A top World Bank official from Indonesia, Hekinus Manao, said the institution is using merit-based criteria⁴ to fill the job. The World Bank's mission is to cut poverty. Manao said that means the bank's many member nations should nominate candidates with international experience and a commitment to development.

"I agree to some extent that we could be skeptical⁵, but we could also be optimistic on that," Manao said.

But U.S. Congresswoman Betty McCollum - co-chair of the World Bank Caucus⁶ - said outgoing bank president Robert Zoellick improved the way the institution deals with soaring food prices, disease, conflict, and poverty, making it more likely another American will get the job.

She said the United States provides the largest share of funds for the bank, and having an American in charge will make it easier to persuade skeptical members of Congress to approve funding for the bank in a time of tight budgets.

"Could someone else do that? Possibly. Would it be a lot harder for them? Absolutely," she said.

The search for a new World Bank chief took an unusual turn when a prominent development expert, Jeffrey Sachs, head of the Earth Institute at Columbia University in New York, put his own name forward as a candidate. While he is an American, he has won the endorsement⁷ of several countries, including Kenya and Malaysia. So far, the Obama administration has not endorsed⁸ him or anyone else.

The financial media have mentioned many possible candidates, including U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice, who has experience working with African nations.

Other possibilities: Indra Nooyi, the Indian-born head of the Pepsi company who is a U.S. citizen, and Nandan Nilekani, who started the large Indian technology firm Infosys.

1 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

2 nominations   

n.提名，任命( nomination的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Nominations are invited for the post of party chairman. 为党主席职位征集候选人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Much coverage surrounded his abortive bids for the 1960,1964, and 1968 Republican Presidential nominations. 许多消息报道都围绕着1960年、1964年和1968年他为争取提名为共和党总统候选人所做努力的失败。 来自辞典例句

3 outdated   

adj.旧式的，落伍的，过时的；v.使过时

参考例句：

• That list of addresses is outdated,many have changed.那个通讯录已经没用了，许多地址已经改了。
• Many of us conform to the outdated customs laid down by our forebears.我们许多人都遵循祖先立下的过时习俗。

4 criteria   

n.标准

参考例句：

• The main criterion is value for money.主要的标准是钱要用得划算。
• There are strict criteria for inclusion in the competition.参赛的标准很严格。

5 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

6 caucus   

n.秘密会议；干部会议；v.（参加）干部开会议

参考例句：

• This multi-staged caucus takes several months.这个多级会议常常历时好几个月。
• It kept the Democratic caucus from fragmenting.它也使得民主党的核心小组避免了土崩瓦解的危险。

7 endorsement   

n.背书；赞成，认可，担保；签(注)，批注

参考例句：

• We are happy to give the product our full endorsement.我们很高兴给予该产品完全的认可。
• His presidential campaign won endorsement from several celebrities.他参加总统竞选得到一些社会名流的支持。

8 endorsed   

vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• The committee endorsed an initiative by the chairman to enter discussion about a possible merger. 委员会通过了主席提出的新方案，开始就可能进行的并购进行讨论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has broadly endorsed a research paper proposing new educational targets for 14-year-olds. 政府基本上支持建议对14 岁少年实行新教育目标的研究报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》