VOA标准英语2012--Egyptians Living Abroad Cast Votes for New President

 

Egyptians Living Abroad Cast Votes for New President

In the shade outside of her office in Washington, Nihal Elwan is about to do something she’s never done before. She’s voting for the president of her homeland - Egypt. She has 13 candidates to choose from - including Islamists, leftists and former regime officials - each identified by name and a symbol for voters who cannot read.

"Should the process be transparent¹, then for the first time, this country will be run by a president who is actually elected. Which is incredible. I mean, it’s incredible," said Elwan.

Egyptians forced longtime president Hosni Mubarak from office last year during the so-called "Arab Spring" uprisings. A military transitional government has ruled Egypt ever since. Sameh Shoukry, the Egyptian ambassador to United States, said the next president must establish stability.

"It’s the institutionalized reforms, laying the foundations of a new Egypt, which I’m sure will not only occupy the president, but all segments of government," said Shoukry.

More than 27,000 Egyptian expatriates registered to vote on the election website. Half of those printed out ballots³. Here in Washington, more than 3,000 voted.

Elwan arrives at the embassy to join those thousands. Her identification is checked.

She puts her sealed ballot² in a plastic bin⁴, numbered 7. It’s the seventh and final day of voting for Egyptians living outside of Egypt. And, many are embracing their new right to freedom of speech.

Some voters used the outside of their envelopes to comment on the election. It doesn’t desecrate⁵ the ballot or affect their vote, but does make a statement. This one reads "Down with military rule. Long live the martyrs⁶."

Elwan did not write that, but she understands what was lost to gain her new privileges.

"Thousands of people died, and the fact that I get to vote means that thousands of people died for the past year and a half for me to be able to vote, so, that’s just so invaluable," she said.

If no candidate emerges as a clear winner after voters in Egypt cast their ballots, a runoff will take place in June.

1 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

2 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

3 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

5 desecrate   

v.供俗用，亵渎，污辱

参考例句：

• The enemy desecrate the church by using it as a stable.敌人亵渎这所教堂,把它当做马厩。
• It's a crime to desecrate the country's flag.玷污国旗是犯罪。

6 martyrs   

n.martyr的复数形式；烈士( martyr的名词复数 )；殉道者；殉教者；乞怜者（向人诉苦以博取同情）

参考例句：

• the early Christian martyrs 早期基督教殉道者
• They paid their respects to the revolutionary martyrs. 他们向革命烈士致哀。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》