VOA标准英语2013--Bombings, Intimidation Mar Run-up to Pakistan Elections

 

Bombings, Intimidation¹ Mar² Run-up to Pakistan Elections

Militants³ are hitting early election rallies hard in Pakistan. The victims of one blast: supporters of the secular⁴ Awami National Party.

The Taliban has threatened the largely secular parties of ANP, its partner, the Pakistan People’s Party and MQM in the southern city Karachi.

Accountant Abdul Basit Javed says the threat of violence will not stop him from voting.

“There is a lot of turmoil⁵ and pain and agony going on in the country and, in this situation, we need to come out of our homes and we need to cast our votes, so that the situation of our country do [does] change,” Javed said.

Others are less optimistic. Muddassir Rizvi of the Free and Fair Election Network says parties that have taken a stand against militants are being targeted, reducing their ability to rally supporters.

“With these three rather more center or centrist parties being targeted, who have a very clearly defined policy on Talibanization and terrorism, we see this is creating a very un-level playing field for political contenders vying⁶ for power in the next general elections,” Rizvi said.

In the last national elections in 2008, militants killed candidate and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. Violence delayed the vote by six weeks.

This time, some parties are relying on technology like cell phone messages and social media to reach potential voters, without risking big gatherings⁷.

As authorities increase security in the run-up to the May 11 vote, analyst⁸ Moeed Yusuf of the United States Institute of Peace says it is unlikely that attacks will be able to derail the democratic process.

“So my guess is that you are going to have violence. You are going to have unfortunate incidents. But it won’t blow out of proportion to the point where you basically can’t hold an election. I think elections will be held in very tense circumstances, but they will be held ultimately,” Yusuf said.

After years of violence, Pakistanis expected the campaign season would be bloody⁹. But the verdict is still out on how the violence will affect the outcome and credibility of a high-stakes election for a country with a long history of political unrest. 

1 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

2 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

3 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

4 secular   

n.牧师，凡人；adj.世俗的，现世的，不朽的

参考例句：

• We live in an increasingly secular society.我们生活在一个日益非宗教的社会。
• Britain is a plural society in which the secular predominates.英国是个世俗主导的多元社会。

5 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

6 vying   

adj.竞争的；比赛的

参考例句：

• California is vying with other states to capture a piece of the growing communications market.为了在日渐扩大的通讯市场分得一杯羹，加利福尼亚正在和其他州展开竞争。
• Four rescue plans are vying to save the zoo.4个拯救动物园的方案正争得不可开交。

7 gatherings   

聚集( gathering的名词复数 )； 收集； 采集； 搜集

参考例句：

• His conduct at social gatherings created a lot of comment. 他在社交聚会上的表现引起许多闲话。
• During one of these gatherings a pupil caught stealing. 有一次，其中一名弟子偷窃被抓住。

8 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。

9 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。