VOA标准英语2013--在国外生活的津巴布韦人回国投票

 

Zimbabweans Living Abroad Return Home to Vote 在国外生活的津巴布韦人回国投票

JOHANNESBURG — 

Zimbabwe is holding a national poll Wednesday for some 6 million voters in the Southern African nation.  But millions of Zimbabweans live outside of their country, according to UN estimates, and the majority are not fans of the current regime.  The government has said it can’t afford to extend them overseas voting rights, though critics say that is an attempt to shut out the opposition¹.  In the immigrant hub of Johannesburg, the opposition is helping² Zimbabweans return home to vote. 

The UN’s International Organization for Migration³ says some two to three million Zimbabweans live in South Africa.

Many say they fled because of the regime of President Robert Mugabe. Large numbers have settled in inner-city Johannesburg.  

And many of them say they want in on the July 31 election and are prepared to risk a costly⁴, long and possibly dangerous trip home. 

Rights groups frequently accuse Mugabe’s security forces of intimidating⁵ and attacking opposition supporters. 

Some of these voters say they are making the trip in the hopes their vote can kick Mugabe out of office after more than three decades in power. 

Mugabe’s main challenger is long-time rival, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change.  The two have run against each other for the last three elections, and were forced into a power-sharing coalition⁶ after the violent 2008 poll. 

Opposition representatives in South Africa say their members have donated money to transport thousands of voters back to Zimbabwe to assist with that goal. 

“What we normally do with our members who go back, we induct them in terms of how they should conduct themselves whilst they are in Zimbabwe," explained Khumbulani Moyo, a South Africa-based opposition leader,  "and making sure that they don’t do what is not according to the laws of Zimbabwe. Their main objective is to go and cast their vote to make sure that there is a democratic change Zimbabwe.”

Opposition voter Lizwe Gwebu said he’s thrilled at the prospect⁷ of change. 

“I’m very excited, I’m going back home to cast my vote on the 31st of July,” Gwebu said enthusiastically.

University of Johannesburg student Andrew Gotora has a Zimbabwean presidential scholarship. 

“Obviously, at times you get worried that what if the current government doesn’t win the elections," Gotora admitted, "what will the future for us hold as the students since we signed the contract under the ZANU-PF government.”

No matter whom they vote for, these Zimbabweans living abroad say they want democracy, even if they have to travel long distances to get it. 

1 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。

2 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

3 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

4 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

5 intimidating   

vt.恐吓，威胁( intimidate的现在分词)

参考例句：

• They were accused of intimidating people into voting for them. 他们被控胁迫选民投他们的票。
• This kind of questioning can be very intimidating to children. 这种问话的方式可能让孩子们非常害怕。

6 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。

7 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。