VOA常速英语2014--民众对普京的认可根植于民族主义

 

Putin's Popularity Rooted in Nationalism 民众对普京的认可根植于民族主义

MOSCOW— 

Russia's economy was struggling even before it was hit with western sanctions for annexing¹ Crimea from Ukraine. Despite the downward trend, President Vladimir Putin's popularity has reached an all-time high on a wave of nationalistic fervor².  But analysts⁴ say the high numbers are set to drop.

The value of the Russian currency, the ruble, is at a historic low as western sanctions and falling oil prices take a toll⁵ on the economy.

西方制裁和油价下跌对俄罗斯经济造成影响，导致该国货币卢比的价值达到历史最低。

But Putin's approval rating is over 80 percent since Russia annexed⁶ Crimea from Ukraine.

但自俄罗斯将克里米亚从乌克兰吞并以来，普京的认可率达到80%。

The boost came at just the right time, says Lev Gudkov, director of the Levada Center, an independent surveyor of public opinion.

Lev Gudkov是公众舆论独立调查机构莱瓦达中心主任，他说认可率的上升恰逢其时。

“Putin's popularity had been decreasing since August-September 2008 when it was at its peak during the Russia-Georgia war, and it had been falling until January this year, when his support and popularity were at their lowest level," Gudkov explained, adding that Putin is riding a wave of nationalist euphoria and "an imitation of mass support."

“自2008年8、9月份以来普京的欢迎度一直在下降，到了俄罗斯与格鲁尼亚交战期间到了最高，到今年一月份之前一直在下降，一月份时其支持率和欢迎度达到最低点。”他说普京在利用这股民族主义狂热和“貌似大规模支持的局面”。

“As it is, the competition is suppressed, mass media are under severe censorship, the Duma, the Russian parliament, is assessed very negatively as a body totally dependent on Putin and the government and regarded not as a parliament but as an assembly of branch lobbyists, representing the interests of influential⁷ groups. Thus, by manipulating mass opinion they create an imitation of mass support," Gudkov said.

“竞争受到抑制，大众媒体处于严格的审查中，作为一个完全依赖于普京和政府的机构，俄罗斯杜马议会得到的评价都是负面的，人们不再视之为议会，而是将它看做各种游说者的大会，代表着有影响力群体的利益。因此，通过操纵大众舆论，他们就制造了貌似大规模支持的场面。”

Putin's supporters say by standing⁸ up to the West, he has restored Russia's status on the world stage.

普京的支持者称普京勇敢面对西方，恢复了俄罗斯在世界舞台上的地位。

The Russian president says the self-styled victors in the Cold War have been ignoring Russia while reshaping the world to suit their own needs and interests.

普京说冷战中自封为胜利者在重塑世界以迎合自己需要和利益的同时，将俄罗斯置之不理。

"Of course the sanctions are a hindrance⁹. They are trying to hurt us through these sanctions, block our development and push us into political, economic and cultural isolation¹⁰, force us into backwardness in other words," he said.

“制裁肯定是个障碍，他们在试图通过制裁伤害我们，阻扰我们的发展，将我们推入政治、经济和文化隔离局面，迫使我们退步。”

RusEnergy analyst³ Mikhail Krutikhin says sanctions pushed about a third of RusEnergy's oil and gas company clients to abandon hopes for contracts in Russia.  But he also notes the anti-western talk is tied to the price of oil, Russia's most important export, accounting¹¹ for half the government's budget.

咨询公司RusEnergy的分析员米哈伊尔·克鲁季欣说制裁使得本公司三分之一的石油和天然气公司客户放弃了俄罗斯国内的协议。但他指出，反西方对话与油价有关，石油是俄罗斯最重要的出口产品，占政府预算的一半。

“I think the higher the prices of oil, the more vociferous¹² are the supporters of Mr. Putin," he said.  "The nationalistic rhetoric¹³ sounds much louder. And, as soon as the price of oil goes down, I think the popularity of Putin and that sort of rhetoric also diminishes.”

“我想油价越高，普京支持者们会越激动，这种民族主义说辞会越响亮。只要油价下跌，我想普京的欢迎度和这种说辞也会消退。”

Putin's response to sanctions was a ban on western food imports that is pushing up consumer costs.

普京对制裁的应对是禁止西方食品进口，但这也抬高了消费者的成本。

Analysts say there are already signs the Kremlin's patriotic¹⁴ euphoria and propaganda is beginning to wear thin, as economic problems make people assess situations and prospects¹⁵ more realistically.

分析家称已经有迹象表明克里姆林宫的爱国主义说辞和宣传声势开始渐弱，因为经济问题使得人们开始评估局势，并以现实的态度来展望未来。

1 annexing   

并吞( annex的现在分词 )； 兼并； 强占； 并吞（国家、地区等）

参考例句：

• In addition to annexing territory, they exacted huge indemnities. 割地之外，又索去了巨大的赔款。
• He succeeded in annexing all the property of Hindley's and the Linton's. 他成功的占有了亨得利和林顿的所有财产。

2 fervor   

n.热诚；热心；炽热

参考例句：

• They were concerned only with their own religious fervor.他们只关心自己的宗教热诚。
• The speech aroused nationalist fervor.这个演讲喚起了民族主义热情。

3 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。

4 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。

5 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

6 annexed   

[法] 附加的，附属的

参考例句：

• Germany annexed Austria in 1938. 1938年德国吞并了奥地利。
• The outlying villages were formally annexed by the town last year. 那些偏远的村庄于去年正式被并入该镇。

7 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

8 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

9 hindrance   

n.妨碍，障碍

参考例句：

• Now they can construct tunnel systems without hindrance.现在他们可以顺利地建造隧道系统了。
• The heavy baggage was a great hindrance to me.那件行李成了我的大累赘。

10 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

11 accounting   

n.会计，会计学，借贷对照表

参考例句：

• A job fell vacant in the accounting department.财会部出现了一个空缺。
• There's an accounting error in this entry.这笔账目里有差错。

12 vociferous   

adj.喧哗的，大叫大嚷的

参考例句：

• They are holding a vociferous debate.他们在吵吵嚷嚷地辩论。
• He was a vociferous opponent of Conservatism.他高声反对保守主义。

13 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

14 patriotic   

adj.爱国的，有爱国心的

参考例句：

• His speech was full of patriotic sentiments.他的演说充满了爱国之情。
• The old man is a patriotic overseas Chinese.这位老人是一位爱国华侨。

15 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。