VOA标准英语2014--Mandela's Shadow Still Looms Over South Africa Elections

 

Mandela's Shadow Still Looms¹ Over South Africa Elections

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA — One of the most prominent figures in South Africa's general election isn't even running: the late Nelson Mandela. As the man who led the African National Congress to victory in the nation's first democratic elections in 1994, his face is the one emblazoned on most ANC paraphernalia². While the ANC claims an undeniable hold on him, however, critics say his scandal-prone party is not living up to his vision.

Mandela has been the face of South Africa's struggle from the dark days of apartheid to the democratic Rainbow Nation it is today.

Twenty years after he was elected as South Africa's first black president -- and months after his death -- he's still the face of the ruling ANC.

Myriad³ scandals

But opposition⁴ leader Helen Zille said Mandela's party has strayed far from his ideals. Her Democratic Alliance, the largest of many opposition parties in South Africa, has slammed President Jacob Zuma for a series of high-profile corruption⁵ scandals.

"Well, the big face of this election, sadly, is not Nelson Mandela. It's Jacob Zuma. And that symbolizes⁶ what the ANC has become under Jacob Zuma. And that comparison is there for everybody to make," said  Zille.

The latest scandal to hit Zuma, the ANC's leader, is a report by the public protector [ombudsman] alleging⁷ he spent more than $20 million in public funds for lavish⁸ upgrades to his personal home.

These scandals do not appear to have swayed ANC stalwarts, though, who say they can never repay Mandela's party for ending apartheid and its many racist⁹ restrictions¹⁰.

Faithful supporters

Selina Madida is one of them and refers to Mandela by his clan¹¹ name Madiba. "Before Madiba, me wasn't right to come here to Joburg. Must ask me, must go back to Newcastle. Must hold my ID everywhere where I go. Now it's not like this. Because of Madiba."

Analyst¹² and journalist Khadija Patel, who runs the website SA Votes 2014, said many parties have used Mandela's image, but only the ANC can still claim his endorsement¹³ -- especially after Mandela bequeathed money in his will to the party.

"… it's really the ANC who still have the actual evidence of them being the actual party of Mandela. Whether they still uphold or still live up to his vision is another thing altogether. But certainly they have the endorsement of Mandela from the grave," said Patel.

Will voters show the ANC the love that they showed to the father of this nation? Recent polls seem to indicate that they will and that, come May 7, the ANC will win with more than two-thirds of the vote.

1 looms   

n.织布机( loom的名词复数 )v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的第三人称单数 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• All were busily engaged,men at their ploughs,women at their looms. 大家都很忙，男的耕田，女的织布。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The factory has twenty-five looms. 那家工厂有25台织布机。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 paraphernalia   

n.装备；随身用品

参考例句：

• Can you move all your paraphernalia out of the way?你可以把所有的随身物品移开吗？
• All my fishing paraphernalia is in the car.我的鱼具都在汽车里。

3 myriad   

adj.无数的；n.无数，极大数量

参考例句：

• They offered no solution for all our myriad problems.对于我们数不清的问题他们束手无策。
• I had three weeks to make a myriad of arrangements.我花了三个星期做大量准备工作。

4 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。

5 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

6 symbolizes   

v.象征，作为…的象征( symbolize的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The use of light and dark symbolizes good and evil. 用光明与黑暗来象征善与恶。
• She likes olive because It'symbolizes peace. 她喜欢橄榄色因为它象征着和平。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 alleging   

断言，宣称，辩解( allege的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• His reputation was blemished by a newspaper article alleging he'd evaded his taxes. 由于报上一篇文章声称他曾逃税，他的名誉受到损害。
• This our Peeress declined as unnecessary, alleging that her cousin Thornhill's recommendation would be sufficient. 那位贵人不肯，还说不必，只要有她老表唐希尔保荐就够了。

8 lavish   

adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍

参考例句：

• He despised people who were lavish with their praises.他看不起那些阿谀奉承的人。
• The sets and costumes are lavish.布景和服装极尽奢华。

9 racist   

n.种族主义者，种族主义分子

参考例句：

• a series of racist attacks 一连串的种族袭击行为
• His speech presented racist ideas under the guise of nationalism. 他的讲话以民族主义为幌子宣扬种族主义思想。

10 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

11 clan   

n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派

参考例句：

• She ranks as my junior in the clan.她的辈分比我小。
• The Chinese Christians,therefore,practically excommunicate themselves from their own clan.所以，中国的基督徒简直是被逐出了自己的家族了。

12 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。

13 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。