India election starts final phase

India election starts final phase

印度大选迎来最后角逐

India has entered the final phase of its marathon general election, with 107m voters eligible（有资格的，合格的）to cast ballots¹.（不记名票）

Voting is taking place in 86 constituencies（选区） across seven states, including crucial Tamil Nadu in the south and most parts of Calcutta.

The main fight is between the ruling Congress party-led alliance and parties led by the BJP, although there is a host of regional opposition².

Results are announced on 16 May and an outright（率直的，完全的，总共的） majority for any is unlikely.

Voters in the states of Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal are casting ballots on Wednesday, the final day of voting.

Polls are also being held in the federally-administered territories of Chandigarh and Pondicherry.

Crucial role

All 39 constituencies in the southern state of Tamil Nadu as well as Baramullah and Ladakh in Indian-administered Kashmir are voting.

Tamil Nadu - where voters tend to hand big victories to one of the state's two main parties or the other - is expected to play a crucial role in the formation of the government in the coalition（结合，合并，联合） talks that are almost certain follow the election.

In Jammu and Kashmir, some separatist（分离主义者）groups have called for a boycott³ （抵制，拒绝参加）of the elections and a two-day strike has begun in the Muslim-majority Kashmir valley.

A former separatist and head of a faction（派别，派系，阵营）of the regional People's Conference party, Sajjad Lone⁴, has broken ranks to stand for election from Baramullah.

The BBC's Altaf Hussain in Srinagar says shops, offices and banks are closed in most parts of the valley and transport is suspended.（被暂时搁置的）

A large number of police and paramilitary troops have been deployed⁵ in the capital, Srinagar, to prevent anti-election demonstrations⁶, our correspondent says.

Although long queues of voters were seen at some polling centres in Srinagar last week, the overall turnout was low.

Among the other candidates facing the electorate⁷ on Wednesday are Varun Gandhi and Mohammad Azharrudin.

Mr Gandhi, who has been accused of making a controversial anti-Muslim speech, is standing⁸ for the Bharatiya Janata Party in Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh.

Ex-cricketer Azharruddin stands for Congress in Moradabad in the same state.

The first round of the general election on 16 April was marred⁹ by Maoist attacks in eastern and central India which killed at least 17 people. Later rounds were less violent.

About two million security personnel（保安人员） are being deployed（展开，配置，部署） for the five-phase vote.

The new parliament has to be constituted by 2 June. (本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

 

1 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》

2 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。

3 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

4 lone   

adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的

参考例句：

• A lone sea gull flew across the sky.一只孤独的海鸥在空中飞过。
• She could see a lone figure on the deserted beach.她在空旷的海滩上能看到一个孤独的身影。

5 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

6 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

7 electorate   

n.全体选民；选区

参考例句：

• The government was responsible to the electorate.政府对全体选民负责。
• He has the backing of almost a quarter of the electorate.他得到了几乎1/4选民的支持。

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 marred   

adj. 被损毁, 污损的

参考例句：

• The game was marred by the behaviour of drunken fans. 喝醉了的球迷行为不轨，把比赛给搅了。
• Bad diction marred the effectiveness of his speech. 措词不当影响了他演说的效果。