美国有线新闻 CNN 2015-04-02

 With two days left in March, we're glad you're taking 10 minutes to watch CNN Student News. My name is Carl Azuz.

 

First up in our commercial-free coverage¹, votes are being counted in the African Nation of Nigeria. Results could come out Tuesday from the country's most tightly contested election since democracy was re-established there in 1999. Analysts² say turnout was high, in the tens of millions. And that's despite the fact that the election commission's Web site was hacked³, despite some problems with ballot⁴ paper and digital voting card readers and despite attacks by the Boko Haram terrorist group. It's based in Northern Nigeria. It wants a strict form of Islamic law in the country. It killed at least 11 people at polling stations, so security was a major concern in these elections, but not the only one.

 

With nearly 180 million people, Nigeria is the most populous⁵ country in Africa and one of the world's largest mega democracies. I am CNN journalist Stephanie Busari and I was born and raised in Nigeria.

 

The Nigeria I remember was a very peaceful country with different faiths mixing together, interacting peacefully. But that, that has changed significantly in recent times.

 

The major issue for most Nigerians is security. In the past five years, Boko Haram, the terrorist group, has killed and kidnapped thousands of Nigerians. They really came to the world's attention in April last year, when they kidnapped nearly 300 school girls. Past elections has been marred⁶ by allegations of rigging and election violence.

 

The economy is also crucial. Last year, Nigeria overtook South Africa to become the largest economy in Africa. But many complain that the country's vast oil wealth does not trickle⁷ down to the average Nigerian on the street.

 

Around 70% of Nigerians live below the poverty line.

 

Who are the candidates in this election? The incumbent⁸ is Goodluck Jonathan. And he was elected in 2011 on a massive wave of popularity. He was almost seen as a kind of Obama-type change figure. But Nigerians are disappointed, because many say he has simply failed to live on the promises that he made. 

 

His main opponent is a retired⁹ general called Muhammadu Buhari. He was a former ruler of Nigeria. He ruled briefly¹⁰ following a military coup¹¹. And he's also run unsuccessfully in the last three elections.

1 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

2 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。

3 hacked   

生气

参考例句：

• I hacked the dead branches off. 我把枯树枝砍掉了。
• I'm really hacked off. 我真是很恼火。

4 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

5 populous   

adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的

参考例句：

• London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
• China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。

6 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。

7 trickle   

vi.淌，滴，流出，慢慢移动，逐渐消散

参考例句：

• The stream has thinned down to a mere trickle.这条小河变成细流了。
• The flood of cars has now slowed to a trickle.汹涌的车流现在已经变得稀稀拉拉。

8 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

9 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

10 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

11 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。