中东—伊朗总统大选

Iran Votes for New President

伊朗总统大选

 

The polls opened at 9:00 in the morning, what is usually a day of rest and prayer in Islamic Iran. Some 47 million people aged¹ 15 and up are eligible² to cast ballots³.

 

Former president and parliamentary speaker Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani is seen as a slight front-runner in a tight three-way race at the top of the eight-candidate pack. His toughest challenges are expected to come from another conservative, former police chief and airline pilot Mohammad Bagar Qalibaf, and the favorite of the reformers, Mostafa Moin. If no candidate gets more than 50 percent, a runoff is to be held in another week.

 

There have been calls from some quarters, particularly among young reformers, to boycott⁴ the vote. Two-thirds of the electorate⁵ is under age 30. Reformers are disillusioned⁶ about how conservatives allied⁷ with Supreme⁸ Leader Ali Khamenei blocked President Khatemi's efforts to institute more openness in a rigid⁹ society.

 

Other people are disappointed about what they say is a lack of government effort to cure economic ills. "It's no use voting," says one Tehran shopkeeper, who asked not to be named. "It's only so the politicians can say that they have some popular support."

 

It's really about inflation and unemployment, say onlookers¹⁰ to the park bench interview.

 

Officials say a clear picture, if not the final results, should be available by Sunday.

 

Gary Thomas, VOA news, Tehran.

 

注释：

front-runner 竞争中的领先者

runoff [5rQnCf] n. 决定性竞选

be disillusioned about 对……大失所望

inflation [in5fleiFEn] n. 通货膨胀，（物价）暴涨

1 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

2 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

3 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》

4 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。

5 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。

6 disillusioned   

a.不再抱幻想的，大失所望的，幻想破灭的

参考例句：

• I soon became disillusioned with the job. 我不久便对这个工作不再抱幻想了。
• Many people who are disillusioned in reality assimilate life to a dream. 许多对现实失望的人把人生比作一场梦。

7 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

8 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

9 rigid   

adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的

参考例句：

• She became as rigid as adamant.她变得如顽石般的固执。
• The examination was so rigid that nearly all aspirants were ruled out.考试很严，几乎所有的考生都被淘汰了。

10 onlookers   

n.旁观者，观看者( onlooker的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A crowd of onlookers gathered at the scene of the crash. 在撞车地点聚集了一大群围观者。
• The onlookers stood at a respectful distance. 旁观者站在一定的距离之外，以示尊敬。