2007年VOA标准英语-Delayed Benin Legislative Election Takes Place

By Phuong Tran
Dakar
31 March 2007

Parliamentary elections are under way in the western African nation of Benin.  The vote was to take place last week but was delayed until Saturday, because of problems getting electoral equipment and ballots³ to polling stations.  This time voting seems to be going smoothly⁴ in most parts of the country, as Phuong Tran reports from VOA's West Africa bureau in Dakar.

Most of the more than 15,000 polls opened close to 7 a.m. in the morning as scheduled.

Pierre Sossou, an election official for the district of Zogbohoue in Benin's capital, Cotonou, says his poll opened before seven, and operations started within one hour without any problems.

But problems were reported in the southern part of the country, where hundreds of polling stations failed to open on time.

A spokesman for the National Electoral Commission, Michel Alokpo, says transportation problems delayed delivery of the ballots to some remote areas.

"You know there are some places [where the materials have to be transported] through a river," he explained.  "It is difficult for them. They need to have a boat."

ballot2 in Cotonou, 31 Mar1 2007<br />" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070529/1507040.jpg" width="195" vspace="2" border="0" />

A woman casts her ballot in Cotonou, 31 Mar 2007

More than 2,100 candidates, representing 26 political parties and alliances, are competing in the election.  At stake are 83 seats in the parliament.

Alfonse Gbaguidi is a writer who says he voted for the Alliance for Democratic Development.

He says he is not completely satisfied with President Boni Yayi, who has been in power for one year. He says there is a lot of work that still needs to be done, and he hopes the election will lead to better results.

Lionil Bassan, a university student, says he hopes the new legislature will pass laws that will improve how things work in Benin, but he says he is pleased with what President Yayi has done so far.

A first-time candidate in the president's coalition⁵, Laurent Gnancadja says the president needs more support.

He says this election will prove whether people say "yes" to change and continue to support the president in his efforts.

President Yayi has said he hopes his political coalition, the Force for an Emerging Benin, will win a majority of the legislative⁶ seats so he can fulfill⁷ his campaign promise to fight, what he calls, corruption⁸ from three decades of rule under former president Mathieu Kerikou.

The major opposition⁹ to Mr. Yayi is the Party for a Renewed Democracy, which criticizes Mr. Yayi's rule as autocratic.

The electoral commission says it expects to have results from Saturday's election within days.

1 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

2 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。

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 smoothly   

adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地

参考例句：

• The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。
• Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。

5 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

6 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

7 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

8 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。

9 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。