2007年VOA标准英语-Relative Peace as Polls Close in East Timor Par

By Nancy-Amelia Collins
East Timor
30 June 2007

Officials in East Timor say voting to elect a new parliament has been relatively¹ peaceful, raising hopes that the election can bring stability to Asia's newest nation after violence last year nearly toppled the government. VOA correspondent Nancy-Amelia Collins is in the East Timorese capital, Dili, and brings us this report.

East Timorese wait to vote in parliamentary elections, 30 Jun 2007, in Fatuahi, east of Dili, the capital of East Timor

East Timorese flocked to the nation's 700 polling stations Saturday to choose among 14 parties vying² to lead a new government.

But the main showdown is between the ruling Fretilin party and the new CNRT party led by the independence hero and former president, Xanana Gusmao.

Few expect either to win an outright³ majority needed to control the 65-seat parliament. The winner will likely form a coalition⁴ government with other parties.

Former Prime Minister and Fretilin Secretary-General Mari Alkatiri was forced to resign last year after he fired a third of the army. That sparked gun battles between rival security forces that led to a wave of gang warfare⁵, arson⁶, and looting.

After voting Saturday, Alkatiri expressed confidence in a Fretilin victory.

"I am confident we won already. I have been traveling around the country, and I know. We fought for independence and we had an experience of governing the country," he said.

Fretilin has ruled East Timor since independence five years ago. The impoverished⁷ nation voted to break away from Indonesia's harsh 24-year rule in 1999 but only gained full independence three years later after a period under United Nations supervision⁸.

Many East Timorese blame Fretilin for last year's violence that engulfed⁹ the tiny nation of a million people.

Rosa, a woman who sheltered Mr. Gusmao at great risk to her own life when he was a guerilla fighting for the country's independence in 1990, says she completely supports the CNRT.

She says this is a crucial vote and only the CNRT can bring a better future for the East Timorese.

Former prime minister and Nobel Laureate Jose Ramos-Horta became East Timor's president this year following two rounds of voting.

A long time ally of Mr. Gusmao, he says whichever party wins must try to form a coalition government quickly.

"The party that wins should walk halfway¹⁰, meet with immediately, meet with the other parties and invite them to form a government. It will be good for the country," he said.

Vote-counting will begin early Sunday morning after all the ballot¹¹ boxes are transported from polling stations to the thirteen counting centers established in each district capital.

A representative of the nearly 500 international observers and more than 2,400 national observers will travel with the ballot boxes to the counting centers to ensure the poll's integrity.

1 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

2 vying   

adj.竞争的；比赛的

参考例句：

• California is vying with other states to capture a piece of the growing communications market.为了在日渐扩大的通讯市场分得一杯羹，加利福尼亚正在和其他州展开竞争。
• Four rescue plans are vying to save the zoo.4个拯救动物园的方案正争得不可开交。

3 outright   

adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的

参考例句：

• If you have a complaint you should tell me outright.如果你有不满意的事，你应该直率地对我说。
• You should persuade her to marry you outright.你应该彻底劝服她嫁给你。

4 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。

5 warfare   

n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突

参考例句：

• He addressed the audience on the subject of atomic warfare.他向听众演讲有关原子战争的问题。
• Their struggle consists mainly in peasant guerrilla warfare.他们的斗争主要是农民游击战。

6 arson   

n.纵火，放火

参考例句：

• He was serving a ten spot for arson.他因纵火罪在服十年徒刑。
• He was arraigned on a charge of arson.他因被指控犯纵火罪而被传讯。

7 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 supervision   

n.监督，管理

参考例句：

• The work was done under my supervision.这项工作是在我的监督之下完成的。
• The old man's will was executed under the personal supervision of the lawyer.老人的遗嘱是在律师的亲自监督下执行的。

9 engulfed   

v.吞没，包住( engulf的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was engulfed by a crowd of reporters. 他被一群记者团团围住。
• The little boat was engulfed by the waves. 小船被波浪吞没了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 halfway   

adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途

参考例句：

• We had got only halfway when it began to get dark.走到半路，天就黑了。
• In study the worst danger is give up halfway.在学习上，最忌讳的是有始无终。

11 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。