VOA标准英语2008年-Cubans Vote in One-Party Elections

By Michael Bowman
Washington
20 January 2008

Cuba's Fidel Castro is standing¹ for re-election Sunday in one-party parliamentary elections, despite health problems that have kept him out of public view for more than a year. VOA's Michael Bowman reports from Washington.

More than eight million Cubans are eligible² to cast ballots⁴ to select members of Cuba's Communist Party-controlled National Assembly. Fidel Castro, 81, is on the ballot³, and even though he ceded⁵ presidential power to his younger brother, Raul, 76, in 2006, the elder Castro remains⁶ head of Cuba's supreme⁷ governing body, the Council of State.

Cuba's ailing⁸ "Maximum Leader" is one of more than 600 uncontested candidates for what is regarded as a rubber-stamp legislature. Voters may either endorse⁹ the candidates with a check mark in the appropriate box, or leave the box blank for any candidate they do not support. After the election, the assembly has 45 days to decide which of their members will form a new Council of State.

Cuban authorities have closely guarded Mr. Castro's health status as a state secret since he underwent emergency gastro-intestinal surgery a year and a half ago. Since then, video clips and photographs have been released of Mr. Castro meeting with various foreign leaders - most recently Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Mr. Castro has also written a series of essays and messages to the Cuban people, which have been widely-disseminated by the country's state-owned media.

Many Cuba watchers believe Mr. Castro is unlikely to resume control of day-to-day government operations. Already, he has indicated he will not block younger people from taking control. Whether he remains the nominal¹⁰ head of state will likely be known by March.

Since temporarily taking the reins¹¹ of power, Raul Castro has sought to engage Cubans on ways to boost the island's economy and raise living standards.

1 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。

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 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。

4 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》

5 ceded   

v.让给，割让，放弃( cede的过去式 )

参考例句：

• Cuba was ceded by Spain to the US in 1898. 古巴在1898年被西班牙割让给美国。
• A third of the territory was ceded to France. 领土的三分之一割让给了法国。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

7 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。

8 ailing   

v.生病

参考例句：

• They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。
• She looked after her ailing father. 她照顾有病的父亲。

9 endorse   

vt.(支票、汇票等)背书，背署；批注；同意

参考例句：

• No one is foolish enough to endorse it.没有哪个人会傻得赞成它。
• I fully endorse your opinions on this subject.我完全拥护你对此课题的主张。

10 nominal   

adj.名义上的；(金额、租金)微不足道的

参考例句：

• The king was only the nominal head of the state. 国王只是这个国家名义上的元首。
• The charge of the box lunch was nominal.午餐盒饭收费很少。

11 reins   

感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带

参考例句：

• She pulled gently on the reins. 她轻轻地拉着缰绳。
• The government has imposed strict reins on the import of luxury goods. 政府对奢侈品的进口有严格的控制手段。