voa标准英语2008年-Romanian Leftists Claim Victory in Parliamentar

Romania's left-wing Social Democrats² are claiming victory in Sunday's parliamentary election, with voters angry about the country's financial crisis. Stefan Bos reports for VOA from Budapest.
　

Romanian Gypsy women cast their votes in Sintesti, Romania, Sunday, 30 Nov. 2008

Polling stations opened early Sunday in Romania for an election that was expected to alter the political landscape.

Opinion polls indicate former Communists, now known as the Romanian Social Democrats, may overtake the ruling center-right National Liberal Party of the pro-Western Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu.

Although Mr. Tariceanu led Romania into the European Union, there has been concern over his perceived inability to tackle social tensions in the country, including massive layoffs³ linked to the global financial crisis.

The country's main car maker⁴ and food and steel factories dismissed some four thousand people last month alone, and many of their suppliers have said they will fire workers as well.

Speaking at an election rally ahead of Sunday's vote, Social Democrats leader Mircea Geoana said his party would be the best choice to revive years of economic growth and more social benefits. His comments were translated by France 24 Television.

"The approaching crisis calls for a Socialist⁵ administration with its stability and professionalism. On the 30th of November we will win our greatest victory," Geoana said.
　

Women walk in front of electoral posters in downtown Bucharest, Romania a day before parliamentary elections

However President Traian Basescu, an ally of the opposition⁶ Democrat¹ Liberal Party, has the power to name the next prime minister, no matter who wins.

In the sixth election since Communism was ended by a bloody⁷ revolt in 1989, Romanians will for the first time choose among individual candidates for senators and deputies, rather than party lists, to fill the 452-member parliament.

As he cast his ballot⁸, President Basescu said he hoped the new voting system would result in a better functioning Parliament for this nation of 22 million people.

He says the new parliament should be filled with "those with experience who have already been in power." Mr. Basescu adds he also wants to see a new, young generation participating in politics who he says represent "courage and cleanness" in politics.

Some smaller parties are likely to play a role in future coalitions⁹, including the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania, which governed with the current prime minister. The party is backed by many voters of the country's ethnic¹⁰ Hungarian minority of some 1.5 million people. It is expected to receive about five percent of the nationwide ballots¹¹ cast.

1 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

2 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 layoffs   

临时解雇( layoff的名词复数 )； 停工，停止活动

参考例句：

• Textile companies announced 2000 fresh layoffs last week. 各纺织公司上周宣布再次裁员两千人。
• Stock prices broke when the firm suddenly announced layoffs. 当公司突然宣布裁员时，股票价格便大跌

4 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

5 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

6 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。

7 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。

8 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。

9 coalitions   

结合体，同盟( coalition的名词复数 )； （两党或多党）联合政府

参考例句：

• History testifies to the ineptitude of coalitions in waging war. 历史昭示我们，多数国家联合作战，其进行甚为困难。
• All the coalitions in history have disintegrated sooner or later. 历史上任何联盟迟早都垮台了。

10 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

11 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》