VOA常速英语2008年-France's Opposition Left Gains in Local Electio

By Lisa Bryant
Paris
09 March 2008

France's left made gains in the first round of local elections Sunday marked by a relatively¹ high turnout. Lisa Bryant has more on the preliminary results from Paris.

Initial results by the CSA-Dexia polling agencies gave the Socialist² and Greens 47.5 percent of the vote, compared to 40 percent for the ruling Union for a Popular Movement, or UMP.

The opposition³ Socialist Party appeared to have captured the lead in key French towns, including Rouen, Lyon and Rheims. But the center-right UPM party seemed to hold ground in several others, including Bordeaux and Angers. In Paris, popular Socialist Mayor Bertrand Delanoe was surging ahead.

Elected seats in some 37,000 cities, towns and villages are up for grabs in the two-round election. Participation⁴ was fairly high, with more than 68 percent of eligible⁵ voters casting their ballots⁶.

Analyst⁷ Pascal Perrineau said the shift to the left was unmistakable.

Perrineau told France Info radio that the push to the left was confirmed - and that the right was far more vulnerable than it was during the last municipal elections, in 2001.

While local issues strongly marked the elections, pundits⁸ forecast voters also wanted to send a message to conservative president Nicolas Sarkozy, whose ratings have plunged⁹ in the 10 months since he was voted into office.

An IPSOS poll found that one-third of the voters planned on expressing their displeasure with Mr. Sarkozy and his government.

The French president has kept an uncharacteristically low profile during the campaign. But he says the results will not sway his efforts to push through widespread and generally unpopular reforms.

The second round of the local elections takes place next Sunday.

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 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。

3 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。

4 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

5 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。

6 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》

7 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

8 pundits   

n.某一学科的权威，专家( pundit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The pundits disagree on the best way of dealing with the problem. 如何妥善处理这一问题，专家众说纷纭。 来自辞典例句
• That did not stop Chinese pundits from making a fuss over it. 这并没有阻止中国的博学之士对此大惊小怪。 来自互联网

9 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。