VOA常速英语2008年-Pakistan Peoples Party Reportedly Selects PM No

By Steve Herman
Islamabad
20 March 2008

Although it is not revealing a name, the Pakistan Peoples Party appears to have selected its choice for the country's next prime minister. But, as VOA correspondent Steve Herman reports from Islamabad, the selection of the nominee¹ has caused a rift² in the party on which hopes have been placed to bring Pakistan back to democracy.

A month after the national election, which revived hopes of Pakistan quickly returning to democratic government, there are growing signs of an internal crisis in the party which won the most votes.

The Pakistan Peoples Party of slain³ former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has yet to announce who it wants to lead the government. The delay has raised questions about if and when the PPP will be able govern a country facing substantial political, economic and security issues.

PPP leader Nabeel Gabol says someone has finally been chosen, after considering five candidates.

"Party has decided⁴ on the nomination⁵ of the prime minister. The name has been finalized⁶ and it is up to the party when to announce it," said Gabol.

The runner-up in the February election, the Muslim League faction⁷ of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, has agreed to support the PPP's nominee.

But the party of the late Mrs. Bhutto appears to be rife⁸ with dissension over the nominee.

Party President Makhdoom Amin Fahim wants the job. He led the party for seven years while Mrs. Bhutto was in exile. Fahim says he will only yield to the late Mrs. Bhutto's husband, party Co-Chair Asif Ali Zardari. If someone else is chosen, Fahim could splinter the PPP.

Fahim's name raises concern among some in parliament, who have doubts he will be able to confront President Pervez Musharraf. The fate of Mr. Musharraf remains⁹ uncertain. There are lawmakers eager for impeachment¹⁰ proceedings¹¹ against the president and former Army chief, still regarded as a dictator by some.

Zardari, initially¹² reluctant to put forward his name for prime minister, appears to have changed his mind.

Party leaders have hinted that Zardari could choose an interim¹³ candidate until the businessman can win his own parliament seat, making himself eligible¹⁴.

Zardari - known as "Mr. Ten Percent" for alleged¹⁵ corruption¹⁶ during his wife's time in office - has seen all outstanding graft¹⁷ charges against him dropped.

All eyes are now on the 19-year-old son of Zardari and the slain former prime minister. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has flown home from the United Kingdom, where is a college student. Media reports here say the young party chairman will announce the name of the prime ministerial candidate and appeal for party unity¹⁸, as the surviving son of the Bhutto dynasty.

The new National Assembly needs to approve the prime minister. That could happen within a week.

1 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

2 rift   

n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入

参考例句：

• He was anxious to mend the rift between the two men.他急于弥合这两个人之间的裂痕。
• The sun appeared through a rift in the clouds.太阳从云层间隙中冒出来。

3 slain   

杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词)

参考例句：

• The soldiers slain in the battle were burried that night. 在那天夜晚埋葬了在战斗中牺牲了的战士。
• His boy was dead, slain by the hand of the false Amulius. 他的儿子被奸诈的阿缪利乌斯杀死了。

4 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

5 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

6 finalized   

vt.完成（finalize的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• The draft of this article has been finalized [done]. 这篇文章已经定稿。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The draft was revised several times before it was finalized. 稿子几经删改才定下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 faction   

n.宗派，小集团；派别；派系斗争

参考例句：

• Faction and self-interest appear to be the norm.派系之争和自私自利看来非常普遍。
• I now understood clearly that I was caught between the king and the Bunam's faction.我现在完全明白自己已陷入困境，在国王与布纳姆集团之间左右为难。

8 rife   

adj.(指坏事情)充斥的，流行的，普遍的

参考例句：

• Disease is rife in the area.疾病在这一区很流行。
• Corruption was rife before the election.选举之前腐败盛行。

9 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。

10 impeachment   

n.弹劾；控告；怀疑

参考例句：

• Impeachment is considered a drastic measure in the United States.在美国，弹劾被视为一种非常激烈的措施。
• The verdict resulting from his impeachment destroyed his political career.他遭弹劾后得到的判决毁了他的政治生涯。

11 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

12 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

13 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

14 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。

15 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

16 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。

17 graft   

n.移植，嫁接，艰苦工作，贪污；v.移植，嫁接

参考例句：

• I am having a skin graft on my arm soon.我马上就要接受手臂的皮肤移植手术。
• The minister became rich through graft.这位部长透过贪污受贿致富。

18 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。