VOA常速英语2008年-US Presses for Release of Zimbabwean Presidenti

By David Gollust
State Department
02 April 2008

The United States Wednesday pressed Zimbabwe's electoral commission to release results of country's presidential election without further delay. The State Department said presidential returns reflecting the will of the Zimbabwean people are critically important. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

Officials here say parliamentary results already released show that Zimbabwe is at a "moment of change," and that there is no reason to further delay presidential returns that could end the suspense¹ over the country's political future.

At a news briefing, State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack noted³ official results already pointing to a takeover of Zimbabwe's parliament by the opposition⁴ Movement for Democratic Change, and cited claims by supporters of MDC presidential candidate Morgan Tsvangerai that he won an outright⁵ majority in last Saturday's presidential vote.

McCormack said the electoral commission owes the Zimbabwean people an official accounting⁶ of presidential ballots⁷ to enable them to understand how the country's political future will unfold.

"It is critically important for Zimbabwe, for Zimbabwe's institutions, for the international community, that this election and the results of this election, reflect the will of the people," he said. "And you're not going to be able to start to answer a lot of those questions until you have this one piece of the puzzle that's outstanding, and that is the results from the election commission. With those in hand, for the international community and for the Zimbabwean people, you can start to understand how the rest of this political process is going to unfold."

A White House spokesman traveling with President Bush in Europe had similar remarks, saying the United States is monitoring the situation and expects the will of the Zimbabwean people to be respected.

A senior official who spoke² to reporters here said the United States has discussed the Zimbabwe electoral situation with Zimbabwe's neighbors, among others.

But he would not confirm press reports the Bush administration has sought South African help in persuading Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe to accept the results of the voting.

U.S. officials have confirmed diplomatic contacts with officials of both Mr. Mugabe's ZANU-PF party and the MDC but say the United States is not involved in any mediation⁸ effort.

1 suspense   

n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑

参考例句：

• The suspense was unbearable.这样提心吊胆的状况实在叫人受不了。
• The director used ingenious devices to keep the audience in suspense.导演用巧妙手法引起观众的悬念。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

4 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。

5 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。

6 accounting   

n.会计，会计学，借贷对照表

参考例句：

• A job fell vacant in the accounting department.财会部出现了一个空缺。
• There's an accounting error in this entry.这笔账目里有差错。

7 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》

8 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。