VOA常速英语2008年-Italian Voters Largely Undecided in National El

By Sabina Castelfranco
Rome
13 April 2008

More than 47 million Italians are voting Sunday and Monday in a general election that could bring media-magnate Silvio Berlusconi to power for the third time.  But many in Italy say they are disillusioned¹ by politicians.  Sabina Castelfranco reports from Rome.

Polls opened early in Italy.  Voters may cast ballots² until 10:00 pm and then again on Monday until early afternoon.

The big choice is whether to bring back to power 71-year-old media magnate Silvio Berlusconi, who has been prime minister twice before.  He is up against former Rome mayor Walter Veltroni, nearly 20 years his junior.

Because of the national mood, the campaign has been uncharacteristically low-key.  Many Italians are disillusioned with a political class they say has failed to resolve the nation's troubles.

Among the concerns is that neither candidate will win by a large enough margin³ to avoid the political instability that has plagued the country.

In a bid to win independence from small and often troublesome allies, both leaders have streamlined their coalitions⁴.  Veltroni runs his new Democratic Party virtually alone.

Veltroni says forming a party with various identities and a reformist program represents a more European style of politics for Italians.  Italian citizens who vote for us, Veltroni says, will be able to do what British and American voters do, that is, vote for a single parliamentary group that takes forward the program it represents.

Media mogul and center-right leader Silvio Berlusconi entered the race as the front-runner, capitalizing on the unpopularity of the outgoing center-left government of Romano Prodi.  He has professed⁵ confidence in a strong victory up to the last days of the campaign.

But recent polls indicate Veltroni has narrowed the gap. Analysts⁶ say a crucial factor might be undecided voters - a significant percentage in the electorate⁷.

Another voter concern is the nation's economic health.  The economy has performed worse than the rest of the euro zone for the past decade.  The International Monetary⁸ Fund predicts the Italian economy will grow by just three-tenths of one percent this year, compared with 1.4 percent average growth for the euro area.

Other issues on voters' minds include security and the immigration problem.  Speaking at a recent rally, Berlusconi said the left has kept the doors open to illegal immigrants.

Berlusconi pledged to present a plan to allow into the country only those who come with a job and want to improve their quality of life and that of Italians.

Other issues that have been addressed in the electoral campaign leading up to these elections include a garbage collection crisis in Naples and a buffalo⁹ mozzarella and wine health scare that has hurt exports. 

1 disillusioned   

a.不再抱幻想的，大失所望的，幻想破灭的

参考例句：

• I soon became disillusioned with the job. 我不久便对这个工作不再抱幻想了。
• Many people who are disillusioned in reality assimilate life to a dream. 许多对现实失望的人把人生比作一场梦。

2 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》

3 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

4 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。

5 professed   

公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的

参考例句：

• These, at least, were their professed reasons for pulling out of the deal. 至少这些是他们自称退出这宗交易的理由。
• Her manner professed a gaiety that she did not feel. 她的神态显出一种她并未实际感受到的快乐。

6 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

7 electorate   

n.全体选民；选区

参考例句：

• The government was responsible to the electorate.政府对全体选民负责。
• He has the backing of almost a quarter of the electorate.他得到了几乎1/4选民的支持。

8 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

9 buffalo   

n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛

参考例句：

• Asian buffalo isn't as wild as that of America's. 亚洲水牛比美洲水牛温顺些。
• The boots are made of buffalo hide. 这双靴子是由水牛皮制成的。