VOA标准英语2009年-Sheikh Hasina Calls On Rivals to Cooperate in B

In Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, who won a landslide¹ victory in the country's first election in seven years, has called on her main rival to cooperate in restoring democracy. The appeal came after her opponent rejected the election results.
　

Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister and Awami League party leader Sheikh Hasina Wajed after casting her vote at a polling booth in Dhaka, 29 December 2008

Sheikh Hasina reached out to her bitter political rival Khaleda Zia Wednesday, saying she is prepared to work with all sides and offering senior posts to the opposition² in exchange for its cooperation. She called on her opponent to accept the results of the recent parliamentary elections.

Sheikh Hasina was speaking at her first news conference in Dhaka after her alliance won more than two thirds of seats in elections held after two years of emergency rule.

International observers say the polling was fair and credible³. But Khaleda Zia has rejected the vote, alleging⁴ widespread fraud and calling it a "farcical election." This has raised fears of street protests by her supporters.

Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia lead the country's two main parties, but their rivalry⁵ has often paralyzed the political process and plunged⁶ the country into violence.

This time, Sheikh Hasina has struck a conciliatory note, saying she wants to establish a new political culture in the country. She said "we no longer want the politics of violence and clashes."

Professor of Political Science at Dhaka University, Ataur Rahman, says Sheikh Hasina has made the right gesture. He says it is now up to Khaleda Zia to reciprocate⁷, and build a genuine democratic culture in the country.

"She should reciprocate positively⁸. Otherwise the country will slowly or gradually lose the political stability and also the essence of democracy which is compromise and understanding and working together," said Rahman. "We don't want to foresee such a future for Bangladesh."

In a statement, international observers also urged the opposition to accept the election result, and called on the two leaders to work together to tackle the country's problems.

Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia dominate Bangladeshi politics and have alternated in power for the last 15 years. But whoever has been in opposition, has played an obstructive role - leading strikes, violent street protests, and boycotting⁹ parliament. The 2007 elections were cancelled because their two parties could not agree on how the polls should be held.

This time, both leaders are under pressure to give democracy a chance after two years of emergency rule, during which both spent months in prison on charges of corruption¹⁰.

1 landslide   

n.(竞选中)压倒多数的选票；一面倒的胜利

参考例句：

• Our candidate is predicated to win by a landslide.我们的候选人被预言将以绝对优势取胜。
• An electoral landslide put the Labour Party into power in 1945.1945年工党以压倒多数的胜利当选执政。

2 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。

3 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

4 alleging   

断言，宣称，辩解( allege的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• His reputation was blemished by a newspaper article alleging he'd evaded his taxes. 由于报上一篇文章声称他曾逃税，他的名誉受到损害。
• This our Peeress declined as unnecessary, alleging that her cousin Thornhill's recommendation would be sufficient. 那位贵人不肯，还说不必，只要有她老表唐希尔保荐就够了。

5 rivalry   

n.竞争，竞赛，对抗

参考例句：

• The quarrel originated in rivalry between the two families.这次争吵是两家不和引起的。
• He had a lot of rivalry with his brothers and sisters.他和兄弟姐妹间经常较劲。

6 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。

7 reciprocate   

v.往复运动；互换；回报，酬答

参考例句：

• Although she did not reciprocate his feelings, she did not discourage him.尽管她没有回应他的感情，她也没有使他丧失信心。
• Some day I will reciprocate your kindness to me.总有一天我会报答你对我的恩德。

8 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

9 boycotting   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• They're boycotting the shop because the people there are on strike. 他们抵制那家商店，因为那里的店员在罢工。
• The main opposition parties are boycotting the elections. 主要反对党都抵制此次选举。

10 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。