VOA标准英语2009年-Survey: Afghans Think Country Moving in Ri

By Meredith Buel
Washington
27 October 2009

A nationwide survey of people throughout Afghanistan shows more people think the country is moving in the right direction, but a lack of security and corruption¹ are still major concerns.

 
People walk near a huge portrait of Afghan President Hamid Karzai, in Kabul, Afghanistan, 26 Oct 2009
The poll of more than 6,400 Afghan adults was conducted by the Asia Foundation throughout all 34 provinces in the country.

In areas where fighting has been most fierce between the Taliban and U.S.-led NATO forces Afghans say attacks, violence and terrorism are identified as the country's biggest problem.

However in quieter provinces Afghans see positive trends according to Sunil Pillai, who directed the Afghan Survey Project.
                     
"Among those who believe that it is moving in the right direction, they attribute it to good security and reconstruction² efforts," he said. "Those who say it is going in the wrong direction, they say corruption and insecurity are the primary reasons for this."

Assessments⁴ of the performance of the national government rose slightly from a similar poll taken a year earlier.

The 2009 survey was taken before the August presidential election, which was marred⁵ by widespread reports of massive fraud.

Afghans gave a more positive assessment³ of their economic situation than in previous years and both a majority of urban and rural residents say they are more prosperous today than they were under the Taliban.

About two-thirds of those surveyed say the supply of electricity in their local areas is bad, and a third of the respondents report having no access to any electricity.

"When we ask them what is the biggest problem in the local areas we find that security takes a back seat and issues like electricity, roads, water, and unemployment come up on top," added Sunil Pillai of the Asia Foundation.

The survey reports that support for democracy as the best form of government has fallen from 84 percent in 2006 to 78 percent in this year's poll.

In 2009, however, a significantly higher proportion than in previous years say freedom and peace are the greatest personal benefits they expect from democracy.

In terms of local services and amenities⁶, those surveyed showed the highest levels of satisfaction with the availability of education for children, especially girls.

The survey shows satisfaction with reconstruction projects and hospitals also remains⁷ relatively⁸ strong.

People also show a high level of confidence in their local police according to Sunil Pillai of the Asia Foundation.

"The way they see it is that we trust them," he explained. "They are honest and they do help us be safer in our areas."

The report comes as U.S. President Barack Obama weighs a new strategy for the eight-year war, including a request by military leaders for thousands of additional troops.

The fact that the Obama administration is giving a great deal of attention to Afghanistan is seen as a major positive according to Zoran Milovic, the Kabul-based representative of the Asia Foundation.

"I spoke⁹ with a lot of Afghans during the last year and I think there is one thing that for most of them is of crucial importance," he said. "That is the U.S. government, this administration, is finally paying attention."

A majority of those surveyed expect the security situation in their local area to improve in the next year, although in regions where there is major conflict, respondents are less optimistic about future improvements.

1 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。

2 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

3 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

4 assessments   

n.评估( assessment的名词复数 )；评价；（应偿付金额的）估定；（为征税对财产所作的）估价

参考例句：

• He was shrewd in his personal assessments. 他总能对人作出精明的评价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Surveys show about two-thirds use such assessments, while half employ personality tests. 调查表明，约有三分之二的公司采用了这种测评；而一半的公司则采用工作人员个人品质测试。 来自百科语句

5 marred   

adj. 被损毁, 污损的

参考例句：

• The game was marred by the behaviour of drunken fans. 喝醉了的球迷行为不轨，把比赛给搅了。
• Bad diction marred the effectiveness of his speech. 措词不当影响了他演说的效果。

6 amenities   

n.令人愉快的事物；礼仪；礼节；便利设施；礼仪( amenity的名词复数 )；便利设施；（环境等的）舒适；（性情等的）愉快

参考例句：

• The campsite is close to all local amenities. 营地紧靠当地所有的便利设施。
• Parks and a theatre are just some of the town's local amenities. 公园和戏院只是市镇娱乐设施的一部分。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 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。

8 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。

9 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。