VOA标准英语2009-Jacob Zuma Elected President of South Africa

South Africa's parliament has elected African National Congress leader, Jacob Zuma, to be the country's next president. The vote came two weeks after the ANC swept national elections.
　
South Africa's President-Elect Jacob Zuma

African National Congress delegates Wednesday sang and danced on the floor of the national assembly in Cape¹ Town as they elected African National Congress leader Jacob Zuma the country's next president.

Following the vote, Mr. Zuma pledged to lead South Africa toward becoming a united, non-racial, non-sexist nation.

"With the support of my organization, the ANC, as well as all South Africans, I hope to lead the country on a path of friendship, cooperation, harmony, unity² and faster change," Mr. Zuma said.

Mr. Zuma was nominated by Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the ex-wife of anti-apartheid icon³ and former president Nelson Mandela.

"I nominate for the president of the Republic of South Africa, the president of the African National Congress, the man of the people, the honorable member, Mr. Jacob Zuma," Mandela said.

The ANC won nearly 66 percent of the vote and 264 parliamentary seats in elections characterized by an intense campaign and high voter turn-out.

But it was deprived of a two-thirds majority and lost control of Western Cape Province because of gains by two opposition⁴ parties, the Cape-based Democratic Alliance and a new party formed by ANC dissidents, the Congress of the People, COPE.

In parliament, COPE, through its leader Mbhazima Shilowa, nominated its own candidate for the presidency⁵, Mvume Dandala.

"I, Mbhazima Shilowa, have the pleasure to nominate for the position of president of the republic Hamilton Mvume Dandala," Shilowa said.

Dandala was COPE's presidential candidate and heads its 30-member block in parliament.

The Democratic Alliance did not field a presidential candidate in the popular elections. But its decision to abstain⁶ from the parliamentary vote came as a surprise as the two parties had said they would work together in the opposition.

South Africa's nine provincial⁷ assemblies also convened⁸ Wednesday and chose the provincial governors.

Mr. Zuma's election caps a remarkable⁹ political comeback. He was forced to resign as deputy-president four years ago, but fought off corruption¹⁰ and rape¹¹ charges to gain control of the ANC at a party convention 18 months ago.

He has pledged to create jobs, fight poverty and deliver more social services to South Africans, 40 percent of whom live on less than $2.00 per day.

Analysts¹² say one of his greatest challenges will be to satisfy the aspirations¹³ of the poor, union workers and left-leaning members of the party, while maintaining the confidence of businessmen and foreign investors¹⁴.

President-elect Zuma is to be inaugurated Saturday in Pretoria and announce his government on Sunday.

1 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

2 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。

3 icon   

n.偶像，崇拜的对象，画像

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。

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 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

6 abstain   

v.自制，戒绝，弃权，避免

参考例句：

• His doctor ordered him to abstain from beer and wine.他的医生嘱咐他戒酒。
• Three Conservative MPs abstained in the vote.三位保守党下院议员投了弃权票。

7 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

8 convened   

召开( convene的过去式 )； 召集； （为正式会议而）聚集； 集合

参考例句：

• The chairman convened the committee to put the issue to a vote. 主席召集委员们开会对这个问题进行表决。
• The governor convened his troops to put down the revolt. 总督召集他的部队去镇压叛乱。

9 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

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。

11 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

12 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。

13 aspirations   

强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音

参考例句：

• I didn't realize you had political aspirations. 我没有意识到你有政治上的抱负。
• The new treaty embodies the aspirations of most nonaligned countries. 新条约体现了大多数不结盟国家的愿望。

14 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会