VOA标准英语2010年-Early Voting in Iraq Marred by Suicide

Suicide bombers¹ have attacked two polling stations in Baghdad, killing² at least seven soldiers, while an explosion near another voting place not yet in use took the lives of seven civilians³.  The blasts occurred as early voting got under way for Sunday's national elections.  

Iraqi security is out in force across Baghdad, but the stepped up presence was not enough to stop the attacks. 

Many of those taking part in the early balloting⁵ were soldiers who, along with medical staff and others, are needed at work Sunday when most of the voting takes place.  

At one polling station in Baghdad, there were signs the process might not go smoothly⁶.

Security forces shoved hard to get into the building to vote, but only succeeded in blocking the entry.  A senior officer tried to bring order, demanding soldiers line up on one side, officers on another.  He added that if anyone was unhappy, he would kill them.

Eventually some semblance⁸ of lines was formed, but not everyone was satisfied.

This officer from Karbala, south of Baghdad, was told he could vote in the capital.

"But I cannot.  Many stations do not find my name," he said. "And other officers and other soldiers do not find [their names].  Why?  Why my absence from the future, I mean my voice to say in the making of the future of Iraq.  But I cannot."

He is shaken by losing what he sees as his chance to make a difference. 

His frustration⁹ highlights a striking aspect of this election: many voters believe it truly matters.  It is only the second national vote since the U.S-led invasion in 2003, and the first that no major bloc⁷ is boycotting¹⁰.

An emergency room doctor at Baghdad's Ibn Sina hospital has not had a chance to vote yet, but hopes to later in the day.

"To me it is very important," the doctor said. "Because [it is] the only way to change what was going on through these four years.  You cannot change by violence.  Only can change by voting."

The doctor says casting a ballot⁴ is his way of saying he does not like how things are now.

The hospital where he works sees some of the effects of how badly things have gone - the wounded from mortar¹¹ and other attacks make their way to Ibn Sina.  The hospital itself is surrounded by duck-and-cover bunkers.  Signs posted at the entrance list forbidden items, including  cellphones, cameras and bombs.

The doctor says does not expect an immediate¹² change, especially not with U.S. troops preparing to leave the country and Iraqi security taking charge.

"Right now, I do not think so," the doctor said. "I think our troops are not ready yet, because we have many numbers, so large numbers, but [they are] inefficient¹³."

But he believes the possibility of stability exists.  He thinks it will start with jobs, arguing a man with an income is less likely to blow himself up. 
 

1 bombers   

n.轰炸机( bomber的名词复数 )；投弹手；安非他明胶囊；大麻叶香烟

参考例句：

• Enemy bombers carried out a blitz on the city. 敌军轰炸机对这座城市进行了突袭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Royal Airforce sill remained dangerously short of bombers. 英国皇家空军仍未脱离极为缺乏轰炸机的危境。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

3 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

4 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

5 balloting   

v.（使）投票表决( ballot的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Clark took a commanding leading in the early balloting. 在最初投票时，克拉克遥遥领先。 来自辞典例句
• The balloting had stagnated, he couldn't win. 投票工作陷于停顿，他不能得胜。 来自辞典例句

6 smoothly   

adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地

参考例句：

• The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。
• Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。

7 bloc   

n.集团；联盟

参考例句：

• A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
• There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。

8 semblance   

n.外貌，外表

参考例句：

• Her semblance of anger frightened the children.她生气的样子使孩子们感到害怕。
• Those clouds have the semblance of a large head.那些云的形状像一个巨大的人头。

9 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

10 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。

11 mortar   

n.灰浆，灰泥；迫击炮；v.把…用灰浆涂接合

参考例句：

• The mason flushed the joint with mortar.泥工用灰浆把接缝处嵌平。
• The sound of mortar fire seemed to be closing in.迫击炮的吼声似乎正在逼近。

12 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

13 inefficient   

adj.效率低的，无效的

参考例句：

• The inefficient operation cost the firm a lot of money.低效率的运作使该公司损失了许多钱。
• Their communication systems are inefficient in the extreme.他们的通讯系统效率非常差。