VOA标准英语2010年-Analysts: Chavez Faces Political Test

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez salutes¹ supporters during an event marking the 227th anniversary of the birth of Venezuela's independence hero Simon Bolivar at the National Pantheon in Caracas, 24 Jul 2010

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's near-monopoly on political power will be tested during next month's elections for the national assembly.  Currently, all but a few legislators are loyal to Mr. Chavez.  Public opinion polls show the socialist² president's popularity slipping amid tough economic times and soaring crime rates.  Mr. Chavez has significant political and institutional advantages over the opposition³ as campaigns heat up ahead of the September 26 vote.

Perhaps the most-polarizing figure in South America, Hugo Chavez elicits⁴ strong responses wherever his name is mentioned.

This Caracas resident says she voted for Mr. Chavez in 1998, but will never do so again.

"I voted for him because he was young and came from humble⁵ beginnings," she said.  "And I thought he would move the country forward.  I think this government is the worst.  And if they want to arrest me for saying so, let them do it.  Bad, bad, bad!"

The biggest complaints: inflation, unemployment, food shortages and rampant⁶ crime.

In a poorer part of Caracas, where government money has brought social services and development projects, a disabled retiree has a different perspective.

"My family and I survive give thanks to the president.  As long as he is there, I will vote.  As long as I can get on my feet to cast a ballot⁷, I will support my president," she said.

Venezuelan pollster Luis Vicente Leon says Mr. Chavez's public approval rating has dropped from 65 percent a few years ago to 45 percent today.

"Forty-five percent approval - you could call that stellar, even spectacular, if you consider that this is a president who has been in power for 11 years and has yet to solve the nation's biggest problems," said Leon.

Hoping to capitalize on the president's sagging⁸ ratings is Julio Borges, who heads the opposition party Primero Justicia.

"In Venezuela, we do not have good or bad governments - just governments in power during high oil prices or low oil prices.  And President Chavez's popularity has followed this pattern," noted⁹ Borges.

But the president speaks as confidently as ever.  Mr. Chavez is in full campaign mode, lashing¹⁰ out at his opponents.

"It would be a catastrophe¹¹ if our country fell back into the hands of the thieves who governed before and destroyed it.  They would destroy all we have achieved, and ruin the country once more," said Chavez.

According to pollster Luis Vicente Leon, the president has significant campaign advantages, including vast oil revenues that can be deployed¹² as he sees fit.

"The opposition battles Chavez from a position of extreme weakness," explained Leon.  "This is not a conventional democracy, where the rights of political minorities are respected, where public resources are kept separate from political campaigns.  The president's political party has all the government's money at its disposal."

After more than 11 years in office, Hugo Chavez is the only president many younger Venezuelans, including Leslie Contreras, 26, can remember.

"From my teenage years until now, I have only known Chavez.  The opposition does not know how to lead, how to speak to the people," she said.

Polling data show that increasing numbers of Venezuelans are unhappy with the country's polarized political climate.  Referred to as "Ni, Ni" or "Neither, Nor," they hold the president and the opposition in contempt.  Whether and how they vote could determine the outcome of next month's legislative¹³ elections, and whether Mr. Chavez's dominance of Venezuela's political landscape continues.

1 salutes   

n.致敬，欢迎，敬礼( salute的名词复数 )v.欢迎，致敬( salute的第三人称单数 )；赞扬，赞颂

参考例句：

• Poulengey salutes, and stands at the door awaiting orders. 波仑日行礼，站在门口听侯命令。 来自辞典例句
• A giant of the world salutes you. 一位世界的伟人向你敬礼呢。 来自辞典例句

2 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

3 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。

4 elicits   

引出，探出( elicit的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• You might find that a sympathetic approach elicits kinder and gentler behavior. 你或许会发现用同情的方法，可引出更友善及更温和的行为。
• It presents information, shares ideas and elicits emotions. 它展示信息、流思想和抒发情感。

5 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

6 rampant   

adj.(植物)蔓生的；狂暴的，无约束的

参考例句：

• Sickness was rampant in the area.该地区疾病蔓延。
• You cannot allow children to rampant through the museum.你不能任由小孩子在博物馆里乱跑。

7 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。

8 sagging   

下垂[沉，陷]，松垂，垂度

参考例句：

• The morale of the enemy troops is continuously sagging. 敌军的士气不断低落。
• We are sagging south. 我们的船正离开航线向南漂流。

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 lashing   

n.鞭打；痛斥；大量；许多v.鞭打( lash的现在分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥

参考例句：

• The speaker was lashing the crowd. 演讲人正在煽动人群。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The rain was lashing the windows. 雨急打着窗子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 catastrophe   

n.大灾难，大祸

参考例句：

• I owe it to you that I survived the catastrophe.亏得你我才大难不死。
• This is a catastrophe beyond human control.这是一场人类无法控制的灾难。

12 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

13 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。