VOA标准英语2013--Militants Target Pakistan's Candidates in Run-up to Elections

 

Militants¹ Target Pakistan's Candidates in Run-up to Elections

Shops in Karachi, Pakistan’s economic center, shut down following a bloody² attack on the regional Muttahida Qaumi Movement party.

Targeted by the Taliban for its anti-militant stance, dozens of MQM supporters have been killed in the run-up to the May 11 national election.

MQM party leader Raza Haroon said the government has to boost its security efforts or risk an unfair election outcome.

“Without the prerequisite³ of peaceful environment, and a peaceful law and order situation, elections will be a big question mark, so the state has to really make sure it takes steps,” said Haroon.

The Taliban also has bombed the ANP, Awami National Party, for its secular⁴ politics.

ANP candidate Bashir Jaan, who just escaped the latest blast, which killed 12 people and injured dozens more, said campaigning has become impossible.

“When we go to canvass⁵ people, those people also start getting threats, death threats and extortion threats. We are not being allowed to run our election campaign in any way,” said Jaan.

In Karachi, a city known for its political party violence and intimidation⁶, some people are being coerced⁷ into joining the political process, said rickshaw driver Mohammad Usman.

“I don’t want to vote, but you will do anything at gunpoint, what can we do, it’s forced on us. We are forced to join the rallies, too,” said Usman.

So far, rallies by parties who have veered⁸ away from criticizing the Taliban, like one held by PTI - Pakistan Tehreek-e-eInsaaf, and PML-N, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz - have escaped attacks.

Military, paramilitary and police are expected to secure polling stations in so-called sensitive areas on election day, May 11. 

1 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

2 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。

3 prerequisite   

n.先决条件；adj.作为前提的，必备的

参考例句：

• Stability and unity are a prerequisite to the four modernizations.安定团结是实现四个现代化的前提。
• It is a prerequisite of entry to the profession that you pass the exams.做这一行的先决条件是要通过了有关的考试。

4 secular   

n.牧师，凡人；adj.世俗的，现世的，不朽的

参考例句：

• We live in an increasingly secular society.我们生活在一个日益非宗教的社会。
• Britain is a plural society in which the secular predominates.英国是个世俗主导的多元社会。

5 canvass   

v.招徕顾客，兜售；游说；详细检查，讨论

参考例句：

• Mr. Airey Neave volunteered to set up an organisation to canvass votes.艾雷·尼夫先生自告奋勇建立了一个拉票组织。
• I will canvass the floors before I start painting the walls.开始粉刷墙壁之前，我会详细检查地板。

6 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

7 coerced   

v.迫使做( coerce的过去式和过去分词 )；强迫；（以武力、惩罚、威胁等手段）控制；支配

参考例句：

• They were coerced into negotiating a settlement. 他们被迫通过谈判解决。
• He was coerced into making a confession. 他被迫招供。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 veered   

v.（尤指交通工具）改变方向或路线( veer的过去式和过去分词 )；（指谈话内容、人的行为或观点）突然改变；（指风） （在北半球按顺时针方向、在南半球按逆时针方向）逐渐转向；风向顺时针转

参考例句：

• The bus veered onto the wrong side of the road. 公共汽车突然驶入了逆行道。
• The truck veered off the road and crashed into a tree. 卡车突然驶离公路撞上了一棵树。 来自《简明英汉词典》