2006年VOA标准英语-Italian Government Takes Office

By Sabina Castelfranco
Rome
17 May 2006

Italy's 61st post-war government, led by center-left leader Romano Prodi has been sworn in after five weeks of political vacuum.  The government must now win confidence votes in both houses of parliament.  

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One day after center-left coalition¹ leader Romano Prodi was given the mandate² to form the new Italian government, his cabinet was sworn in at the presidential palace.  Since the April general election, Mr. Prodi had been working on the government make-up and on satisfying all the allies in his nine-party coalition.

 

Romano Prodi on his way to read  list of new ministers at Rome's Quirinale Palace, May 17, 2006  
  

After presenting his cabinet list of 26 members to Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, 66-year-old Prodi first read out the names of eight ministers, six of them women, without portfolio³.  Then he turned to those with portfolio.

He said the Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema and the Minister for Cultural Affairs, Francesco Rutelli, would also be his deputy prime ministers.

D'Alema, a former Communist, and another member of the new cabinet, Interior Minister Giuliano Amato, have both been prime ministers of Italy. 

Arturo Parisi, was named Defense⁴ Minister.  Former European Central Bank board member, Tommas Padoa Schioppa was Mr. Prodi's choice for economy minister.  The well-respected and independent economist⁵ will face the difficult job of tackling Italy's huge debt and zero-growth rate. 

Mr. Prodi said he has a great desire for cohesion⁶ and unity⁷ in the country.  He said his team was united and homogenous⁸ and would last the entire legislature.

He also said the first commitment will be to rebuild a spirit of solidarity⁹ and a consensus¹⁰ on the goals needed for the country to move forward, and that, he added, means lowering the level of tension.

Mr. Prodi's cabinet list was presented 10 years to the day after he presented his first government on May 17, 1996.   That government ended after two years when the communists withdrew their support. 

Silvio Berlusconi (file photo)  
  
With the diversity of parties making up the present center-left coalition, many in Italy wonder how long this government will remain in power.  Silvio Berlusconi's center-right coalition, which lost the elections by a narrow margin¹¹, has vowed¹² to maintain a strong opposition¹³.

Mr. Prodi's government will need to win confidence votes in both houses of parliament.  He said he would address the Senate on Thursday and the Chamber¹⁴ of Deputies early next week.  

1 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

2 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

3 portfolio   

n.公事包；文件夹；大臣及部长职位

参考例句：

• He remembered her because she was carrying a large portfolio.他因为她带着一个大公文包而记住了她。
• He resigned his portfolio.他辞去了大臣职务。

4 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

5 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

6 cohesion   

n.团结，凝结力

参考例句：

• I had to bring some cohesion into the company.我得使整个公司恢复凝聚力。
• The power of culture is deeply rooted in the vitality,creativity and cohesion of a nation. 文化的力量，深深熔铸在民族的生命力、创造力和凝聚力之中。

7 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。

8 homogenous   

adj.同类的，同质的，纯系的

参考例句：

• Japan is a wealthy,homogenous,developed nation with a stable political system.日本是一个富裕的同质型发达国家，政治体制稳定。
• My family is very homogenous and happy.我们这个家庭很和睦很幸福。

9 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

10 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

11 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

12 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

13 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。

14 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。