VOA标准英语2009年-Jacques Chirac to Stand Trial on Embezzlem

By Lisa Bryant
Paris
30 October 2009
 
Jacques Chirac (File)
A French magistrate¹ has ordered former President Jacques Chirac to stand trial on embezzlement² charges dating back to the 1990s, when he was mayor of Paris. The order is unprecedented³, and follows several other trials targeting former high-level politicians.

Former President Jacques Chirac did not respond directly to news he has been ordered to stand trial, but a statement from his office said he was serene⁴ and determined⁵ to clear himself.

Chirac is charged with embezzlement and breach⁶ of trust relating to allegations that 35 people were given fake jobs at Paris city hall between 1994 and 1995, when he was mayor. A veteran politician, 76-year-old Chirac served as both Paris mayor and prime minister of France, before becoming president in 1995. He left office in 2007.

Although he has been dogged by several scandals, he has so far avoided prosecution⁷.

Reactions to the news were swift, with some opposition⁸ politicians praising the justice system for having done its work. But a number of Chirac supporters sharply criticized the move, including one former advisor⁹, Jean-Francois Probst.

In an interview on French radio, Probst suggested the judge's order was part of a larger attack on the conservative circle surrounding Chirac. Two of Chirac's former prime ministers, Alain Juppe and Dominique de Villepin, have both stood trial on separate charges, while ex-interior minister Charles Pasqua was sentenced to prison in a third trial that ended this week.

But international relations professor Steven Ekovich, of the American University of Paris, has his doubts whether Chirac will ever face trial.

"It's a little surprising, but I doubt it's going to go very far, mostly because of his age," said Steven Ekovich. "Maybe mostly because of his age. And I can't imagine that President [Nicolas] Sarkozy will let it go very far. I think this is just part of the justice system following procedures."

While Chirac left the presidency¹⁰ with dismal¹¹ approval ratings, his popularity has since soared. In a poll earlier this year, he was rated France's most popular politician.

1 magistrate   

n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官

参考例句：

• The magistrate committed him to prison for a month.法官判处他一个月监禁。
• John was fined 1000 dollars by the magistrate.约翰被地方法官罚款1000美元。

2 embezzlement   

n.盗用，贪污

参考例句：

• He was accused of graft and embezzlement and was chained and thrown into prison.他因被指控贪污盗窃而锒铛入狱。
• The judge sent him to prison for embezzlement of funds.法官因他盗用公款将其送入监牢。

3 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

4 serene   

adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的

参考例句：

• He has entered the serene autumn of his life.他已进入了美好的中年时期。
• He didn't speak much,he just smiled with that serene smile of his.他话不多，只是脸上露出他招牌式的淡定的微笑。

5 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

6 breach   

n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破

参考例句：

• We won't have any breach of discipline.我们不允许任何破坏纪律的现象。
• He was sued for breach of contract.他因不履行合同而被起诉。

7 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

8 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。

9 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

10 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。

11 dismal   

adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的

参考例句：

• That is a rather dismal melody.那是一支相当忧郁的歌曲。
• My prospects of returning to a suitable job are dismal.我重新找到一个合适的工作岗位的希望很渺茫。