时间:2019-01-16 作者:英语课 分类:VOA常速英语2008年(四月)


英语课
By Nico Colombant
Dakar
04 April 2008

Benin's president Boni Yayi is facing increasing opposition 1 two years after coming to power.  Mr. Yayi, an independent banker and political outsider, succeeded Mathieu Kerekou who had ruled the small West African nation for all but five years since 1972.  VOA's Nico Colombant reports from our regional bureau in Dakar.


Joel Aivo, a spokesman for the opposition Party for Renewal 2 of Democracy says he speaks for many in Benin when he says he feels President Yayi has been a waste.


He says there was so much hope with a new president, who was a fresh face in Benin's political arena 3.


But he says in terms of access to health, buying power, democracy, and bringing about decentralization, he believes things are getting worse not better, despite repeated promises.


A total of 13 lawmakers previously 4 allied 5 to the president recently defected from the president's parliamentary group, saying they did not agree with government policy.


Criticism from outside political circles is more mixed, but intensifying 6 as well.


Martin Assogba, the head of a non-governmental organization, says it all started well for Mr. Yayi, but that it has become too political recently.


He says Beninese want a developer, he says, at the head of their country, not a politician.


He gives as an example the fight against corruption 7, which he says had a promising 8 start, but has since slowed down.


A presidential assistant and spokesman for Mr. Yayi, Eric Adja says new government programs such as free primary schooling 9, funding for youth employment, and micro-credit opportunities for market women are notable accomplishments 10.


"This is something exceptional in Africa," he noted 11.  "I would like to share this conviction that we have a president with a vision.  His vision is emerging Benin.  It is to make our country an emerging nation, and just in two years, President Yayi Boni has helped build the national economy.  We have economic growth from three percent, [and] now are targeting six percent."


Adja says the presidential camp has no problems with not having unanimity 12 of thought, he says, but that constructive 13 criticism is needed rather than just rhetoric 14.


"Criticism is useful for democracy," he said.  "There is no democracy without differences of opinion.  The problem is, what else do they propose?  They should not just criticize, but they should also propose alternative ways of doing it.  So we have a stable democracy in Benin and we hope that the opponents will join hands together with other ideas. We are open."


President Yayi has three more years in power, but his supporters from the coalition 15 known by its French acronym 16 FCBE (Force Cauris pour un Benin Emergent) which in English means the Seashell's Strength for an Emerging Benin, face a test during local elections scheduled for April 20.




n.反对,敌对
  • 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。
adj.(契约)延期,续订,更新,复活,重来
  • Her contract is coming up for renewal in the autumn.她的合同秋天就应该续签了。
  • Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。
n.竞技场,运动场所;竞争场所,舞台
  • She entered the political arena at the age of 25. 她25岁进入政界。
  • He had not an adequate arena for the exercise of his talents.他没有充分发挥其才能的场所。
adv.以前,先前(地)
  • The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
  • Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿,解释原先发生了什么。
adj.协约国的;同盟国的
  • Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
  • Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。
v.(使)增强, (使)加剧( intensify的现在分词 );增辉
  • The allies are intensifying their air campaign. 联军部队正加大他们的空战强度。 来自辞典例句
  • The rest of the European powers were in a state of intensifying congestion. 其余的欧洲强国则处于越来越拥挤的状态。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史
n.腐败,堕落,贪污
  • The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
  • The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。
adj.有希望的,有前途的
  • The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
  • We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。
n.教育;正规学校教育
  • A child's access to schooling varies greatly from area to area.孩子获得学校教育的机会因地区不同而大相径庭。
  • Backward children need a special kind of schooling.天赋差的孩子需要特殊的教育。
n.造诣;完成( accomplishment的名词复数 );技能;成绩;成就
  • It was one of the President's greatest accomplishments. 那是总统最伟大的成就之一。
  • Among her accomplishments were sewing,cooking,playing the piano and dancing. 她的才能包括缝纫、烹调、弹钢琴和跳舞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
adj.著名的,知名的
  • 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。
n.全体一致,一致同意
  • These discussions have led to a remarkable unanimity.这些讨论导致引人注目的一致意见。
  • There is no unanimity of opinion as to the best one.没有一个公认的最好意见。
adj.建设的,建设性的
  • We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
  • He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。
n.修辞学,浮夸之言语
  • Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗?
  • Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后,他和军队的关系岌岌可危。
n.结合体,同盟,结合,联合
  • 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。
n.首字母简略词,简称
  • That's a mouthful of an acronym for a very simple technology.对于一项非常简单的技术来说,这是一个很绕口的缩写词。
  • TSDF is an acronym for Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities.TSDF是处理,储存和处置设施的一个缩写。
学英语单词
ablins
acinaces
African Queen
agency liability
alexander garden
alkarsin
anti-stray-current electric detonator
archdeaconry
artificial cardiac pacemaker
autobalancing
beaminstability
belfair
big-play
Bisayan Islands, Bisayas
Bob Marley
bobacs
BPCP
brulliement
business paper
cable-cars
cashless society
catalytic ozone converter
Catch-Up Contribution
cohesion coefficient
diisopropyl perdicarbonate
dimensional method
dithiocarbonates
enloplatin
flabbergastering
flameworker
flightelevator
flowchart generator
foreappointment
four-squares
free rappel
glume tenacity
gobiopsis arenaria
Gromakalim
haemocytoblast
halotrichine
hos-pital
how about you
Huang Hua
incisurae cartilaginis meatus acustici externi
independent means
indirect search
Jingzhou
jolloped
jtc1/sc24
kirkeby
locking motion
lop off
malfolding
mechanical load
mesopelagic zone
methysergid
network driver interface
nonadditional
ntype
oncograph
origenes
paralepses
Pedicularis elliotii
peripalloside
photon bunching
plagioclase-arenite
plateau mesa
Plexus periarteriales
principal trade partners
propanoic acid anhydride
put the clocks forward
quartter
rather much
rattle traps
reflecting pools
registerers
regulating wheel
ressentiments
sampling synchronization pulse
Shibushi
showboaters
skoche
source listing file
steel concrete
stuff gown
submarine bulk cargo carrier
Suez,Isthmus of
sunspectrum
supervoltage radiotherapy
tapped down generator
teminal sinuses
tentacular fringe
three-D home TV
thrust cup
transpeptidases
trapt
triceratopss
tuff breccia
tympanomandibular
until you are blue in the face
vinyl chloride
Zator