2007年VOA标准英语-Sierra Leone's Election Campaign Ends Amid Fear
时间：2019-01-25 作者：英语课 分类：2007年VOA标准英语（八月）
Freetown
09 August 2007
In Sierra Leone, on the last day of campaigning, voters and observers are expressing concern that tampering 1, violence, and poor weather will mar 2 presidential and parliamentary elections set for Saturday. These are the first elections in Sierra Leone since peacekeepers left and also the first presidential election without an incumbent 3 in the race. Naomi Schwarz has more for VOA from Freetown.
Election campaigning continues despite rains
A rainy Thursday in Freetown highlights one of the main concerns in the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections.
Kristiana Thorpe is the chairwoman of the National Electoral Commission.
""The main challenge has been the weather so far," she said.
August marks the height of the rainy season in this impoverished 4 West African country. Inland, the rains can be heavier and more frequent than in the coastal 5 capital. Voters in rural areas have to travel across washed out and rutted mud trails, sometimes for miles on foot, to reach polling stations. Election officials will have to travel the same roads to deliver ballots 6 and, after the vote, official tallies 7.
Voters will chose Saturday from among seven presidential candidates, including 69-year-old Vice 8 President Solomon Berewa. They will also be picking 112 members of parliament from among more than 570 candidates.
The parties target youths in Sierra Leone elections
In addition to poor weather voters are also expressing concern about the potential for violence and fraud at the polls.
Lamin Lappia is a farmer from Sembehun, a small village in a diamond-rich region. Many homes and other buildings in the village were destroyed by rebels during the country's decade-plus civil war and have yet to be rebuilt. Many villagers were killed.
Lappia says he does not care who wins, as long as there is no fighting.
"I want peace. Whether Brown, Joseph, whosoever got points to rule this nation, that is the person I want," he said. "Not because of what the people are talking, that is not what I am looking at."
Lappia says that, during the civil war, he fled the violence several times and he does not want to run away again.
The final rallies of the three major political parties, held on consecutive 9 days in the capital, have been raucous 10 but peaceful.
Sierra Leone election campaign rallyers on trucks
Analysts 11 say this is reassuring 12. But they say if voters suspect tampering with the results, that could spark hostilities 13.
The National Electoral Commission, civil society groups and journalists have implemented 14 several initiatives to combat tampering and reassure 15 the public.
Thousands of independent observers and many more representing political parties will fan out across the country. Several hundred journalists will report on local radio stations throughout election day.
To prevent tampering, vote counting will begin immediately after polls close, and tallies will be transported in sealed envelopes.
Despite their concerns, Sierra Leoneans, after years of single party rule and a brutal 16 civil war, seem excited to exercise their democratic rights.
- Two policemen were accused of tampering with the evidence. 有两名警察被控篡改证据。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- As Harry London had forecast, Brookside's D-day caught many meter-tampering offenders. 正如哈里·伦敦预见到的那样，布鲁克赛德的D日行动抓住了不少非法改装仪表的人。 来自辞典例句
- It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
- Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。
- He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
- It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。
- the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
- They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
- This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。
- They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- Cash on hand tallies with the figure in the accounts. 现款跟账上的数目没有出入。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- He tallies his own marks. 他把自己的得分记了下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
- They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。
- It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
- The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。
- I heard sounds of raucous laughter upstairs.我听见楼上传来沙哑的笑声。
- They heard a bottle being smashed,then more raucous laughter.他们听见酒瓶摔碎的声音，然后是一阵更喧闹的笑声。
- City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
- I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。
- He gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. 他轻拍了一下她的肩膀让她放心。
- With a reassuring pat on her arm, he left. 他鼓励地拍了拍她的手臂就离开了。
- Mexico called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. 墨西哥要求立即停止敌对行动。
- All the old hostilities resurfaced when they met again. 他们再次碰面时，过去的种种敌意又都冒了出来。
- This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句
- This seemed to reassure him and he continued more confidently.这似乎使他放心一点，于是他更有信心地继续说了下去。
- The airline tried to reassure the customers that the planes were safe.航空公司尽力让乘客相信飞机是安全的。