金融時報:誰會成為印度新總理？

誰會成為印度新總理？

“印度經(jīng)濟改革之父”辛格將不再謀求連任總理，而他的國大黨陷入腐敗丑聞中。因此，人民黨的納倫德拉·莫迪很有可能憑借經(jīng)濟政績和民族主義成為新總理。而聲勢浩大的反腐運動平民黨，也有可能扮演攪局者的角色。

測試中可能遇到的詞匯和知識：

Congress party 國大黨，印度獨立后執(zhí)政時間最長的政黨，主席為尼赫魯-甘地家族的索尼婭·甘地。

Bharatiya Janata party 印度人民黨，具有印度教民族主義(Hinduism)色彩的印度第二大黨。 Aam Aadmi(Common Man) party 近來興起的平民黨，以掃帚為競選標志，以反腐為議題。 erudite ['er?da?t] 飽學的

pogrom ['p?gr?m; 'p?gr?m] 屠殺

heterogeneous['h?t?r?'d?in??s] 異質(zhì)的

The Common Man takes on India's elite（643 words）

FT editorial: Country heads for a turbulent and uncertain election

A general election in India, the world's largest democracy, is always remarkable to behold – and this year more than ever. This is not just because India now has nearly 800m eligible voters, an electorate more than double the entire population of the US. It is also because India is heading for one of its most uncertain national polls in decades, one set to be dominated by public anger over cronyism in government and the country's appalling public services.

For the past 10 years, India has been ruled by the Congress party, the centrist reference point of India's democracy. But under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress has become mired in corruption scandals and lacklustre economic management. For months, the assumption has been that the man to beat in poll, which must take place by May, will be Narendra Modi, prime ministerial candidate for the Bharatiya Janata party, India's Hindu nationalist opposition. He presents himself as a new strongman of Indian politics, one who would run India as effectively as he has run his home state of Gujarat.

However, victory for “the Lion of Gujarat” is not completely guaranteed. In recent weeks there has been an unexpectedly strong showing by the Aam Aadmi – or Common Man – party, an anti corruption movement. Its stunning performance in state assembly elections in New Delhi has led pollsters to wonder whether the AAP might ultimately block Mr Modi's chances of forming a government. It is too early to know for sure. But the sudden emergence centre stage of a political party formed just one year ago signals how much the Indian middle class wants the status quo to change.

If India's voters are angry, much of this is directed at Congress and the out-of-touch Gandhi dynasty. Manmohan Singh is an erudite and morally upright figure. But in recent years he has been appallingly passive in the face of rampant corruption inside his government. Rahul Gandhi, now the most likely prime minister candidate for Congress, is nowhere near demonstrating the political energy needed for the job.

India's voters are also incensed about the state of the economy. India's once vibrant growth rate has fallen by half in recent years to 5 per cent per annum. Some 10m Indians enter the workforce each year with little hope of a job. Widespread fury over the dire state of infrastructure and services is one of the main reasons why the Common Man party is surging.

But despite that success, the big question at this election is whether Mr Modi will be the man to capitalise on public dissatisfaction. He remains the central figure in Indian politics, the one dominating the national conversation. His appeal has much to do with his economic success in Gujarat, which has seen GDP growth of about 10 per cent a year since he came to office in 2001 (higher than India as a whole). His supporters say that record of success can now be exported across India.

Yet huge questions hang over Mr Modi. First and foremost is the pogrom against Muslims in Gujarat that happened on his watch in 2002. He has not been found guilty of any crime but has rarely shown any remorse for it. There are, moreover, real doubts about whether he can be an effective leader at a national level, given his reputation as an autocratic loner who rarely delegates.

India needs a leader who will give the country a new direction, build public confidence and sweep out corruption. But it is a complex and heterogeneous country of 28 states and needs a prime minister who can also unify the nation. Indians may be tired of the passive figure of Mr Singh and have an unclear picture of what Congress now stands for. But Mr Modi must prove in the coming campaign that he has a vision for India beyond aggressive Hindu nationalism.

請根據(jù)你所讀到的文章內(nèi)容，完成以下自測題目：

1.What's the major reason that the coming election is being regarded as “one of the most uncertain”?

A.Cronyism is plaguing the sitting government.

B.Manmohan Singh is an erudite and morally upright figure.

C.A pogrom against Muslims happened under Mr. Modi's watch.

D.The Common Man party surged from a anti corruption movement.

答案(1)

2.Whatis Mr. Modi's strongest point?

A.Gujarat State' economy grows much faster under his leadership.

B.As a nationalist, he has the capacity to unify the nation.

C.He has succesfully lead a anti corruption movement.

D.Many Indians are tired of the Gandhi family's dominance.

答案(2)

3.The editorial endorsed whom as the next Prime Minister?

A.Manmohan Singh, the current PM.

B.Nerendra Modi, governer of Gujarat State.

C.Rahul Gandhi, Congress party's new star.

D.Nobody.

答案(3)

* * *

(1)答案：A.Cronyism is plaguing the sitting government.

解釋：B顯然不是懸念叢生的原因，CD都是部分原因。A才是主因，它讓實力最強的國大黨面對很可能敗選的局面。

(2)答案：A.Gujarat State' economy grows much faster under his leadership.

解釋：His appeal has much to do with his economic success in Gujarat, BC是錯誤的，D是對方的弱點而不是莫迪自己的優(yōu)勢。

(3)答案：D.Nobody.

解釋：辛格即將退休，拉胡爾·甘地經(jīng)驗不足。但莫迪也沒得到作者的支持，文章在最后默認了莫迪當總理的可能性最大。 But Mr Modi must prove in the coming campaign that he has a vision for India beyond aggressive Hindu nationalism.