TEXT14Smallcountry,bigexampleMar16th2006IPORTO-NOVOFromTheEconomistprinteditionStillanunusualsuccessfordemocracy—★fingerscrossed[l]ONMarch5th,Beninwenttothepollsforthefourthpresidentialelectionsincemulti-partydemocracywasintroducedin1990:nomeanachievementinwestAfrica.EvenmoreimpressivewasthefactthatPresidentMathieuKerekoudidnot★standfor[2]re-election,nordidhisgreatrival,NicephoreSoglo,whowaspresidentfrom1991-96.Bothhavepassedtheconstitution'sage1_______①of70.(1)ThatrespectfortheconstitutiongoesadmirablyagainstAfrica'strendforheadsofstatetochangethelawtostayevenlongerinoffice.Beninhasfewerthan8mpeople・1(isoneofthep______②countriesonearth・Andyet,inAfrica,itisalsoademocratic★exemplar[3].ManyofAfrica'sformerFrenchcoloniesbroughtinmulti-partydemocracyonlywhenforcedtobytheFrench一inreturnformoreaid一inJune1990.(2)HavingabandonedMarxism^MrKerekou,Benin'spresidentandmilitaryruler,notonlylegalisedoppositionpartiesseveralmonthsbeforethen,butalso★stooddown[4]afterhiselectoraldefeattoMrSogloin1991.SoBeninbecamethefirstAfricancountrywhereanincumbentranforre-election,lostandgraciously★bowedout[5].Sincethen,d___________③hasimplanteditselfstronglyinthemindsofBenin'scitizens・uOurhistoryissoterrible,withcoupsandyearsofproblems,thatnowwcallcareaboutdemocracyverydeeply/9saysoneofthem.Still,theelectiondidnotgosmoothly.Electoralmaterials,i_________④votingforms,sealsforballotboxesandeventhe★ums[6]themselvesturneduplateornotatall,causingmostpollingstationstoopenhourslate.Althoughtheyallthenstayedopenfortheregulationninehours,electionofficialswereoftenabsentandmanyhadnotbeenproperlytrained・MrKerekoublamedtheindependentelectoralcommission,hintingthattheerrorswerenotaccidental.(3)Allthesame,turnoutwashigh.ProvisionalresultssuggestthatYayiBoni,abanker,isaheadandwillbefacedinasecondroundbyAdrienHoungbedji,aformerprimeministerandlong-timerivalofMrKerekou.Severalothermoreminorcandidateshavefiledcomplaintsabouttheelectionprocesswiththeconstitutionalcourt.Itis,alas,possiblethatasecondroundmaynottakep____________⑤.MrKerekouhastalked★darkly[7JoffollowingAmerica'sexamplein2000bytakingmonthstoverifythefirst-roundresults・Hiscriticssayheisstallingfortimetohandpickafavouredsuccessortorunagainifthefirstroundisinvalidated・(4)Sohowevei;hispromisetogiveuppowerhastobetaken^atfacevalue⑻.Benin'sdemocracy-lovingpeopleshouldmakehimsticktohisword:itcouldbetheformergeneral'sgreatestlegacy・NOTES:(LONGMAN)1.keep-••fingerscrossed希望能成功,如愿tohopethatsomethingwillhappenthewayyouwante.g.WeVekeepingourfingerscrossedthatshe'sgoingtobeOK•我们衷心希望她能一切都好。BinghamiskeepinghisfingerscrossedthatGray'swithdrawalistheonlyone.宾厄姆希望除了格雷没人会退i'll。2.standfor(election)做...........(委员会、议会)候选人(BritishEnglish)totrytobecomeelectedtoacouncil,parliamentetc[=runAmericanEnglish]e.g.SheannouncedherintentiontostandforParliament.她宣布打算参加议会竞选。3.exemplar样板，模范，典范(exemplarof)agoodortypicalexamplee.g.Milt'scareerisanexemplarofsurvivalindifficulttimes.米尔特的牛涯可谓逆境牛存的典范。4.standdown同意撤岗或停止竞选，给其他人机会；引退toagreetoleaveyourpositionortostoptryingtobeelected,sothatsomeoneelsecanhaveachancc[=stepdownAmericanEnglish]5.bowout由......退出,从容引退;不反悔(bowoutof)1)tostoptakingpartinanactivity,jobetc,especiallyonethatyouhavebeendoingforalongtimee.g.Reevesthi...