Small country, big example

Still an unusual success for democracy—★fingers crossed[1]

ON March 5th, Benin went to the polls for the fourth presidential election since multi-party democracy was introduced in 1990: no mean achievement in west Africa. Even more impressive was the fact that President Mathieu Kérékou did not ★stand for[2] re-election, nor did his great rival, Nicéphore Soglo, who was president from 1991-96. Both have passed the constitution’s age l_______① of 70. （1）That respect for the constitution goes admirably against Africa’s trend for heads of state to change the law to stay even longer in office.

Benin has fewer than 8m people. It is one of the p______② countries on earth. And yet, in Africa, it is also a democratic ★exemplar[3]. Many of Africa’s former French colonies brought in multi-party democracy only when forced to by the French—in return for more aid—in June 1990. （2）Having abandoned Marxism, Mr Kérékou, Benin’s president and military ruler, not only legalised opposition parties several months before then, but also ★stood down[4] after his electoral defeat to Mr Soglo in 1991. So Benin became the first African country where an incumbent ran for re-election, lost and graciously ★bowed out[5]. Since then, d_________③ has implanted itself strongly in the minds of Benin’s citizens. “Our history is so terrible, with coups and years of problems, that now we all care about democracy very deeply,” says one of them. 

NOTES：（LONGMAN）

1.keep…fingers crossed希望能成功，如愿

to hope that something will happen the way you want

e.g. We’rekeepingourfingers crossedthat she’s going to be OK.我们衷心希望她能一切都好。Bingham is keeping his fingers crossed that Gray’s withdrawal is the only one.宾厄姆希望除了格雷没人会退出。

2. stand for （election）做……（委员会、议会）候选人

（British English）to try to become elected to a council, parliament etc [= run American English] 

e.g.She announced her intention to stand for Parliament.她宣布打算参加议会竞选。

3.exemplar 样板，模范，典范(exemplar of)

a good or typical example

e.g. Milt’s career is an exemplar of survival in difficult times.米尔特的生涯可谓逆境生存的典范。

4.stand down 同意撤岗或停止竞选，给其他人机会；引退

to agree to leave your position or to stop trying to be elected, so that someone else can have a chance [= step down American English]

5.bow out 由……退出，从容引退；不反悔(bow out of)

1）to stop taking part in an activity, job etc, especially one that you have been doing for a long time

e.g. Reeves thinks it is time for him to bow out of politics.里夫斯觉得是时候告别政治舞台了。

2）to not do something that you have promised or agreed to do [= get out of]

e.g. You’re not trying to bow out of this, are you?你不会说话不算话吧，啊？

6.urn 瓮，茶水壶，骨灰盒

7.darkly 悲伤地，生气地，胁迫地

in a sad, angry, or threatening way:

e.g. Fred scowled darkly at her.弗雷德恶狠狠地看着她。

8. take something at face value 不考虑内在含义而接受某种条件或听信别人的话，信以为真

to accept a situation or accept what someone says, without thinking there may be a hidden meaning:

e.g. You shouldn’t always take his remarks at face value.你应该注意一下他的弦外之音。