CNN 2009-07-05

South Korea says North Korea's launching of seven short-range missiles is a provocative¹ act. Let's get more now from Sohn Jie-Ae in Seoul. We're talking about these short-range missiles. They fire about 310 miles into the Sea of Japan. What is a scud² missile?

Well, scud missile is a type of ballistic missile. It is a missile that North Korea has about 700 of. It has -- it doesn't usually carry a nuclear warhead, but it is certainly deadly to the people that are on the other side of it. Now, the North Koreans have about 700 in their arsenal³. They have been in the relatively⁴ shorter range than the one that they fired off today. It was actually belonging to people here in South Korea, because for South Koreans, the fact that North Korea has these scud missiles with about a 300-mile range, which means that it has the entire South Korean peninsula under its watchful⁵ eye, is of great concern here to people in South Korea.

Jie-Ae, what kind of message might this be sending to the states and perhaps the world community?

It's the type of the missile that North Korea fired was a warning to South Korea. The timing⁶ of it actually seems to be aimed towards the Americans. I mean, they did fire seven on the Fourth of July. So it is something that they're telling the United States, they are not happy with Washington pressuring the Pyongyang government. It does seem definitely a sign on the Fourth of July.

We've come to expect the unexpected with Governor Sarah Palin. Nobody saw this one coming. She's quitting; she's stepping down. She says she's not going to seek re-election in 2010, but not only that, she's leaving office early, gonna hand it over to her lieutenant⁷ governor in about a month. Take a listen to the announcement she made yesterday.

I will support others who seek to serve in or out of office, and I don't care what party they're in or no party at all, inside Alaska or outside of Alaska. But I won't do it from the governor's desk. I've never believed that I nor anyone else needs a title to do this, to make a difference, to help people, so I choose for my state and for my family, more freedom to progress all the way around so that Alaska may progress. I will not seek re-election as governor.

Well, it's the Fourth of July, time for fireworks, little barbecue and the presidential address. President Barack Obama today urging the nation to reflect on the spirit of our founding fathers, but he also seizes that opportunity to argue for change.

Now is the time to reform an unsustainable health care system that's imposing⁸ crushing costs on families, businesses, large and small, as well as state and Federal budgets. We need to protect what works, fix what's broken, and bring down costs for all Americans. No more talk, no more delay. Health care reform must happen this year. And now is the time to meet our energy challenge. One of the greatest challenges we've ever confronted as a people or as a planet, for the sake of our economy and our children, we must build on the historic bill passed by the House of Representatives and make clean energy the profitable kind of energy so that we can end our dependence⁹ on foreign oil and reclaim¹⁰ America's future.

1 provocative   

adj.挑衅的，煽动的，刺激的，挑逗的

参考例句：

• She wore a very provocative dress.她穿了一件非常性感的裙子。
• His provocative words only fueled the argument further.他的挑衅性讲话只能使争论进一步激化。

2 scud   

n.疾行；v.疾行

参考例句：

• The helpers came in a scud.救援者飞奔而来。
• Rabbits scud across the turf.兔子飞快地穿过草地。

3 arsenal   

n.兵工厂，军械库

参考例句：

• Even the workers at the arsenal have got a secret organization.兵工厂工人暗中也有组织。
• We must be the great arsenal of democracy.我们必须成为民主的大军火库。

4 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

5 watchful   

adj.注意的，警惕的

参考例句：

• The children played under the watchful eye of their father.孩子们在父亲的小心照看下玩耍。
• It is important that health organizations remain watchful.卫生组织保持警惕是极为重要的。

6 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

7 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

8 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

9 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

10 reclaim   

v.要求归还，收回；开垦

参考例句：

• I have tried to reclaim my money without success.我没能把钱取回来。
• You must present this ticket when you reclaim your luggage.当你要取回行李时，必须出示这张票子。