万花筒 2009-05-28&05-29 朝鲜核爆，奥巴马面临考验

A defiant¹ North Korea, the reclusive state ruled by Kim Jong-Il tests its second nuclear device and follows with a test firing of several short-range missiles. The US on Tuesday said North Korea will pay a price if it does not reverse course. Bruce Klingner of the Conservative Heritage Foundation.

“But since the beginning of the year they’ve engaged in a rapid fire series of provocations² with no time in between, which indicates that North Korea is no longer in a rest, at least in the near term, for negotiations³. They are trying to achieve a viable⁴ nuclear weapon. ”

President Barack Obama used his inaugural⁵ address to offer an open hand if hostile nations unclench their fists. But that appeal has not worked with North Korea. Likewise condemnation⁶ from world powers and a series of sanctions have not stopped Pyongyang’s nuclear pursuit.

“We’ve tried sort of an all-sticks approach in the early part of the Bush administration, we tried an all-carrots, at the end neither one was successful.”

The UN Security Council condemned⁷ the nuclear test and is working on a new resolution. “The key for Obama may be the role of China,” says William Keylor of Boston University.

“If he really tries to persuade the Chinese leadership that it must do something to stop this program, and if he is successful in persuading the Chinese that it’s in their interest to bring this to a close, then I think the Nobel Peace Prize is waiting for him. It’s a long shot, but it’s the, I think, the most effective way of resolving this problem.”

Brushing aside the latest international outrage⁸, Pyongyang said the United States was the aggressive one, its long-held argument to justify⁹ a nuclear arsenal¹⁰.

Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters.

 

1 defiant   

adj.无礼的，挑战的

参考例句：

• With a last defiant gesture,they sang a revolutionary song as they were led away to prison.他们被带走投入监狱时，仍以最后的反抗姿态唱起了一支革命歌曲。
• He assumed a defiant attitude toward his employer.他对雇主采取挑衅的态度。

2 provocations   

n.挑衅( provocation的名词复数 )；激怒；刺激；愤怒的原因

参考例句：

• We cannot ignore such provocations. 对于这种挑衅，我们不能置之不理。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• They must immediately cease all their provocations. 他们必须停止一切挑衅。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

4 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

5 inaugural   

adj.就职的；n.就职典礼

参考例句：

• We listened to the President's inaugural speech on the radio yesterday.昨天我们通过无线电听了总统的就职演说。
• Professor Pearson gave the inaugural lecture in the new lecture theatre.皮尔逊教授在新的阶梯讲堂发表了启用演说。

6 condemnation   

n.谴责; 定罪

参考例句：

• There was widespread condemnation of the invasion. 那次侵略遭到了人们普遍的谴责。
• The jury's condemnation was a shock to the suspect. 陪审团宣告有罪使嫌疑犯大为震惊。

7 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

8 outrage   

n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒

参考例句：

• When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
• We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。

9 justify   

vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护

参考例句：

• He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。
• Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗？

10 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。