VOA慢速英语2013 IN THE NEWS - Tensions High on Korean Peninsula

 

IN THE NEWS - Tensions High on Korean Peninsula

新闻报道 - 朝鲜半岛局势紧张

From VOA Learning English, this is IN THE NEWS.

这里是美国之音慢速英语新闻报道。

North Korea is urging foreign embassies to consider telling their workers to leave the capital, Pyongyang, because of rising tensions. Britain says North Korea gave the warning to embassies and international organizations on Friday. The North Korean government reportedly said it cannot guarantee their safety after April tenth in, what it called, “the event of a conflict.”

朝鲜督促外国使馆考虑命令其员工因为局势不断升级而离开首都平壤。英国声称朝鲜周五向大使馆和国际组织发出了这一警告。据报道，朝鲜政府表示，4月10日之后万一发生冲突，它们无法确保其安全。

The government has made a series of threats in recent weeks against South Korea and the United States.

最近几周，朝鲜政府对韩国和美国作出了一系列的威胁。

The two countries have long enjoyed a strong alliance. For years, the United States stored nuclear weapons in South Korea for use against the North if it attacked the South. Those weapons were removed in 1991. But South Korean officials have been debating whether to have the United States redeploy the arms.

长期以来，韩美都是坚固的盟友。美国多年在韩国部署核武器用于防止朝鲜袭击韩国。1991年这些武器被拆除。但韩国官员一直就是否让美国重新部署这些武器而争论不休。

North Korea has wanted to keep its military strong. The North launched its first long-distance rocket in 1998. After a year of negotiations², North Korea agreed to stop long distance missile tests in exchange for better contacts with the United States and its allies. As part of the 1999 agreement, the North received money and food aid.

朝鲜一直想保持军事强大。1998年，朝鲜发射了首枚远程火箭。经过一年的谈判，朝鲜同意停止远程导弹试验，以换取改善同美国及其盟友的关系。作为1999年协议的一部分，朝鲜获得了资金和粮食援助。

Since then, North Korea has gone back, periodically, to using threats to get more money and food. But in the past few months, the war of words has gotten louder and more threatening. Last December, North Korea launched a long distance rocket. Then, in February, it carried out an underground nuclear test.

自那时起，朝鲜一直违背协议，定期使用威胁手段以获得更多的资金和食物。但在过去的几个月里，口水战更加热闹并更具威胁性。去年12月，朝鲜发射了一枚远程火箭。随后在2月又进行了一次地下核试验。

Those actions led the United Nations Security Council to expand existing sanctions against North Korea. The Council’s decision so angered the North that this week, the government said it had been given final approval for a nuclear attack against the United States. But many military experts do not believe the North can act on the threat.

这些举动引发联合国安理会扩大了对朝鲜现有的制裁。安理会的决议激怒了朝鲜，以至于本周朝鲜政府表示，它已经正式批准对美国进行核攻击。但很多军事专家不相信朝鲜有能力实现其威胁。

South Korea reported this week that North Korea has moved one of its missiles to its eastern coast. South Korean Defense³ Minister Kim Kwan-Jin said the missile appears to have what he called “considerable range.” But he does not believe it can reach the United States mainland.

韩国本周报道说，朝鲜已经将其中一枚导弹转移到东部海岸。韩国国防部长金宽镇（Kim Kwan-Jin）表示，这枚导弹似乎具有相当大的射程范围，但他不相信它能抵达美国本土。

American Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said he is taking the threat seriously.

美国国防部长查克·哈格尔（Chuck Hagel）表示，他会认真对待这一威胁。

“Some of the actions they’ve taken over the past few weeks present a real and clear danger and threat certainly to the interest of our allies, starting with South Korea and Japan.”

“过去数周他们采取的一些举动，对我们以韩日为首的盟友表现出了一种明确清晰的危险和威胁。”

On Wednesday, the United States said it plans to deploy¹ an advanced missile defense system to Guam, an American territory in the Pacific Ocean. The move is meant to serve as a warning, but it will take several weeks for the system to arrive.

美国周三表示，计划在美国太平洋领土关岛部署先进的导弹防御系统。此举是为了起到警示作用，但该系统部署到关岛尚需数周时间。

South Korea’s Ministry⁴ of National Defense has confirmed the movement of at least one missile by North Korea.

韩国国防部证实了朝鲜至少一枚导弹的转移。

South Korea is also preparing for an attack. It has deployed⁵ two warships⁶ with radar⁷ designed to monitor missiles.

韩国也对这次袭击做了准备。它已经部署了两艘搭载雷达的军舰，目的在于监视导弹。

1 deploy   

v.（军）散开成战斗队形，布置，展开

参考例句：

• The infantry began to deploy at dawn.步兵黎明时开始进入战斗位置。
• The president said he had no intention of deploying ground troops.总统称并不打算部署地面部队。

2 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。

3 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

4 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

5 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

6 warships   

军舰，战舰( warship的名词复数 )； 舰只

参考例句：

• The enemy warships were disengaged from the battle after suffering heavy casualties. 在遭受惨重伤亡后，敌舰退出了海战。
• The government fitted out warships and sailors for them. 政府给他们配备了战舰和水手。

7 radar   

n.雷达，无线电探测器

参考例句：

• They are following the flight of an aircraft by radar.他们正在用雷达追踪一架飞机的飞行。
• Enemy ships were detected on the radar.敌舰的影像已显现在雷达上。