VOA慢速英语2016 美国失踪的"地狱之火"导弹出现在古巴

AS IT IS 2016-01-11 Missing US Hellfire Missile Turns Up in Cuba 美国失踪的"地狱之火"导弹出现在古巴

U.S. officials are asking how a Hellfire missile used in a training mission in Europe has ended up in Cuba.

美国官员质询，在欧洲训练任务中使用的一枚“地狱火”导弹怎么会最终出现在古巴。

The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that U.S. officials have asked the Cuban government to return the Hellfire missile. The report says it marks one of the most bizarre disappearances² of sensitive U.S. military technology.

《华尔街日报》周四报道，美国官员希望古巴政府归还那枚导弹。报道称，这次可以说是美军敏感技术最离奇的失窃事件之一。

U.S. officials say the dummy³ missile was mistakenly shipped from Europe to Cuba in 2014. They say developer Lockheed Martin sent the missile to Spain. The NATO military used it in a training exercise. The missile was then to be returned to Florida. But, it disappeared after it was sent on a long journey through Europe.

美国官员称，这枚模型导弹于2014年被错误地装船运到了古巴。他们说，开发者洛克希德·马丁把这枚导弹送到了西班牙。北约军队在一次训练演习中使用了它。导弹本应该送还到佛罗里达州。但是，在欧洲的长途旅行之后，这枚导弹却消失了。

By the time officials noticed the missile was missing, it was already traveling from Paris to Havana on an Air France flight.

等到官员们注意到导弹失踪时，这枚导弹已经由一架法航班机从巴黎送到了哈瓦那。

The Wall Street Journal reports that U.S. officials are investigating whether the disappearance¹ resulted from mistakes or whether spies or criminals were involved.

《华尔街日报》报道，美国官员正在调查导弹失踪是否由失误引起，以及是否有间谍或罪犯牵涉其中。

One U.S. official told the Associated Press that Lockheed Martin’s shippers made an error. The official said the United States is working with the company to return the missile.

一位美国官员在接受美联社采访时说，洛克希德·马丁的承运商犯出现错误。这位官员说美国政府正与公司合作找回导弹。

The Hellfire missile did not contain explosives. But it did have sensors⁴ and targeting technology. U.S. officials say they fear the technology could be reconstructed. Officials are also concerned that Cuba could share the technology with other governments, such as North Korea.

这枚“地狱火”导弹里没有火药。但是却有传感器和瞄准技术。美国官员称他们担心技术被重造。官员们还担心古巴会跟其他国家共享这项技术，比如朝鲜。

The United States and Cuba ended diplomatic relations in 1961, but reopened relations on July 15, 2015. However, distrust remains⁵ between the two governments.

美国和古巴于1961年断交，但又于2015年7 月15重新日建交。但是，两国政府之间还是存在不信任。

Words in This Story

dummy - adj. looking real but not functioning or able to be used

reconstruct - v. to build something again

1 disappearance   

n.消失，消散，失踪

参考例句：

• He was hard put to it to explain her disappearance.他难以说明她为什么不见了。
• Her disappearance gave rise to the wildest rumours.她失踪一事引起了各种流言蜚语。

2 disappearances   

n.消失( disappearance的名词复数 )；丢失；失踪；失踪案

参考例句：

• Most disappearances are the result of the terrorist activity. 大多数的失踪案都是恐怖分子造成的。 来自辞典例句
• The espionage, the betrayals, the arrests, the tortures, the executions, the disappearances will never cease. 间谍活动、叛党卖国、逮捕拷打、处决灭迹，这种事情永远不会完。 来自英汉文学

3 dummy   

n.假的东西；(哄婴儿的)橡皮奶头

参考例句：

• The police suspect that the device is not a real bomb but a dummy.警方怀疑那个装置不是真炸弹，只是一个假货。
• The boys played soldier with dummy swords made of wood.男孩们用木头做的假木剑玩打仗游戏。

4 sensors   

n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时，有很大变化。 来自辞典例句

5 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。