VOA慢速英语--朝鲜称其拥有小型核武器

AS IT IS 2016-03-10 North Korea Says It Has Small Nuclear Weapon 朝鲜称其拥有小型核武器

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Wednesday his country has developed nuclear weapons of a size small enough for a ballistic missile.

This is the first time the North Korean leader has made such a claim.

The state Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Wednesday that Kim met with nuclear scientists and technicians. It said they discussed "research conducted to tip various types of tactical and strategic ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads."

The agency also published photographs that appeared to show the North Korean leader visiting a factory where the warheads were made.

The authenticity¹ of the photos could not be independently confirmed. A number of military experts have said they question the North Korean claim.

U.S. military leaders have said in the past that North Korea has the right connections and technology to develop a small nuclear device. However, the country has yet to demonstrate that ability.

The claim comes as North Korea faces intense international pressure because of its recent nuclear and missile tests.

North Korea’s public diplomacy², or lack of it, has only increased the pressure. Last week, North Korea answered new United Nations sanctions by firing projectiles⁴ into the sea. Kim also threatened to carry out a nuclear strike against South Korea and the United States.

History of confrontational⁵ words

Brian Myers studies North Korean propaganda. He wrote the 2010 book, “The Cleanest Race: How North Koreans See Themselves and Why it Matters.”

He said the North’s confrontational public relations campaigns go back to the country’s founder⁶, Kim Il Sung. He came to power with the help of the Soviet⁷ Union at the end of World War II.

?Myers is an associate professor of International Studies at Dongseo University in South Korea. He said North Korea uses threats and warlike language as a way to get the U.S. government to react.

"This rhetoric⁸ is the North's way of saying to Washington, ‘You guys better keep us on the front burner because we are just as ready to fight and die as your enemies in the Middle East are.’”

In recent years, North Korea's language has become stronger and more bellicose⁹. Myers says that is partly because more information from overseas is entering the North.

"In the old days, the regime could make very peaceful noises to the outside world and make very bellicose racist¹⁰ noises in what I call megaphone propaganda, the sort of thing that North Koreans get in their farms and factories.

But now, as more and more North Koreans access outside sources of information, as you just said, the regime is under much and more pressure to speak in one voice. And that means making much the same warlike and often racist noises in export propaganda that it has always made on the home front."

Myers says North Korea's warlike statements are meant to increase a sense of national pride. Outside the country, they are designed to increase anti-American feelings in South Korea and other countries.

This use of language may be counterproductive. However, Myers believes this rhetoric reflects the uncompromising position of the North Korean leadership.

"Those are ultranationalists, who are genuinely outraged¹¹ by the presence of American troops in South Korea, who remain genuinely committed to reunifying the peninsula. And this is the problem with ultranationalists everywhere, is that it's very difficult for them to put themselves in the shoes of other nations, of other races, and has great difficulty presenting itself in a sophisticated way to them.”

Words in This Story

ballistic missile – n. a missile designed to travel long distances to deliver explosives

projectile³ – n. something launched as a weapon

confrontational – adj. challenging or opposing someone in a strong or threatening way

bellicose – adj. warlike, ready to argue or fight

regime – n. a system of government

authenticity – n. the quality of being truthful¹²

pride – n. a feeling of self-respect, a feeling of importance

rhetoric – n. language used to influence people

1 authenticity   

n.真实性

参考例句：

• There has been some debate over the authenticity of his will. 对于他的遗嘱的真实性一直有争论。
• The museum is seeking an expert opinion on the authenticity of the painting. 博物馆在请专家鉴定那幅画的真伪。

2 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

3 projectile   

n.投射物，发射体；adj.向前开进的；推进的；抛掷的

参考例句：

• The vertical and horizontal motions of a projectile can be treated independently.抛射体的竖直方向和水平方向的运动能够分开来处理。
• Have you altered the plans of the projectile as the telegram suggests?你已经按照电报的要求修改炮弹图样了吗?

4 projectiles   

n.抛射体( projectile的名词复数 )；（炮弹、子弹等）射弹，（火箭等）自动推进的武器

参考例句：

• These differences are connected with the strong absorption of the composite projectiles. 这些差别与复杂的入射粒子的强烈吸收有关。 来自辞典例句
• Projectiles became more important because cannons could now fire balls over hundreds or yards. 抛射体变得更加重要，因为人们已能用大炮把炮弹射到几百码的距离之外。 来自辞典例句

5 confrontational   

adj.挑衅的；对抗的

参考例句：

• Fans love rappers partly because they strike such a confrontational pose. 乐迷热爱这些饶舌艺人一定程度上是因为他们所采取的那种战斗姿态。 来自互联网
• You prefer a non confrontational approach when it comes to resolving disputes. 面对争端，你不喜欢采用对抗性的手段来解决。 来自互联网

6 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

7 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

8 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

9 bellicose   

adj.好战的；好争吵的

参考例句：

• He expressed alarm about the government's increasingly bellicose statements.他对政府越来越具挑衅性的声明表示担忧。
• Some irresponsible politicians made a bellicose remarks.一些不负责任的政客说出一些好战的话语。

10 racist   

n.种族主义者，种族主义分子

参考例句：

• a series of racist attacks 一连串的种族袭击行为
• His speech presented racist ideas under the guise of nationalism. 他的讲话以民族主义为幌子宣扬种族主义思想。

11 outraged   

a.震惊的，义愤填膺的

参考例句：

• Members of Parliament were outraged by the news of the assassination. 议会议员们被这暗杀的消息激怒了。
• He was outraged by their behavior. 他们的行为使他感到愤慨。

12 truthful   

adj.真实的，说实话的，诚实的

参考例句：

• You can count on him for a truthful report of the accident.你放心，他会对事故作出如实的报告的。
• I don't think you are being entirely truthful.我认为你并没全讲真话。