VOA标准英语2009年-2 Koreas Plan Talks on Flood Control, Fami

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
13 October 2009

North and South Korea have agreed to hold talks on managing shared waterways and arranging more reunions between families separated by the 1950s war. The move toward dialogue comes despite a series of short-range missile tests by the North, which are being downplayed in the South.

South Korea's Unification Ministry¹ says Pyongyang's launch of at least five short-range missiles did not affect Tuesday's agreement to hold talks.

Lee Jong-joo, a ministry spokesperson, says North Korea has agreed to the South's proposal to discuss flood prevention along the shared Imjin River on October 14. They have also agreed to Red Cross talks on the October 16 dealing² with separated families.

Both subjects are high priority for Seoul. Six South Koreans drowned last month when the North suddenly released water from a dam, flooding camping areas in the South. And tens of thousands of elderly Koreans have not seen family members they left behind since the North invaded the South in 1950.

The United States says North Korea's missile test Monday has not altered its determination to bring Pyongyang back to talks on its nuclear weapons.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu is also unconcerned. He says he thinks the missile test will not affect what he calls "the improving situation on the Korean peninsula."

Short-range test launches are not formally prohibited under United Nations sanctions against the North, which forbid medium and long-range ballistic activities. Experts here in Seoul generally view the short-range launches as routine, and say there is no serious cause for alarm.

Kim Tae-woo is a researcher with the Korea Institute for Defense³ Analyses in Seoul. He says North Korea is doing this for its own internal purposes of maintaining its ballistic missile capability⁴.

Pyongyang has advised ships to steer⁵ clear of its coastal⁶ waters until October 20; many North Korea experts see that as a sign that more launches are to come.

Whether it is intended or not, the missile launches serve as an implicit⁷ reminder⁸ to South Korea of the North's ability to inflict⁹ massive damage on very short notice. Military planners say a barrage¹⁰ of North Korean short range missiles and artillery¹¹ could kill hundreds of thousands in the capital city, Seoul, in a matter of hours.

 

1 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。

2 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

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 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

5 steer   

vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶

参考例句：

• If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。
• It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。

6 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

7 implicit   

a.暗示的，含蓄的，不明晰的，绝对的

参考例句：

• A soldier must give implicit obedience to his officers. 士兵必须绝对服从他的长官。
• Her silence gave implicit consent. 她的沉默表示默许。

8 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

9 inflict   

vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担

参考例句：

• Don't inflict your ideas on me.不要把你的想法强加于我。
• Don't inflict damage on any person.不要伤害任何人。

10 barrage   

n.火力网，弹幕

参考例句：

• The attack jumped off under cover of a barrage.进攻在炮火的掩护下开始了。
• The fierce artillery barrage destroyed the most part of the city in a few minutes.猛烈的炮火几分钟内便毁灭了这座城市的大部分地区。

11 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。