VOA标准英语2009年-Iran Test Fires Improved Long-Range Mi

State television showed video of the Sejil 2 missile launch Wednesday, calling the test a success.

Edward Yeranian | Cairo 16 December 2009

Photo released by semi-official Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA), claims to show launch of high-speed surface-to-surface Sejil-2 missile, by Iranian armed forces, at undisclosed location, 16 Dec 2009

"There's nothing new about this rocket that should worry the West," notes Meir Javedanfar of the MEEPAS center in Tel Aviv.

Iran has test-fired what it claims is an improved version of its Sejil 2 medium-range missile, Wednesday, amid ongoing¹ tension with the West over its nuclear program.  

State television showed video of the Sejil 2 missile launch Wednesday, calling the test a success. The Sejil 2 has a range of about 2,000 kilometers, making it capable of hitting Israel and U.S. bases in southeastern Europe.

Defense² Minister Ahmed Vahidi says the Sejil 2 is intended to defend the country against outside attack.

He says that the missile which tested Wednesday, is part of Iran's defensive³ forces, and that the test is intended to reinforce the deterrent⁴ capabilities⁵ of [Iran's] military. He says that the missile was built by Iranian scientists and is an upgraded version of the Sejil 2 [launched last May]. He adds that the newer version has a shorter launch time, better deterrent capability⁶, and that it is a two-stage rocket using solid fuel that is highly maneuverable.

Both the test-firing and the sanctions vote come in the midst of an ongoing conflict between Iran and the West over its nuclear program. Tehran has not, as yet, agreed to the terms of a UN-draft deal to trade 70 percent of its low-grade uranium for highly enriched uranium from France and Russia.

The head of Iran's atomic energy agency, Ali Akbar Salehi, told the country's Press TV, Wednesday, that "Iran prefers to procure⁷ the fuel (for its research) reactor⁸ through the (International Atomic Energy) Agency, .but, we can't afford to wait for long."

Meir Javedanfar of the MEEPAS center in Tel Aviv says that the Sejil 2 missile is nothing for the West to worry about. He says it is more a sign that it's taking the military option seriously, now that negotiations⁹ with the West appear to be faltering¹⁰:

"There's nothing new about this rocket that should worry the West," he noted¹¹. "Iran has already tested solid fuel missiles before and Israel is already within the range of Iran's missiles. I think it's the political implications of this missile test that are noteworthy-and that is that Iran views the (nuclear) talks as dead-it doesn't view the talks positively¹², and now it's bracing¹³ for sanctions and quite possibly for war, and this missile test is a sign that Iran takes the military option very seriously and is ready to reciprocate¹⁴ if it's attacked."
 
Such tests, he adds, may also be aimed at frightening other countries in the region, like the Gulf¹⁵ States, or southern European nations that have U.S. or other Western bases on their soil, and might be involved in the logistics of an eventual¹⁶ attack.

President Barack Obama has said that the United States will not "wait indefinitely" for a response from Iran over the U.N. draft nuclear deal.   

Iran's test-firing, comes a day after the U.S. House of Representatives voted to impose sanctions on companies providing refined gasoline to Iran. Tehran is a major oil-producing country, but has just one domestic refinery¹⁷, forcing it to buy much of its gasoline from abroad.

 

1 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

2 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。

3 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

4 deterrent   

n.阻碍物，制止物；adj.威慑的，遏制的

参考例句：

• Large fines act as a deterrent to motorists.高额罚款是对开车的人的制约。
• I put a net over my strawberries as a deterrent to the birds.我在草莓上罩了网，免得鸟歇上去。

5 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

6 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。

7 procure   

vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条

参考例句：

• Can you procure some specimens for me?你能替我弄到一些标本吗？
• I'll try my best to procure you that original French novel.我将尽全力给你搞到那本原版法国小说。

8 reactor   

n.反应器；反应堆

参考例句：

• The atomic reactor generates enormous amounts of thermal energy.原子反应堆发出大量的热能。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules.在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

9 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。

10 faltering   

犹豫的，支吾的，蹒跚的

参考例句：

• The economy shows no signs of faltering. 经济没有衰退的迹象。
• I canfeel my legs faltering. 我感到我的腿在颤抖。

11 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

12 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

13 bracing   

adj.令人振奋的

参考例句：

• The country is bracing itself for the threatened enemy invasion. 这个国家正准备奋起抵抗敌人的入侵威胁。
• The atmosphere in the new government was bracing. 新政府的气氛是令人振奋的。

14 reciprocate   

v.往复运动；互换；回报，酬答

参考例句：

• Although she did not reciprocate his feelings, she did not discourage him.尽管她没有回应他的感情，她也没有使他丧失信心。
• Some day I will reciprocate your kindness to me.总有一天我会报答你对我的恩德。

15 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

16 eventual   

adj.最后的，结局的，最终的

参考例句：

• Several schools face eventual closure.几所学校面临最终关闭。
• Both parties expressed optimism about an eventual solution.双方对问题的最终解决都表示乐观。

17 refinery   

n.精炼厂，提炼厂

参考例句：

• They built a sugar refinery.他们建起了一座榨糖厂。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。