VOA标准英语2010年-US, South Korea Set Joint Military Exe

The massive aircraft carrier USS George Washington is escorted into the Busan port in Busan, South Korea, for joint¹ military exercises as a South Korean destroyer, top, passes by 21 July 2010. The U.S. and South Korea will launch joint military exercises this weekend.

The United States and South Korea are to hold a series of joint military exercises in response to the late March sinking of a South Korean warship², blamed on North Korea. The first drill is to begin Sunday in the Sea of Japan.  It is being called unprecedented³ in scope with 8,000 forces participating, 20 surface ships and submarines and about 200 fixed⁴ wing aircraft.

Aircraft carrier USS George Washington, arriving in Korean waters, is the centerpiece of a considerable four-day show of force off South Korea's east coast and in its skies.  The top brass⁵ of the U.S. Forces in Korea say the large-scale drill will highlight resolve to face any threat posed by North Korea.

Rear Admiral Kim Kyung-shik, of the South Korean joint chiefs of staff, puts it in even blunter terms.

"The purpose of this drill is to confirm the strong will of the US-South Korean alliance and to send a clear warning to North Korea," said Kyung-shik. "We are conducting this exercise to train in preparation for various military provocations⁶ by North Korea."

Another significant aspect of this exercise: for the first time, F-22 jets, with Stealth technology, will participate. Known as Raptors, they are considered the most advanced fighter aircraft of the U.S. Air Force.

 

South Korea had originally announced that the exercise would also take place in the Yellow Sea. China strongly objected. This joint drill will keep to waters off South Korea's east coast.

U.S. Army Major General John MacDonald says the Sea of Japan is most suitable for this particular drill, while the more controversial western waters will be the setting for future joint training.

"It has a capability⁷ that we're going to exercise very thoroughly⁸ on that side," said MacDonald.  "So we will have exercises in whichever sea that the ROK (South Korea) and the U.S. alliance decide to do, and you'll see that those come in the future."

The exercise also comes at a time when the intelligence communities in both the United States and South Korea are predicting ailing⁹ North Korean leader Kim Jong Il could act in an increasingly unpredictable way.  Some analysts¹⁰ believe the North Korean leader may endorse¹¹ provocative¹² military actions meant to glorify¹³ his relatively¹⁴ unknown youngest son (Kim Jong Un) to help legitimize his succession.

After a visit to the Demilitarized Zone with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and talks in Seoul with their South Korean counterpart, the U.S. Defense¹⁵ Secretary, Robert Gates, acknowledged sharing that concern.  "... it is something we have to be on the lookout¹⁶ for, to be vigilant¹⁷, but also to be strong," said Gates.

South Korea's top defense officials acknowledge they are working with the  United States on contingencies¹⁸ in case of sudden change in the North - which they are terming "a strong possibility." Officials here, however, are quick to add that there is no clear indication such a change is imminent¹⁹.

 

1 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

2 warship   

n.军舰，战舰

参考例句：

• He is serving on a warship in the Pacific.他在太平洋海域的一艘军舰上服役。
• The warship was making towards the pier.军舰正驶向码头。

3 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

4 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

5 brass   

n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器

参考例句：

• Many of the workers play in the factory's brass band.许多工人都在工厂铜管乐队中演奏。
• Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。

6 provocations   

n.挑衅( provocation的名词复数 )；激怒；刺激；愤怒的原因

参考例句：

• We cannot ignore such provocations. 对于这种挑衅，我们不能置之不理。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• They must immediately cease all their provocations. 他们必须停止一切挑衅。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 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。

8 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

9 ailing   

v.生病

参考例句：

• They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。
• She looked after her ailing father. 她照顾有病的父亲。

10 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

11 endorse   

vt.(支票、汇票等)背书，背署；批注；同意

参考例句：

• No one is foolish enough to endorse it.没有哪个人会傻得赞成它。
• I fully endorse your opinions on this subject.我完全拥护你对此课题的主张。

12 provocative   

adj.挑衅的，煽动的，刺激的，挑逗的

参考例句：

• She wore a very provocative dress.她穿了一件非常性感的裙子。
• His provocative words only fueled the argument further.他的挑衅性讲话只能使争论进一步激化。

13 glorify   

vt.颂扬，赞美，使增光，美化

参考例句：

• Politicians have complained that the media glorify drugs.政治家们抱怨媒体美化毒品。
• We are all committed to serving the Lord and glorifying His name in the best way we know.我们全心全意敬奉上帝，竭尽所能颂扬他的美名。

14 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

15 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。

16 lookout   

n.注意，前途，瞭望台

参考例句：

• You can see everything around from the lookout.从了望台上你可以看清周围的一切。
• It's a bad lookout for the company if interest rates don't come down.如果利率降不下来，公司的前景可就不妙了。

17 vigilant   

adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的

参考例句：

• He has to learn how to remain vigilant through these long nights.他得学会如何在这漫长的黑夜里保持警觉。
• The dog kept a vigilant guard over the house.这只狗警醒地守护着这所房屋。

18 contingencies   

n.偶然发生的事故，意外事故( contingency的名词复数 )；以备万一

参考例句：

• We must consider all possible contingencies. 我们必须考虑一切可能发生的事。
• We must be prepared for all contingencies. 我们要作好各种准备，以防意外。 来自辞典例句

19 imminent   

adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的

参考例句：

• The black clounds show that a storm is imminent.乌云预示暴风雨即将来临。
• The country is in imminent danger.国难当头。