VOA标准英语2011--North Korea Hails Kim Jong Un as 'Supreme Leader'

North Korea Hails Kim Jong Un as 'Supreme¹ Leader'

 

With a distant siren the only sound, an ocean of people bowed silently Thursday before North Korea's Kim Jong Un.

From a balcony, he looked out over hundreds of thousands gathered for a silent memorial to his father - and a pledge of unwavering loyalty² to him.

The North’s new leader is not yet 30-years-old, but is already referred to in state media as "Supreme Commander" and "Great Successor."

As the military fired weapons in salute³, senior leaders flanking the younger Kim sought to leave no doubt about a smooth power transition from father to son.

Kim Yong Nam is North Korean Supreme People's Assembly President. He says our great comrade Kim Jong Il has solved the leadership succession matter perfectly⁴, which is the most precious accomplishment⁵ for our country's destiny and endless prosperity of our descendants.

Korean Workers' Party Secretary Kim Ki Nam says by following our party and people's supreme leader Kim Jong Un's leadership, we are going to transform today's sorrow into a thousand times more strength and courage.

Estimates of how many North Koreans died of starvation and malnutrition⁶ under Kim Jong Il's rule range from several hundred thousand to more than a million.

Photo released by the Korean Central News Agency and distributed in Tokyo by the Korea News Service, thousands take part in a national memorial service for late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang, December 29, 2011.

In neighboring South Korea, experts say Kim Jong Un's very survival depends on his ability to improve the economy.

"Even a strong state, shall we say, like North Korea, armed to the teeth, can only last if its economy can continue to feed its soldiers, never mind its people," said Lho Kyungsoo, a Seoul National University professor and chairman of the Asia Society Korea Center. "But in order to earn the loyalty that his father and grandfather had the young Kim Jong Un is going to have to find the means to feed his people. And in order to do that he is going to have to change the makeup⁷ of the system to a certain degree and cooperate peacefully with its neighbors - especially South Korea."

In order to win the kind of aid and investment it needs to prevent its economy from imploding⁸, researchers say even its ally, China, is likely to insist North Korea make concessions⁹ toward giving up its nuclear weapons.

Some argue that it is time for Seoul and its ally the United States to be less stringent¹⁰ in their demands on the North, to give Kim Jong Un space to open up the country.

"Deng Xiaoping decided¹¹ to pursue opening reform when the United States normalized diplomatic ties with China," said Moon Chung-in, a political science professor at Yonsei University. "Vietnam decided to pursue “doi moi” opening and reform policy, when its relationship with China was improving and realized the United States was willing to recognize Vietnam. We should create a very similar environment for North Korea, so that the North Korean military cannot justify¹² its hardline position anymore. So that Kim Jong Un can take a new policy on opening and reform in a bold manner."

Many agree the Kim family name alone will not be enough to sustain North Korea's new leader and the coming months are likely to be a crucial test.

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。

3 salute   

vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮

参考例句：

• Merchant ships salute each other by dipping the flag.商船互相点旗致敬。
• The Japanese women salute the people with formal bows in welcome.这些日本妇女以正式的鞠躬向人们施礼以示欢迎。

4 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

5 accomplishment   

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。
• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

6 malnutrition   

n.营养不良

参考例句：

• In Africa, there are a lot of children suffering from severe malnutrition.在非洲有大批严重营养不良的孩子。
• It is a classic case of malnutrition. 这是营养不良的典型病例。

7 makeup   

n.组织；性格；化装品

参考例句：

• Those who failed the exam take a makeup exam.这次考试不及格的人必须参加补考。
• Do you think her beauty could makeup for her stupidity?你认为她的美丽能弥补她的愚蠢吗？

8 imploding   

v.（使）向心聚爆( implode的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He has nightmares about the tanks imploding. 他老是做油箱爆炸的噩梦。 来自辞典例句
• Just like silver stars imploding we absorb the light of day. 身披白昼之圣光光没银星俱裂亡。 来自互联网

9 concessions   

n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权

参考例句：

• The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工，公司将不得不作出一些让步。
• The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。

10 stringent   

adj.严厉的；令人信服的；银根紧的

参考例句：

• Financiers are calling for a relaxation of these stringent measures.金融家呼吁对这些严厉的措施予以放宽。
• Some of the conditions in the contract are too stringent.合同中有几项条件太苛刻。

11 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

12 justify   

vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护

参考例句：

• He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。
• Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗？