VOA标准英语2013--美国准备摧毁叙利亚化学武器

 

US Prepares to Destroy Syrian Chemical Weapons 美国准备摧毁叙利亚化学武器

PENTAGON — The U.S. Defense¹ Department is preparing to test a system it plans to use to destroy Syria's chemical weapons stockpiles at sea. Officials are offering  reassurances that the process will be safe.

With civil war raging, destroying the weapons inside Syria is not an option.

So the U.S. is drawing from decades of experience in destroying its own stockpiles and is offering to put that knowledge to work aboard the ship, the Cape² Ray, where  equipment is being loaded to neutralize³ Syria's sarin and mustard gas at sea.

"We've destroyed more than 90 percent of our stockpile of chemical weapons from the Cold War era here in the United States, and we continue to do that work in a couple  of sites in the United States, including the same technology that we plan to use on the craft to destroy Syria's chemical weapons," said Jennifer Elzea, a Defense  Department spokeswoman.

The process involves neutralizing⁴ the chemicals by mixing them with water and other substances.  The U.S. decided⁵ to do the process at sea when it became clear that  paperwork and compliance⁶ with environmental and safety regulations on land would mean missing disposal deadlines.    Daryl Kimball heads the Arms Control Association, which advocates against weapons of mass destruction.

“One of the reasons they're pursuing this sea-based option is that the aggressive schedule for the removal and the destruction of the chemical weapons makes it  difficult for any country to take on this task," he said.

Officials say the process - though never tried aboard a ship - is safe. They say the decision to neutralize the chemicals at sea is not an attempt to circumvent⁷ any  country's environmental regulations.     Where the waste from the operation will be processed remains⁸ a question. U.N. officials are examining bids from more than 40 companies in various industrialized  countries.

Paul Walker of the Green Cross environmental group says neutralizing the weapons at sea is a good idea. But he's calling for careful disposal.

"If we treat this toxic⁹ waste, it should be treated in an obviously very, very good way, but in full protection of environment and public health so that no one is  really injured or even perceives that they may be being injured," he said.

Pentagon officials say once the stockpiles are neutralized¹⁰, the waste will be taken to a commercial disposal facility on land and processed the same way other  hazardous material is. “This low level effluent will be stored on the ship.  Nothing will be going into the ocean during this process," said Pentagon spokeswoman Elzea.

U.N. inspectors¹¹ have identified at least 20 tons of mustard gas and more than a thousand tons of materials used to make sarin and other weapons that Syrian forces used  to kill more than a thousand civilians¹² earlier this year.

Under a deal that followed threats of U.S. military action against the Syrian government, all chemical weapons must be removed from the country by December 31. 

1 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。

2 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

3 neutralize   

v.使失效、抵消，使中和

参考例句：

• Nothing could neutralize its good effects.没有什么能抵消它所产生的好影响。
• Acids neutralize alkalis and vice versa.酸能使碱中和碱，亦能使酸中和。

4 neutralizing   

v.使失效( neutralize的现在分词 )；抵消；中和；使（一个国家）中立化

参考例句：

• This juice-about a quart a day--pours into my duodenum, neutralizing acids. 这种消化液（每天约分泌1品脱）流入我的十二指肠，把酸中和了。 来自辞典例句
• AIM: To verify the role of a synthetic peptide in neutralizing endotoxins. 目的：检验一条合成肽在中和内毒素活性方面的作用。 来自互联网

5 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。

6 compliance   

n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从

参考例句：

• I was surprised by his compliance with these terms.我对他竟然依从了这些条件而感到吃惊。
• She gave up the idea in compliance with his desire.她顺从他的愿望而放弃自己的主意。

7 circumvent   

vt.环绕，包围；对…用计取胜，智胜

参考例句：

• Military planners tried to circumvent the treaty.军事策略家们企图绕开这一条约。
• Any action I took to circumvent his scheme was justified.我为斗赢他的如意算盘而采取的任何行动都是正当的。

8 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

9 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

10 neutralized   

v.使失效( neutralize的过去式和过去分词 )；抵消；中和；使（一个国家）中立化

参考例句：

• Acidity in soil can be neutralized by spreading lime on it. 土壤的酸性可以通过在它上面撒石灰来中和。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This strategy effectively neutralized what the Conservatives had hoped would be a vote-winner. 这一策略有效地冲淡了保守党希望在选举中获胜的心态。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 inspectors   

n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors. 他们假装成视察员进了学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Inspectors checked that there was adequate ventilation. 检查员已检查过，通风良好。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。