美国国家公共电台 NPR--Shelling around a nuclear plant in Ukraine causes a lot of concern

Shelling around a nuclear plant in Ukraine causes a lot of concern

Transcript¹

In Ukraine, fighting near a nuclear power complex in the south of the country has alarmed both sides, and has led to calls for an international mission to ensure the plant's safety.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

In Ukraine, fighting near a nuclear power complex in the south has alarmed both sides and led to calls for an international mission to ensure the plant's safety.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

The crisis comes as focus on the battlefield turns to the southern region of Ukraine. Ukrainians are readying an apparent counteroffensive by targeting Russian supply lines. And the Russian military surges forces into the area.

MART?NEZ: NPR's Tim Mak joins us now from Kyiv. Tim, let's start with the situation at the nuclear complex. Russian military has occupied this area since close to the start of the war. So what's the most recent cause for concern?

TIM MAK, BYLINE²: So in the last few days, shelling around the nuclear power plant has damaged power lines, radiation sensors³ and an auxiliary⁴ building. That's according to the Ukrainian organization that runs nuclear power stations. So this could get quite dangerous quite quickly. It's the first ever nuclear power plant in an active war zone. So we're seeing challenges like difficulties getting spare parts or workers with expertise⁵ into the complex. Ukraine and Russia blame each other for these attacks in recent days. And the International Atomic Energy Agency has expressed alarm about the ongoing⁶ situation. They're calling for a mission led by their experts to monitor safety at the plant. But because the plant is in territory currently occupied by the Russian military, there are going to be some real legal and technical challenges in getting these observers there. Now, Ukraine has asked for a third party to take control of the plant for the time being, and has also suggested that the power plant area be made into a military-free zone.

MART?NEZ: All right. So what's the U.S. been doing to support the Ukrainians as they continue this fight?

MAK: Well, in the last day, the Pentagon announced $1 billion in military assistance to Ukraine. It's one of the largest packages that the U.S. has committed to thus far. This latest package includes ammunition⁷ for anti-aircraft systems, for example. But perhaps most notably⁸, it includes ammunition for artillery⁹ systems known as HIMARS. These HIMARS systems have proven to be critical assets for the Ukrainian military because it substantially increases the range at which it can hit Russian targets precisely¹⁰. Now, this latest package brings the Biden administration's total military aid to Ukraine up to close to $10 billion.

MART?NEZ: Now, we've heard a lot about fighting in eastern Ukraine, Tim, the Donbas region. Is the focus, though, shifting a bit?

MAK: Well, you know, fighting does continue in the east. But Russian progress appears to be quite slow. That's according to the British Ministry¹¹ of Defense¹². Along Russia's most successful area of advance, they managed to move forward just 10 kilometers in about 30 days. Meanwhile, Western and Ukrainian assessments¹³ are that the Russian military is moving troops into the south in order to bolster¹⁴ its defenses against what's anticipated to be a Ukrainian counteroffensive. Now, this counteroffensive would be around the strategic city of Kherson. Ukraine has targeted Russian supply lines - striking things like bridges, ammunition depots¹⁵, rail links - to prevent the Russian military from resupplying or bringing more troops in. Now, there's been slow progress in both the east and the south. It really gives you a sense of just how difficult it's been for both sides to make forward progress on the battlefield in a very complicated situation now that we're in the sixth month of this war.

MART?NEZ: NPR's Tim Mak is in Kyiv, Ukraine. Tim, thank you.

MAK: Thanks so much.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

3 sensors   

n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时，有很大变化。 来自辞典例句

4 auxiliary   

adj.辅助的，备用的

参考例句：

• I work in an auxiliary unit.我在一家附属单位工作。
• The hospital has an auxiliary power system in case of blackout.这家医院装有备用发电系统以防灯火管制。

5 expertise   

n.专门知识(或技能等)，专长

参考例句：

• We were amazed at his expertise on the ski slopes.他斜坡滑雪的技能使我们赞叹不已。
• You really have the technical expertise in a new breakthrough.让你真正在专业技术上有一个全新的突破。

6 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。

7 ammunition   

n.军火，弹药

参考例句：

• A few of the jeeps had run out of ammunition.几辆吉普车上的弹药已经用光了。
• They have expended all their ammunition.他们把弹药用光。

8 notably   

adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地

参考例句：

• Many students were absent,notably the monitor.许多学生缺席，特别是连班长也没来。
• A notably short,silver-haired man,he plays basketball with his staff several times a week.他个子明显较为矮小，一头银发，每周都会和他的员工一起打几次篮球。

9 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。

10 precisely   

adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地

参考例句：

• It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
• The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

11 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。

12 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。

13 assessments   

n.评估( assessment的名词复数 )；评价；（应偿付金额的）估定；（为征税对财产所作的）估价

参考例句：

• He was shrewd in his personal assessments. 他总能对人作出精明的评价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Surveys show about two-thirds use such assessments, while half employ personality tests. 调查表明，约有三分之二的公司采用了这种测评；而一半的公司则采用工作人员个人品质测试。 来自百科语句

14 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

15 depots   

仓库( depot的名词复数 )； 火车站； 车库； 军需库

参考例句：

• Public transportation termini and depots are important infrastructures for a city. 公交场站设施是城市重要的基础设施。
• In the coastal cities are equipped with after-sales service and depots. 在各沿海城市均设有服务部及售后维修站。