美国有线新闻 CNN 2012-12-17

 After years of failed attempts, North Korea has set a satellite into orbit. It was connected to a rocket that launched yesterday, some experts called the launch a big deal for North Korea. Chance for the country to show off its progress with technology. Japan called the launch intolerable and South Korea called it, quote, " a threat to the peace of the Korean Peninsula in the world."

 

The issue here is that the technology used to launch this satellite is the same kind that could be used to launch a ballistic missile, or an attack missile. Back in April, the United Nations Security Council demanded that North Korea stop any launches that use missile technology. The group focus out strongly against yesterday's launch as well.

 

"The International Community and our colleagues in the council have condemned¹ this launch, clearly and swiftly, as a clear violation² of UN Security Council resolutions."

Hancocks looks at some possible reasons for this launch and she has some reactions from both countries on the Korean Peninsula.

Dancing on the street in Pyongyang, the day North Korea claims it send a satellite into orbit. The response from residents are surprisingly patriotic³. The successful launch of the satellite sent a shockwave to the whole world this month, he says. Pyongyang insists the program is peaceful. The United States, South Korea, and others disagree. They consider the launch to be a cover for testing ballistic missile technology. North Korea's foreign ministry⁴ rebuffed the criticism, saying hostile forces are showing signs of a sinister⁵ bid to take issue with the law. Concern on the Streets of Seoul was more low key. Compensation is never good, says the Seoul residents. It causes military tension, but I think North Korea just wanted to show off. South Korea's Defense⁶ Ministry says the North leader Jim Jong-Un needed to cement his control one year after he succeeded his father. Experts said he needed to prove himself to the military.

 

"After having purged⁷ all the key figures over the last several months, he had to show the army that he was still in command. And he had to show the people, that despite the fact that North Korea was doing very poorly economically, they have the right to stand up against, so called imperialists' forces, but they want is an embrace on a message that army that I'm with you."

 

Ronald Reagan, George H.W.Bush, Bill Clinton, George.W.Bush. Three of these last four U.S presidents have served 8 years in the White House. President Obama's set to do the same thing, when your country's leader are in office that long can make it easier to remember what order they came in. In Japan, that might be more challenging.

 

So would you like to play the prime minister game? It's a very difficult challenge, so you have to place them in order.

 

"Oh, so close! Ok, what do you guys think, is that right? Is it correct? You think it's correct? Yeah?"

 

"Good job, it's correct."

 

All right, so part of what makes that prime minister game so difficult is that in the past 6 years, Japan has had 6 different prime ministers. The country could get its 7th soon. Japan's holding elections on Sunday. So what do the Japanese people think about this turnover⁸ at the top of their government and what kinds of challenges will their next prime minister face. Here is Alex Zolbert with more.

 

Isn't is frustrating⁹ that you've had so many leaders in 6 years?

 

It's completely crazy, she says.

 

Another woman tells us it is unusual to have so many priime ministers, it's a sign of Japn's instability.

 

Obviously the jokes can be made about the ever changing prime minister here in Japan, but there are very serious issues at play. This is country is recession once again, it's grappling with rising debt, as well as its biggest reconstruction¹⁰ efforts since World War II. Plenty to tackle for whoever will become this country's seventh prime minister in just over 6 years. Alex Zolbert, CNN, Tokyo.

 

1 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

2 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

3 patriotic   

adj.爱国的，有爱国心的

参考例句：

• His speech was full of patriotic sentiments.他的演说充满了爱国之情。
• The old man is a patriotic overseas Chinese.这位老人是一位爱国华侨。

4 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。

5 sinister   

adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的

参考例句：

• There is something sinister at the back of that series of crimes.在这一系列罪行背后有险恶的阴谋。
• Their proposals are all worthless and designed out of sinister motives.他们的建议不仅一钱不值，而且包藏祸心。

6 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。

7 purged   

清除（政敌等）( purge的过去式和过去分词 )； 涤除（罪恶等）； 净化（心灵、风气等）； 消除（错事等）的不良影响

参考例句：

• He purged his enemies from the Party. 他把他的敌人从党内清洗出去。
• The iron in the chemical compound must be purged. 化学混合物中的铁必须清除。

8 turnover   

n.人员流动率，人事变动率；营业额，成交量

参考例句：

• The store greatly reduced the prices to make a quick turnover.这家商店实行大减价以迅速周转资金。
• Our turnover actually increased last year.去年我们的营业额竟然增加了。

9 frustrating   

adj.产生挫折的，使人沮丧的，令人泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的现在分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's frustrating to have to wait so long. 要等这么长时间，真令人懊恼。
• It was a demeaning and ultimately frustrating experience. 那是一次有失颜面并且令人沮丧至极的经历。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。