VOA慢速英语--美国大学生被朝鲜扣押

AS IT IS 2016-03-01 American College Student Detained¹ in North Korea 美国大学生被朝鲜扣押

An American college student detained in North Korea last month has appeared in public in North Korea.

Otto Warmbier appeared at a North Korean press conference and made a public statement apologizing and asking for forgiveness.

The 21-year-old University of Virginia student was arrested last month before boarding a plane out of the country. He has been charged with committing a hostile² act against the state, with the help of the United States.

Warmbier said he removed a sign from a hotel in an area only for workers. He and his tour group stayed at the hotel. He said a member of his church asked him to bring the sign to the United States to show to others.

Warmbier was reportedly in North Korea on a discount tour for college students, not a church group.

North Korea has not said what punishment Warmbier may face.

“I understand the severity of my crime, and I have no idea what sort of penalty³ I may face, but I am begging to the Korean people and government for my forgiveness,” Warmbier said. “And I am praying to the heavens so that I may be returned home to my family.”

North Korea has often detained Americans and other foreign citizens on false charges. The detainees are usually forced to read statements to foreign journalists confessing⁴ to crimes against the state.

Most experts say the detainees are forced to make the statements. When the detainees are released⁵, they often say they did not make the statements voluntarily and that they do not agree with what they were forced to say.

Experts say North Korea often tries to use the detainees in negotiations⁶ with the West.

Companies that work with travelers bring people to North Korea so they can see how people live in the closed country. But the U.S. and Canadian governments say people should not travel to North Korea.

1 detained   

留住( detain的过去式和过去分词 )； 耽搁； 拘留； 扣留

参考例句：

• One man has been detained for questioning. 一个男人被拘留审问。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group. 他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

2 hostile   

adj.不友好的，敌对的；敌方的，敌人的

参考例句：

• The local people are hostile to outsiders.当地人敌视外地人。
• Their hostile looks showed that he was unwelcome.他们怀敌意的表情说明他不受欢迎。

3 penalty   

n.处罚，刑罚，罚款

参考例句：

• If you knock the ball with your hand in football,you will suffer a penalty.如果在踢足球时你用手碰到球，你将受到处罚。
• One of those arrested could face the death penalty.被捕的那些人中有一人可能被判死刑。

4 confessing   

v.承认( confess的现在分词 )；聆听（某人的）忏悔（或告罪、告解）；（尤指罗马天主教会）忏悔；悔过

参考例句：

• What is there to be ashamed of confessing one's errors? 承认自己的错误有什么可羞惭的呢？ 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The police surprised the thief into confessing. 警察出其不意地使小偷招认了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 released   

v.释放( release的过去式和过去分词 )；放开；发布；发行

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• With hindsight it is easy to say they should not have released him. 事后才说他们本不应该释放他，这倒容易。

6 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。