VOA慢速英语2016--波兰主导北约军事演习

AS IT IS 2016-06-08 Poland Leads NATO Military Exercises 波兰主导北约军事演习

More than 20 North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO member states, began a large military training exercise Tuesday.

The exercise is part of efforts by the alliance to show interest in central and eastern European countries. Many of those countries are concerned about Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

The Russian government condemned¹ the NATO operation early Tuesday. Russian officials said the exercises do not help to build a feeling of trust and security in Europe.

Tensions between Russia and the West are higher than they have been since the end of the Soviet² Union. Though Russia opposes NATO expansion into the former soviet states, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said that “the Cold War is history, and we want it to stay that way.”

Testing on the eastern side of NATO

Poland is leading the 10-day long exercises, which NATO officials are calling Anakonda-16. They will involve 31,000 troops, 3,000 vehicles, 105 aircraft and 12 Navy ships.

A total of 24 nations are taking part, according to the U.S. Army.

“The Anakonda military exercise is an exercise which aims to test the capabilities³ of the alliance member states to defend the territory of the eastern flank of the alliance,” said Poland’s defense⁴ minister, Antoni Macierewicz.

The NATO forces will practice a night-time attack by helicopters, bridge-building operations and air defense. Other training includes a chemical decontamination exercise and safely removing a large number of injured individuals.

U.S. Army Chief of Staff Lieutenant⁵ General Mark Milley says the U.S. has a “single purpose” in the operation. That goal is to “demonstrate that we are shoulder-to-shoulder with the Polish people,” he said. “We are shoulder-to-shoulder with the Polish army and we are shoulder-to-shoulder with NATO, to ensure that all of the countries of NATO remain free and independent.”

Words in This Story

flank – n. the side of something

capabilities - n. abilities

practice – v. doing something again and again so that you become better at it

decontamination – adj. of or related to removal of dirty or dangerous substances

shoulder-to-shoulder -- n. standing next to or beside in support

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 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

3 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

4 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。

5 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。