VOA标准英语2008年-South Koreans Hold Massive Rally Against US Bee

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
10 June 2008

South Koreans have turned out in massive numbers for a rally to criticize their president and to oppose the resumed import of American beef. Some are comparing the rallies to ones held on the same date more than 20 years ago to oppose authoritarian¹ rule. VOA's Kurt Achin reports from Seoul.
　

South Korean protesters participate in an anti-government rally against imported U.S. beef in Seoul, 10 Jun 2008

Tuesday night's massive crowd appeared close to 100,000 people or more - the protesters fully² occupying a giant eight-lane traffic artery³ in downtown Seoul.

Like many similar protests recently, this one was overwhelmingly peaceful. Demonstrators waved candles and chanted slogans critical of President Lee Myung-bak and his deal to resume U.S. beef imports.

South Korea was once the world's third largest consumer of American beef. But Seoul banned U.S. beef imports after a single U.S. animal was diagnosed in 2003 with the fatal brain condition known as "mad cow disease."

Protesters say they fear consuming U.S. beef will put them at risk of contracting a human version of the disease, even though there has never been a single documented case of that happening. U.S. officials point out only three American animals have ever been found to have mad cow disease, and none of them entered the food supply.
　

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, 22 May 2008

A consensus⁴ is emerging that these demonstrations⁶ have transcended⁷ the beef issue alone, and represent a far broader discontent with President Lee.

The protesters shout, "Lee Myung-bak - get out!"

Kim Ji-yoon, a student protest leader, tells the crowd the protests are about more than mad cows, but also about mad education policies, and mad canals. The latter is a reference to Mr. Lee's plan to dig a waterway connecting major cities.

The South Korean president is a former corporate⁸ chairman whose hard-driving style helped earn him the nickname "bulldozer." Choi Jin, Director of the Institute for Presidential Leadership in Seoul, says that style may not be well adapted to the presidency⁹.

He says Mr. Lee needs to show the South Korean people he is not purely¹⁰ concerned with results, but also with the democratic process. He describes Mr. Lee's style so far as too hasty, and dismissive of that process.

Lee Dong-kwan, spokesman for President Lee, says senior officials are ready to accept serious consequences for the controversy¹¹.

He says Mr. Lee's prime minister and entire Cabinet have submitted their resignations to soothe¹² public anger. He later said the President has not decided¹³ what action to take on the resignations at this time.

Earlier, police protectively surrounded a group of about 500 protesters in support of resuming U.S. beef imports.

Yoon Eun-oh, 64, says U.S. beef is safe, and says the other protests are just about working out political grudges¹⁴ against President Lee.

The demonstration⁵ falls on the anniversary 1987 demonstrations that are credited with helping¹⁵ to end authoritarian rule in South Korea. South Korea's editorial pages have been debating how closely recent protests deserve to be identified with those from two decades ago.

1 authoritarian   

n./adj.专制(的)，专制主义者，独裁主义者

参考例句：

• Foreign diplomats suspect him of authoritarian tendencies.各国外交官怀疑他有着独裁主义倾向。
• The authoritarian policy wasn't proved to be a success.独裁主义的政策证明并不成功。

2 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

3 artery   

n.干线，要道；动脉

参考例句：

• We couldn't feel the changes in the blood pressure within the artery.我们无法感觉到动脉血管内血压的变化。
• The aorta is the largest artery in the body.主动脉是人体中的最大动脉。

4 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

5 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

6 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

7 transcended   

超出或超越（经验、信念、描写能力等）的范围( transcend的过去式和过去分词 )； 优于或胜过…

参考例句：

• He wanted assurance that he had transcended what was inherently ambiguous. 他要证明，他已经超越了本来就是混淆不清的事情。
• It transcended site to speak to universal human concerns. 它超越了场所的局限，表达了人类共同的心声。

8 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

9 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

10 purely   

adv.纯粹地，完全地

参考例句：

• I helped him purely and simply out of friendship.我帮他纯粹是出于友情。
• This disproves the theory that children are purely imitative.这证明认为儿童只会单纯地模仿的理论是站不住脚的。

11 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

12 soothe   

v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承

参考例句：

• I've managed to soothe him down a bit.我想方设法使他平静了一点。
• This medicine should soothe your sore throat.这种药会减轻你的喉痛。

13 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。

14 grudges   

不满，怨恨，妒忌( grudge的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He never grudges money. 他从不吝惜金钱。
• They bear grudges against each other. 他俩有过节儿。

15 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。