VOA标准英语2009年-N. Korean Nuclear Test Triggers Global Con

The United States and the international community are reacting with outrage¹ and strongly condemning³ North Korea's latest nuclear test and the launch of three short-range missiles.
　
President Barack Obama makes a statement about N. Korea in the White House, 25 May 2009

Speaking from the White House, U.S. President Barack Obama denounced North Korea's nuclear test and used blunt language to describe his concerns.

"North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs pose a grave threat to the peace and security of the world and I strongly condemn² their reckless action," said President Obama. "North Korea's actions endanger the people of Northeast Asia, they are a blatant⁴ violation⁵ of international law, and they contradict North Korea's own prior commitments."

President Obama says North Korea's actions have flown in the face of United Nations resolutions banning the country from developing weapons of mass destruction.

"North Korea will not find security and respect through threats and illegal weapons," said Mr. Obama. "We will work with our friends and our allies to stand up to this behavior and we will redouble our efforts toward a more robust⁶ international nonproliferation regime that all countries have responsibilities to meet."

Seismologists from around the world reported a tremor⁷ of about 4.5 magnitude in northeast North Korea, near where Pyongyang conducted its first test in 2006. North Korean official media confirmed a test had taken place.

A North Korean newsreader says the country "successfully conducted one more underground nuclear test," demonstrating what Pyongyang calls its "self-defensive nuclear deterrent⁸" to the entire world.
　
The second atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, in August 1945

Russian and South Korean military officials say the nuclear explosion had a force of up to 20 kilotons, the same size as the bomb the U.S. dropped on Nagasaki, Japan in 1945.

South Korean officials say North Korea test-fired three short-range missiles shortly after the nuclear test.

The U.S. Chairman of the Joint⁹ Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, says he sees a growing belligerence¹⁰ on the part of North Korea and a rising defiance¹¹ of international law.

"All of those things point to a country that I think continues to destabilize that region and actually in the long term, should they continue on to develop a nuclear weapons program, pose a significant threat to the United States," said Admiral Mullen.

America's top military officer says the United States has the ability to deal with any danger from North Korea.

"I am very confident that we can deal with the threat posed by North Korea," he said. "And it is not just the United States because there are many other countries, and certainly those in the region, who are equally concerned."

Worldwide, governments condemned¹² North Korea's actions.

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says the test is a clear and grave violation of Security Council resolutions.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke¹³ with the foreign ministers from South Korea and Japan. A State Department statement says Clinton stressed the importance of a strong and unified¹⁴ approach to a "threat to international peace and security."

South Korean officials say the test is a serious threat to peace and stability in the region.

The Russian Foreign Ministry¹⁵ says the six-party talks on North Korea are the only solution to the crisis.

The Chinese government says it is resolutely¹⁶ opposed to its communist neighbor and ally's actions.

Speaking while on a trip to Beijing, John Kerry, the chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations committee, says North Korea is trying to attract international attention.

He says this latest action is likely to hurt efforts to restart negotiations¹⁷ with Pyongyang.

"I do not think you reward it [nuclear test] by immediately going back to the table and having talks," said Senator Kerry. "I think North Korea is going to have to indicate some better willingness of how it intends to proceed in order to get immediately back to talks."

Some analysts¹⁸ say North Korea may be trying to gain leverage¹⁹ for negotiations with the international community.

They say the test may be part of an internal struggle. North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, who is believed to have suffered a stroke last year, has not named a successor.

1 outrage   

n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒

参考例句：

• When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
• We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。

2 condemn   

vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑

参考例句：

• Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他，而有些人谴责他。
• We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。

3 condemning   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的现在分词 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。
• I concur with the speaker in condemning what has been done. 我同意发言者对所做的事加以谴责。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

4 blatant   

adj.厚颜无耻的；显眼的；炫耀的

参考例句：

• I cannot believe that so blatant a comedy can hoodwink anybody.我无法相信这么显眼的一出喜剧能够欺骗谁。
• His treatment of his secretary was a blatant example of managerial arrogance.他管理的傲慢作风在他对待秘书的态度上表露无遗。

5 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。

6 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

7 tremor   

n.震动，颤动，战栗，兴奋，地震

参考例句：

• There was a slight tremor in his voice.他的声音有点颤抖。
• A slight earth tremor was felt in California.加利福尼亚发生了轻微的地震。

8 deterrent   

n.阻碍物，制止物；adj.威慑的，遏制的

参考例句：

• Large fines act as a deterrent to motorists.高额罚款是对开车的人的制约。
• I put a net over my strawberries as a deterrent to the birds.我在草莓上罩了网，免得鸟歇上去。

9 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

10 belligerence   

n.交战，好战性，斗争性

参考例句：

• He could be accused of passion,but never belligerence.可以说他很冲动，但不能说他爱挑事。
• He was almost back to his belligerent mood of twelve months ago.他故态复萌，几乎又像一年前那样咄咄逼人了。

11 defiance   

n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗

参考例句：

• He climbed the ladder in defiance of the warning.他无视警告爬上了那架梯子。
• He slammed the door in a spirit of defiance.他以挑衅性的态度把门砰地一下关上。

12 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。

13 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

14 unified   

(unify 的过去式和过去分词)； 统一的； 统一标准的； 一元化的

参考例句：

• The teacher unified the answer of her pupil with hers. 老师核对了学生的答案。
• The First Emperor of Qin unified China in 221 B.C. 秦始皇于公元前221年统一中国。

15 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。

16 resolutely   

adj.坚决地，果断地

参考例句：

• He resolutely adhered to what he had said at the meeting. 他坚持他在会上所说的话。
• He grumbles at his lot instead of resolutely facing his difficulties. 他不是果敢地去面对困难，而是抱怨自己运气不佳。

17 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。

18 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

19 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。