英语新闻：美韩联合军事演习12天 

美韩联合军事演习12天

Tensions refuse to go away

THE Republic of Korea (ROK) and the United States began annual joint militaryexercises on Monday despite strong opposition from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

According to the Chosun Daily, 26,000 US troops and over 50,000 ROK troops will participate in the joint exercises, named Key Resolve and Foal Eagle, which are set to end on March 20.

Its stated purpose is to strengthen the ability of the allies to reinforcefrontline forces if ROK is invaded.

The DPRK military has demanded that the US military cancel the exercises.

A DPRK general staff spokesman said Monday that his country would retaliate against any attempt to intercepta planned rocket launch by mobilizing "powerful military means". It said any attenpt would "mean a war," the ROK's Yonhap News Agency reported Monday.

Exercise

The US is using 14,000 troops from overseas bases, it said earlier. There are about 28,500 US troops currently stationed in South Korea.

The aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis and seven Aegis-class destroyers will take part in the exercises, the Chosun Daily said.

Tough talk on the Korean Peninsula

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have always existed. Now Pyongyang has blamed worsening relations on the anti-DPRK policy adopted by Lee Myung-bak, president of the Republic of Korea.

The two Koreas made strides toward reconciliation, holding the first summit in 2000 and reconnecting transportation routes across their frontier.

But those improving relations have taken a turn since the conservative Lee took office last year. Lee pledged to get tough with Pyongyang and ended aid to the DPRK while referring to it as the "main threat". This led the north to rule out any possibility of talks with the south.

The DPRK's plan to launch a satellite stoked tensions on the peninsula as well. It said that, as a state, it had the right to test fire a missile as part of its peaceful space program. But the US and ROK claim that it was a long-range missile it was launching, in violation of UN resolution and that they would intercept the missile if it posed a threat.

Analysts said DPRK may adopt the current tough stand to press the Obama administration to clarify its policy toward the country.

英语词汇解析

accusation指控

acoustic声学的

aircraft carrier 航空母舰

ally同盟

conservative 保守的

harass骚扰

maritime 海上的, 海事的

military exercise 军事演习

missile导弹

navy 海军

peninsula半岛

reconciliation 和解, 调和

reinforce 加强, 增援

retaliate 报复

surveillance 侦查

USS Impeccable "无畏"号测量船

vessel 船

BONUS

Expression

boil up / at full cock

一触即发

I could see that the couple were beginning to boil over, so I left the room.

家庭战争一触即发, 我只得离开房间。

at sword point

剑拔弩张

The border conflict has the two countries at sword point, and the UN has called for mediation.

边界冲突使得这两个国家之间的关系剑拔弩张，联合国主张调停。

simmering

白热化

The boss has been simmering for days after he learned of the customers' court action.

老板这几天的情绪一直处于崩溃的边缘，因为他发现消费者状告了公司。