AK-47之父去世享年94岁

 　　AK-47之父去世享年94岁

        MOSCOW, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Mikhail Kalashnikov, designer of the famed Russian AK-47 assault rifle, died on Monday in his home city of Izhevsk, an industrial town 1,300 km east of Moscow, local media reported.

　　"We received sad news today ... Kalashnikov died at the age of 94 after a prolonged illness," Viktor Chulkov, press secretary of the president of Russia's Udmurt Republic, was quoted as saying.

　　In mid-November, Kalashnikov was admitted to an intensive care unit in Izhevsk, capital of the Udmurt Republic, in serious but stable condition. In June, Kalashnikov reportedly underwent a surgery in Moscow to have a pacemaker implanted.

　　AK-47, now believed to be in use in more than 100 countries, has been listed among the "outstanding inventions" of the 20th century.

　　Kalashnikov said during a visit to Germany in 2002 that he was proud of his invention, but also saddened to know that the AK-47 rifles were widely used by terrorists.

　　Kalashnikov died just a few hours after Kalashnikov Concern, an enterprise named after him, announced that the company was going to modernize¹ its well-known AK assault rifle and increase its export.

　　"We are currently conducting a large number of research and development projects. We hope to begin a modernization² of the AK- 74 for the Defense³ Ministry," RIA Novosti news agency quoted the company's director Konstantin Busygin as saying.

　　Kalashnikov Concern, employing 4,600 workers, was created this year through the acquisition of several other defense enterprises.

1 modernize   

vt.使现代化，使适应现代的需要

参考例句：

• It was their manifest failure to modernize the country's industries.他们使国家进行工业现代化，明显失败了。
• There is a pressing need to modernise our electoral system.我们的选举制度迫切需要现代化。

2 modernization   

n.现代化，现代化的事物

参考例句：

• This will help us achieve modernization.这有助于我们实现现代化。
• The Chinese people are sure to realize the modernization of their country.中国人民必将实现国家现代化。

3 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。