美朝争论 索尼争议电影将如期上映

 　　Sony Pictures Entertainment is making the controversial comedy "The Interview" available at a limited number of theaters on Christmas.

　　The company's CEO, Michael Lynton, said Tuesday they were also trying to release the film on more platforms and in more theatres.

　　The plan was announced amid the escalating¹ war of words between the United States and North Korea over a cyber attack on Sony's US-based operations.

　　Sony cancelled the film's release after hackers² threatened violence against moviegoers last Week. But the decision drew widespread criticism.

　　美朝争论 索尼争议电影将如期上映

　　On Monday, North Korea suffered sweeping³ Internet outages, following a vow⁴ from US President Barack Obama of a response to the "cyber vandalism."

　　Experts suggest the US may have been behind the breakdown⁵, but the White House and State Department declined to comment.

　　State Department Spokeswoman Marie Harf

　　"Ask the North Koreans if their internet wasn't working. I can't speculate on why that was if it wasn't. I can't confirm the reports that it actually wasn't. "

　　Meanwhile, China denied its involvement in cutting off North Korea's internet.

　　Foreign Ministry⁶ spokesperson Hua Chunying.

　　"I've noted⁷ the reports you've mentioned. They speculate that China is possibly involved. Recently, lots of reports have used words like 'possibly' and 'estimate'. I think this kind of speculative⁸ reporting, which is full of assumption and has no basis in reality, really can't be trusted. The reports themselves are extremely irresponsible, unprofessional, and misleading."

　　China Unicom is a major internet operator in North Korea.

　　Internet access was restored in North Korea yesterday.

　　The North Korean Internet administration blamed an overload⁹ of the nation-wide system for the interruption, but denied suggestions it was hacked¹⁰.

1 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句

2 hackers   

n.计算机迷( hacker的名词复数 )；私自存取或篡改电脑资料者，电脑“黑客”

参考例句：

• They think of viruses that infect an organization from the outside.They envision hackers breaking into their information vaults. 他们考虑来自外部的感染公司的病毒，他们设想黑客侵入到信息宝库中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Arranging a meeting with the hackers took weeks againoff-again email exchanges. 通过几星期电子邮件往来安排见面，他们最终同意了。 来自互联网

3 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

4 vow   

n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓

参考例句：

• My parents are under a vow to go to church every Sunday.我父母许愿，每星期日都去做礼拜。
• I am under a vow to drink no wine.我已立誓戒酒。

5 breakdown   

n.垮，衰竭；损坏，故障，倒塌

参考例句：

• She suffered a nervous breakdown.她患神经衰弱。
• The plane had a breakdown in the air,but it was fortunately removed by the ace pilot.飞机在空中发生了故障，但幸运的是被王牌驾驶员排除了。

6 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。

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

8 speculative   

adj.思索性的，暝想性的，推理的

参考例句：

• Much of our information is speculative.我们的许多信息是带推测性的。
• The report is highly speculative and should be ignored.那个报道推测的成分很大，不应理会。

9 overload   

vt.使超载；n.超载

参考例句：

• Don't overload the boat or it will sink.别超载，否则船会沉。
• Large meals overload the digestive system.吃得太饱会加重消化系统的负担。

10 hacked   

生气

参考例句：

• I hacked the dead branches off. 我把枯树枝砍掉了。
• I'm really hacked off. 我真是很恼火。