2007年VOA标准英语-2 Koreas Exchange Shots Across Demilitarized Zo

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
06 August 2007

International military authorities are investigating a brief exchange of gunfire fired across the tense border dividing North and South Korea. VOA's Kurt Achin reports from Seoul.

South Korean Army soldiers patrol along barbed-wire fence in Paju, north of Seoul, near demilitarized zone (file photo)

South Korean military authorities say border guards from North and South Korea briefly¹ exchanged gunfire Monday along the demilitarized zone, or DMZ, which bisects the Korean peninsula.

The South Korean Defense² Ministry³ confirmed the exchange, but said there were no casualties.

David Oten, spokesman for the United States Forces in Korea, also says he has no reports of injuries. He says an on-the-spot investigation⁴ will be carried out by members of the United Nations Military Armistice⁵ Commission, which monitors the DMZ.

"It involves moving to the location and physically⁶ looking at the ground, and interviewing the personnel involved," he explained.

South Korean military authorities say the North initiated⁷ Monday's incident, about 165 kilometers northeast of Seoul, by firing several machine gun bursts in the direction of the South. The authorities said South Korean forces returned a small number of shots, and issued a verbal warning over a loudspeaker.

North Korea invaded the South in 1950 to start the Korean War. The conflict was halted by a 1953 armistice, but never formally concluded, and the two are technically⁸ still at war even though relations have improved in recent years.

The United States deploys⁹ about 28,000 personnel here in South Korea to deter¹⁰ a second invasion, and Washington commands the United Nations force that ensures the armistice is observed.

Similar exchanges of fire across the tense border have occasionally occurred in the past. However, Monday's incident is the first since July of last year.

Mechanisms¹¹ for preventing North-South flashpoints have greatly improved since the two countries held a historic summit in 2000. That meeting paved the way for a series of high-level military talks between the two Koreas. However, the latest round of those military talks broke down last month, in disagreement over the two countries' maritime¹² border.

1 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

2 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。

3 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。

4 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

5 armistice   

n.休战，停战协定

参考例句：

• The two nations signed an armistice.两国签署了停火协议。
• The Italian armistice is nothing but a clumsy trap.意大利的停战不过是一个笨拙的陷阱。

6 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

7 initiated   

n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入

参考例句：

• He has not yet been thoroughly initiated into the mysteries of computers. 他对计算机的奥秘尚未入门。
• The artist initiated the girl into the art world in France. 这个艺术家介绍这个女孩加入巴黎艺术界。

8 technically   

adv.专门地，技术上地

参考例句：

• Technically it is the most advanced equipment ever.从技术上说，这是最先进的设备。
• The tomato is technically a fruit,although it is eaten as a vegetable.严格地说，西红柿是一种水果，尽管它是当作蔬菜吃的。

9 deploys   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的第三人称单数 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• It then deploys "decoy" programs designed to attract the virus. 然后，它释放“诱饵”去吸引病毒。
• But when that doesn't work, he deploys his secret defense mechanism. 但没有效果，它要施展绝密自卫武器了。

10 deter   

vt.阻止，使不敢，吓住

参考例句：

• Failure did not deter us from trying it again.失败并没有能阻挡我们再次进行试验。
• Dogs can deter unwelcome intruders.狗能够阻拦不受欢迎的闯入者。

11 mechanisms   

n.机械( mechanism的名词复数 )；机械装置；[生物学] 机制；机械作用

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms. 这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He explained how the two mechanisms worked. 他解释这两台机械装置是如何工作的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。