voa标准英语2008-South Korean Lawmakers Blockade, Brawl Over US T

A move by South Korean lawmakers to advance a controversial free-trade agreement with the United States has sparked physical clashes between opposing parties -- with one side physically¹ barricading² itself from the other. The scuffles underline an intense dispute among Koreans about the deal.
　

A South Korean opposition3 Democratic Party member with a hammer beats a door to enter into a parliamentary committee room, Seoul, 18 Dec. 2008

Hammers were swung, doors were split open and fire hoses were deployed⁴, Thursday, as part of South Korea's legislature came under siege in a dispute on a major free-trade deal with the United States.

Minority party politicians, opposing ratification⁵ of the deal, tried to force their way into to a legislative⁶ committee room where members of President Lee Myung-bak's ruling Conservative Party barricaded⁷ themselves.

The conservatives successfully initiated⁸ the process of ratifying¹⁰ the deal, as security guards scuffled with dozens of political opponents nearby.

Supporters say deal is needed

The American-South Korean free-trade pact¹¹ would open up large sectors¹² of the U.S. and South Korean economies for easier bilateral¹³ trade. It was signed last year, but has languished¹⁴ behind other priorities, in both nations.

Supporters of the deal say it is needed -- now more than ever -- to stimulate¹⁵ the slowing South Korean economy. South Korean farmers and left-leaning politicians fiercely oppose the deal, saying the far larger U.S. economy is likely to swallow entire South Korean industries, especially in agriculture.

Won Hae-young, floor leader for South Korea's minority Democratic Party, accuses President Lee's party of ignoring civilized¹⁶ principles.

Won tells a television interviewer with South Korea's YTN cable network Mr. Lee has turned the legislature into a battleground.

South Korean conservatives have a big enough majority to ratify⁹ the free-trade deal by themselves. However, U.S. President-elect Barack Obama and new members of the Democrat-majority U.S. Congress are critical of the free-trade deal and questions remain about the likelihood of ratification in Washington.

1 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。

2 barricading   

设路障于，以障碍物阻塞( barricade的现在分词 )； 设路障[防御工事]保卫或固守

参考例句：

• He was barricading himself against possibilities. 他严阵以待可能发生的事。
• As he had anticipated, a thundering iron gate fell nearby, barricading the entrance to the suite. 果然不出馆长所料，附近的一扇铁门轰然倒下，封住了通往画廊的入口。

3 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

4 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

5 ratification   

n.批准，认可

参考例句：

• The treaty is awaiting ratification.条约正等待批准。
• The treaty is subject to ratification.此条约经批准后才能生效。

6 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

7 barricaded   

设路障于，以障碍物阻塞( barricade的过去式和过去分词 )； 设路障[防御工事]保卫或固守

参考例句：

• The police barricaded the entrance. 警方在入口处设置了路障。
• The doors had been barricaded. 门都被堵住了。

8 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。

9 ratify   

v.批准，认可，追认

参考例句：

• The heads of two governments met to ratify the peace treaty.两国政府首脑会晤批准和平条约。
• The agreement have to be ratify by the board.该协议必须由董事会批准。

10 ratifying   

v.批准，签认（合约等）( ratify的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• They call their State Assembly a disgrace for ratifying the 35th. 他们把州议会通过的第35号修正案说成是可耻的行为。 来自辞典例句
• The Obama administration, unlike its predecessor, talks of ratifying the test-ban treaty. 该会议五年举办一次，回顾其间发生的事情。 来自互联网

11 pact   

n.合同，条约，公约，协定

参考例句：

• The two opposition parties made an electoral pact.那两个反对党订了一个有关选举的协定。
• The trade pact between those two countries came to an end.那两国的通商协定宣告结束。

12 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

13 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

14 languished   

长期受苦( languish的过去式和过去分词 )； 受折磨； 变得（越来越）衰弱； 因渴望而变得憔悴或闷闷不乐

参考例句：

• Our project languished during the holidays. 我们的计划在假期间推动得松懈了。
• He languished after his dog died. 他狗死之后，人憔悴了。

15 stimulate   

vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋

参考例句：

• Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
• Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。

16 civilized   

a.有教养的，文雅的

参考例句：

• Racism is abhorrent to a civilized society. 文明社会憎恶种族主义。
• rising crime in our so-called civilized societies 在我们所谓文明社会中日益增多的犯罪行为