VOA标准英语2008年-South Korean President Begins Government Shakeu

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
20 June 2008

South Korea's President has begun a high-level shakeup of his government expected to continue next week. The move is aimed at soothing¹ the anger of tens of thousands of protesters who say he has disregarded public sentiment on everything from U.S. beef imports to public schools. VOA Seoul Correspondent Kurt Achin reports.
　

S. Korean President Lee Myung-bak during news conference at his residence in Seoul, 20 Jun 2008

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak introduced seven new faces to the top levels of government Friday - all of them replacements² for advisers³ who quit their jobs in the face of public anger.

The change of personnel follows Mr. Lee's own public apology a day earlier for his management of a deal to resume imports of United States beef.

In a briefing broadcast live by major South Korean networks, Mr. Lee introduced a new chief of staff, and six presidential secretaries.

He says he chose all of them very carefully based on their ability to live up to the public's expectations.

All of President Lee's senior secretaries and Cabinet members tendered their resignations earlier this month, following weeks of mass protests against the administration.
　

South Korean protesters stage a candlelight vigil against U.S. beef imports in front of the Seoul City Hall, 09 Jun 2008

The candlelight demonstrations⁴, which culminated⁵ in a massive June 10 showing of about 100,000 people, were mainly a show of opposition⁶ to Mr. Lee's April deal to resume U.S. beef imports. That deal failed to restrict imports of beef from older cattle, which many South Koreans believe pose a risk of transmitting a human variant⁷ of mad cow disease.

However, many of the protesters say that beef deal fits a much wider pattern of disregard for public opinion by the Lee government. They accuse the president of hastily pushing economic privatization, education reforms, and massive infrastructure⁸ projects forward without proper consultation⁹.

Meng Hyung-kyu, newly appointed secretary for political affairs, says he and his colleagues will take a different approach.

He says his ears are open, and he is ready to listen. He says he wants the opportunity to renew the public's sense of hope.

President Lee is expected to replace members of his Cabinet next week, possibly replacing the South Korean prime minister. His trade minister is expected to wrap up talks in Washington this week aimed at amending¹⁰ the beef import deal with a voluntary U.S. export ban on meat from older cattle.

1 soothing   

adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的

参考例句：

• Put on some nice soothing music.播放一些柔和舒缓的音乐。
• His casual, relaxed manner was very soothing.他随意而放松的举动让人很快便平静下来。

2 replacements   

n.代替( replacement的名词复数 )；替换的人[物]；替代品；归还

参考例句：

• They infiltrated behind the lines so as to annoy the emery replacements. 他们渗透敌后以便骚扰敌军的调度。 来自辞典例句
• For oil replacements, cheap suddenly looks less of a problem. 对于石油的替代品来说，价格变得无足轻重了。 来自互联网

3 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

4 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

5 culminated   

v.达到极点( culminate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• a gun battle which culminated in the death of two police officers 一场造成两名警察死亡的枪战
• The gala culminated in a firework display. 晚会以大放烟火告终。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 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。

7 variant   

adj.不同的，变异的；n.变体，异体

参考例句：

• We give professional suggestions according to variant tanning stages for each customer.我们针对每位顾客不同的日晒阶段，提供强度适合的晒黑建议。
• In a variant of this approach,the tests are data- driven.这个方法的一个变种，是数据驱动的测试。

8 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

9 consultation   

n.咨询；商量；商议；会议

参考例句：

• The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
• The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。

10 amending   

改良，修改，修订( amend的现在分词 )； 改良，修改，修订( amend的第三人称单数 )( amends的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Amending acts in 1933,1934, and 1935 attempted to help honest debtors rehabilitate themselves. 一九三三年，一九三四年和一九三五年通过的修正案是为了帮助诚实的债务人恢复自己的地位。
• Two ways were used about the error-amending of contour curve. 采用两种方法对凸轮轮廓曲线进行了修正。