VOA标准英语2011--New Shelling Reported in Disputed Korean

New Shelling Reported in Disputed Korean Waters

South Korea says that it has twice exchanged artillery¹ fire with North Korea in western frontier waters. No casualties are reported.
Second round, artillery fired
South Korean military officials say a second round of artillery firing, presumably from North Korea, was heard about seven hours after an initial incident Wednesday.
A defense² ministry³ spokesman in Seoul, who did not want to be named, says South Korea fired three warning shots into the Yellow Sea on Wednesday afternoon, an hour after North Korean shelling was heard close to the two countries' disputed sea boundary.
South Korean authorities say the North fired another round in the evening and the South's troops responded with three more shots.
The incidents occurred along a western maritime⁴ border, the Northern Limit Line. South Korea says it can not confirm that any shells fell into its waters, south of the line.
Shelling persumed from North
The shelling from the North apparently⁵ originated on Yongmae island, 11 kilometers north of the line.
A defense ministry spokesman says it is not sure if the North Koreans were conducting an exercise. Authorities have not determined⁶ whether the shots were fired southward deliberately⁷ or accidentally.
North Korea does not recognize the Northern Limit Line, contending that it should be re-drawn father south. South Korea regards the line, created by the United Nations Command in 1953, as the legal boundary.
South Korea’s navy says it radioed a warning to the North 25 minutes after the first artillery rounds were heard and one shell landed close to the South's Yeonpyeong island.
South Korea’s military then fired back from Yeonpyeong 35 minutes after it broadcast the warning.
South Korean military officials say there are no indications of unusual movements by the North Koreans and southern forces are maintaining a defensive⁸ posture⁹.
There has been no immediate¹⁰ word from North Korea about Wednesday's incident. It is not unusual for any comments by the communist state on these types of incidents to emerge days later, if at all.
There have been three deadly naval¹¹ clashes since 1999 near the disputed sea boundary.
Tensions remain high
Tensions have been especially high in the waters since North Korea shelled Yeonpyeong last November. Two South Korean marines and two civilians¹² died and numerous houses were damaged in the barrage¹³.
That incident came seven months after a South Korean navy ship exploded and sank in the Yellow Sea. An international investigation¹⁴ concluded that the Cheonan was hit by a North Korean torpedo¹⁵. But North Korea denies any responsibility.
Seoul and Pyongyang have never signed a peace treaty following the 1953 armistice¹⁶ that halted the three-year Korean War.

1 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

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 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。

5 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

6 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

7 deliberately   

adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地

参考例句：

• The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
• They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

8 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

9 posture   

n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势

参考例句：

• The government adopted an uncompromising posture on the issue of independence.政府在独立这一问题上采取了毫不妥协的态度。
• He tore off his coat and assumed a fighting posture.他脱掉上衣，摆出一副打架的架势。

10 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

11 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

12 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

13 barrage   

n.火力网，弹幕

参考例句：

• The attack jumped off under cover of a barrage.进攻在炮火的掩护下开始了。
• The fierce artillery barrage destroyed the most part of the city in a few minutes.猛烈的炮火几分钟内便毁灭了这座城市的大部分地区。

14 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。

15 torpedo   

n.水雷，地雷；v.用鱼雷破坏

参考例句：

• His ship was blown up by a torpedo.他的船被一枚鱼雷炸毁了。
• Torpedo boats played an important role during World War Two.鱼雷艇在第二次世界大战中发挥了重要作用。

16 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。