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Praxis Against Evil 核武戒防──美国港口严密把关

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

With his post-September 11 declaration that the acquisition of nuclear weapons is a “religious duty,” Osama bin Ladin delivered to the world the frightening specter of a nuclear attack by terrorists. Thankfully, due largely to increased international cooperation and monitoring, the chances of al-Qaeda buying, stealing or making a nuclear bomb are currently not great; however, the consequences of a nuclear detonation in a U.S. city surely would be.

911事件后，奥萨玛宾拉登宣示，夺取核子武器是他的「圣战」，此一声明无疑将世人置于恐怖份子核武攻击的威胁阴影之下；幸而国际间的合作和监控日益密切，目前盖达组织无论是购买、偷窃、或制造核子炸弹的机会都不大，不过若有任何美国城市遭受核武攻击，后果将不堪设想。

Over 15,000 cargo containers enter U.S. ports every day, making the seas the most likely avenue by which a nuclear device could be smuggled into the country. A Hiroshima-sized bomb detonated in a port would level building up to three kilometers away, start fires (especially in a port that handles petroleum and chemicals), spread fallout over many square kilometers, and slow international commerce to a crawl. Most of all, it would probably kill thousands of innocent people.

每天有一万五千多个货柜进入美国港口，因为数量庞大，使得海路成为最可能将核武走私进入美国的途径。一颗核弹，如投在日本广岛的原子弹大小，一旦在港区引爆，可以将方圆三公里所有的建筑物夷平，并导致火灾（尤其在石油和化学品的转运港口），爆裂物碎片可能散布数平方公里，全面瘫痪国际商业活动，最重要的是，更会造成成千上万无辜民众的死亡。

Given their loathing of the United States and thirst for mass carnage, al-Qaeda’s leaders must surely perceive a nuclear attack on America as highly desirable. Assorted contraband is smuggled into America with seemingly unstoppable regularity. So if terrorists do manage to lay their hands on a bomb, what’s to stop them from getting it into American port?

盖达首脑因为憎恨美国嗜血好战，必定极为希望以核武攻击美国本土。各式各样的违禁品经由走私进入美国，几乎向来没有间断过。试想，假若恐怖份子确实已经取得核弹，又有什么方法能防止他们将核弹运进美国港口呢？

Vocabulary

单词发音

praxis [ˋpræksɪs] n. 习惯作法；惯例

acquisition [͵ækwəˋzɪʃən] n. 获得，取得

specter [ˋspɛktɚ] n. 恐怖的根源; 恐怖之物

detonation [͵dɛtəˋneʃən] n. 爆炸; 引爆

avenue [ˋævə͵nju] n. 途径，方法[（+to）]

smuggle [ˋsmʌg!] v. 走私，非法私运

fallout [ˋfɔl͵aʊt] n. 辐射性落尘，原子尘

crawl [krɔl] n. 缓慢移动﹐ 徐行

loathing [ˋloðɪŋ] n. 嫌恶；强烈的反感

carnage [ˋkɑrnɪdʒ] n.〔尤指战争中的〕大屠杀﹐ 残杀

perceive [pɚˋsiv] v.〔以某种方式〕理解﹐ 领悟

assorted [əˋsɔrtɪd] adj. 各色具备的，什锦的；各种各样（混在一起）的

contraband [ˋkɑntrə͵bænd] n.（总称）走私货；违禁品

regularity [͵rɛgjəˋlærətɪ] n. 正规；经常，定期

lay hands on  抓住, 找到, 捕获 find, obtain

Sentence of the Day

The news came as a bombshell.

这个消息有如晴霹雳。

bombshell [ˋbɑm͵ʃɛl] n. 令人震惊的消息; 突发意外事件

课文讲解

Radiation detection equipment is deployed at American ports, but it is not sensitive to lead-shielded radioactive material. In any event, it would be too late to do much about a nuclear bomb should it reach the shores of the U.S. Thus, America’s preventative efforts are being directed toward the source of cargo, namely, foreign ports.

美国各港区现在已经设置幅射侦测器，但是侦测器无法侦测出以铅包装的放射性材料，而且无论如何，一旦核武进入美国港口，一切为时已晚，因此，美国所采取的防恐预防措施，是针对输美货柜的源头，也就是国外的起运港口。

As of recently, all shipping companies carrying cargo to the United States must furnish U.S. Customs with a goods manifest for every container on their ships. Aided by intelligence from the CIA and ultra-secret National Security Agency, customs officials grade each container from zero (no risk) to 300 (highest risk). Containers with a score above 190 are inspected by local officials. In countries that handle a high volume of U.S.-bound cargo, such as Canada and the Netherlands, U.S. inspectors are on hand to oversee matters. But much of the system’s efficacy rests on the wariness of foreign officials, not all of whom can be considered above corruption.

最近，各家载有输美货柜的船运公司，都必须提供美国海关一份船上所有货柜的货品清单。在中央情报局和极机密的国家安全署情报协助下，海关人员将所有货柜分级处理，分为一级（安全无虞）到三百级（极度危险）。凡列为一百九十级以上的货柜，都得接受港口当地的官员检验，有些国家，例如加拿大和荷兰，因为输美货柜数量庞大，在该国派有美国安检人员协助检验。不过这套办法真正要发挥效用，还必须靠外国官员的警戒把关，然而这些官员并非都是清廉不阿的。

U.S. Customs officials acknowledge that no system is foolproof, and that most successful preventative measures involve an ounce of luck. Fortunately, the primary impediment to nuclear terrorism continues to be the great difficulty of acquiring the weapon itself.

美国海关人员承认，并非所有安全措施都能密而不漏，而且预防措施究竟能成功与否，也得靠一点运气，不过幸好当前的核武恐怖威胁，仍停留在能否取得核武本身的高难度阶段上。

－by Hank Blisters

Vocabulary

单词发音

deploy [dɪˋplɔɪ] v. 部署﹐调度〔尤指士兵﹑军事装备等〕

should [ʃʊd] v. aux. 助动词（表示语气较强的假设）万一

as of 截至

furnish [ˋfɝnɪʃ] v. 供应；提供[（+with/to）]

customs [ˋkʌstəmz] n.（常大写）海关

manifest [ˋmænə͵fɛst] n.【海】船货清单

intelligence [ɪnˋtɛlədʒəns] n. 情报；情报工作

on hand 在场; 在近处 present; available

efficacy [ˋɛfəkəsɪ] n.【正式】有效性; 功效

wariness [ˋwɛrənɪs] n. 谨慎；小心翼翼

above [əˋbʌv] prep. 不屑于；不致于

foolproof [ˋful͵pruf] n.〔方法﹑计划﹑系统等〕肯定成功的﹐ 万无一失的

ounce [aʊns] n.（常用于否定句）一点点，少量[S][（+of）]

impediment [ɪmˋpɛdəmənt] n. 妨碍，阻碍；障碍物

Sentence of the Day

They are on the watch.

他们小心警戒。

on the watch 守着, 提防着