【慢速听力 3 篇 】 South Korea’s Moon Still Pushing for Talks with...
No.1
AS IT IS
South Korea’s Moon Still Pushing for Talks with North Korea
January 16, 2020
South Korea recently gave a message to North Korea from the United States.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un turned 36 years old last week. So the South offered to pass along U.S. President Donald Trump’s birthday greetings to Kim.
The move was small, but South Korean officials hope that the birthday wishes could help restart talks between the North and the U.S. government.
However, the offer did not go as planned. North Korea’s foreign ministry announced on Saturday it had already received the birthday message. It criticized the South Korean move as a “presumptuous” attempt to become involved in relations between Trump and Kim.
North Korea also made fun of the South for trying to play the part of a mediator.
Over the past year, South Korean President Moon Jae-in has repeatedly attempted to ease tensions with the North Korean government. But the North has largely ignored Moon’s efforts.
These results are a severe disappointment to Moon, whose contacts with Kim helped ease the path for the first meeting between the North Korean and U.S. leaders. They met in Singapore in June 2018.
Hoo Chiew-ping is a Korea expert who is based in Malaysia. He said that Moon is trying to save his peace policy with North Korea, which he considers his legacy. Hoo added, “That legacy is now in ruins.”
Moon and Kim met three times in 2018. They agreed to a series of economic and military cooperation projects. The goal was to build trust and, in time, begin the long process of uniting North and South Korea.
However, Moon has not been able to enact most of the agreements because North Korea has refused to limit its nuclear activities. U.S. and United Nations sanctions bar countries from most economic cooperation with the North, such as building railroads.
Since the suspension of nuclear talks, North Korea has strongly criticized the South for not acting on the proposed projects.
What will Moon do?
As South Korea prepares for parliamentary elections in April, there are signs Moon could push for parts of the inter-Korean agreements.
Speaking to reporters at a New Year’s press conference, Moon suggested that South Korea could restart tourist visits to the North even with sanctions in place.
In a speech last week, Moon urged his government to work toward restarting two inter-Korean projects that have been suspended for years. They are the Kaesong Industrial Complex and the Mount Kumgang resort.
Last week, a South Korean Unification Ministry official said, the “South will expand room for maneuvers and move forward things that can be carried out independently as much as possible.”
International sanctions do not ban tourism to North Korea. But they do bar joint businesses and other investment projects.
Henri Feron is with the Center for International Policy. He said that South Korea can point to Chinese tourism in North Korea as an example of economic contact.
“China is flooding North Korea with tourists. It’s understandable that South Korea would want to restore its own economic leverage in North Korea,” Feron said.
However, after the Moon administration’s comments last week, U.S. officials noted the importance of observing international restrictions on the North. The State Department told VOA that all U.N. members are required to follow U.N. Security Council sanctions resolutions.
Politics in South Korea
But South Korean domestic politics have influenced Moon’s recent comments.
In recent weeks, sides that support increased ties with the North and those that oppose them have urged Moon to change his policy.
Kim Joon Kyung heads South Korea’s National Diplomatic Academy. He said it is time for Moon to seek a “breakthrough.”
Also, those who want strong action against the North are voicing anger at Moon’s efforts to ease relations.
The South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo published an opinion piece that said “Most people have lost count of the snubs and insults” from North Korea.
At the same time, South Koreans appear to be divided on how to deal with their nuclear-armed northern neighbor.
The South Korean opinion research company Realmeter recently released a survey on the issue. It found that 28 percent of South Koreans support Moon’s current policy. Twenty-five percent wanted the government to make more compromises, while 36 percent wanted stronger measures against North Korea.
Moon’s own ratings have fallen from over 80 percent when he first met Kim to below 50 percent.
Speaking about North Korea’s reaction to the U.S. birthday message, Moon raised the issue of the possibility of talks.
“North Korea received the [birthday] letter and gave a swift response,” Moon said. He added, “It made clear that the door is not yet closed for talks.”
I’m Mario Ritter, Jr.
Bill Gallo reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter Jr. adapted it for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
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Words in This Story
presumptuous – adj. failing to observe the limits of what is acceptable
mediator – n. someone who works with opposing sides to get an agreement in a dispute
disappointment – n. dissatisfaction
legacy –n. something that is left to those in the future
sanctions – n. restrictions meant to cause a country to obey international law, usually involving trade
resort – n. a place for vacationers or recreation
maneuver – n. a skillful action or movement
tourism – n. the industry of providing services for foreign visitors
leverage – n. influence or power to get a result
snub – n. to ignore someone in a purposeful and insulting way
No.2
AS IT IS
Rare Salt Formations Appear along Great Salt Lake
January 16, 2020
Scientists have documented rare salt formations for the first time on the shores of the Great Salt Lake in the American state of Utah. The formations could lead to better understanding of salt structures found on the planet Mars before they disappear.
The salt formations are appearing now in part because water levels at the large natural lake have lowered. Lack of rain and more demand for water from a growing population have left more shoreline uncovered.
The expanded shoreline means there are more places where water, warm and rich with the mineral sulfate, can rise to the surface from the springs below. When the water hits the cold air, it forms Glauber’s salt, also know as mirabilite.
“It has to be exposed to just the right conditions,” park official Allison Thompson told the Associated Press. She first saw the salt formations in October.
The formations have built up over the last several months, eventually creating flat structures formed on top of one another. From above, the structures are like a huge complex design laid over the sandy earth. An up-close look reveals tall formations gathered together like something out of science fiction.
There are now four formations at the Great Salt Lake shores, growing up to 1 meter tall and several meters wide.
Mirabilite formations are seen more often in places with cold temperatures such as the Antarctic. There are also signs of similar formations on Mars. So, study of the Great Salt Lake formations could offer information on how to examine salts found there.
Robert Zubrin is president of the Mars Society. The group was not involved in studying the Great Salt Lake formations. But he agrees they could hold information about whether groundwater or even life was ever supported on Mars.
Researchers do not have long to study the Great Salt Lake formations. As winter turns to spring, warming temperatures mean the salt will not continue to separate out of the water. Eventually melting snow will send water into the lake, raising lake levels and likely swallowing up the sites.
This is part of normal changes with the seasons and cycles of rain, says University of Utah professor Kevin Perry. He adds that overall the lake is not covering as much ground as it once did. Much of that is due to water being diverted away from rivers that feed the lake for farming and other uses before it reaches the body of water.
Researchers expect the rare salt formations to be gone by February.
I’m Pete Musto.
Lindsay Whitehurst reported this story for the Associated Press. Pete Musto adapted it for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.
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Words in This Story
shore(s) – n. the land along the edge of an area of water, such as an ocean or lake
spring(s) – n. a source of water coming up from the ground
expose(d) – v. to leave something without covering or protection
science fiction – n. stories about how people and societies are affected by scientific developments in the future that exist only in your mind or imagination
cycle(s) – n. a set of events or actions that happen again and again in the same order
divert(ed) – v. to change the direction or use of something
No.3
AS IT IS
Scientists Make New Embryo of Rare Rhino Species
January 16, 2020
FILE - A ranger reaches out toward female northern white rhino Najin, 30, one of the last two northern white rhinos on the planet, in her enclosure at Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya. Aug. 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Researchers say they have successfully created another embryo of the northern white rhino. The animal risks disappearing forever. Just two remain, and both are female.
This new, viable embryo is the third of its kind.
To make the embryo, scientists used eggs from one of the surviving females. They inseminated the eggs with frozen cells from dead males.
The embryos are stored in a cool liquid that protects them. They will be put into a surrogate mother — a southern white rhino — in the coming months.
The Kenya Wildlife Service and officials from Kenya, the Czech Republic, Germany and Italy made a statement about the success. Kenya’s wildlife minister, Najib Balala, called the ability to stop the loss of the northern rhino “amazing.”
The goal is to create a group of at least five animals that could return to their natural environment. This process could take many years.
The two remaining female northern white rhinos, Najin and Fatu, live in Kenya. Fatu’s eggs made all three viable embryos.
Thomas Hildebrandt is with the Leibniz Institute for Zoo & Wildlife Research in Germany. “Now the team will make every effort to achieve the same result for the 30-year-old Najin before it is too late for her,” he said.
The operation is safe and can be performed regularly before the animals become too old, the statement said.
The next step is to choose female southern white rhinos among those at Kenya’s Ol Pejeta Conservancy to serve as a surrogate mother, Kenya’s wildlife minister said.
Years of humans killing the animals illegally have severely reduced the number of rhinos.
The last male northern white rhino was a 45-year-old named Sudan. In 2017, Sudan became famous when he appeared on an online service that connects possible romantic partners. The service, called Tinder, listed the rhino as “The Most Eligible Bachelor in the World.” The title was part of a fundraising effort.
Sudan, named for the country where he was born, died in 2018.
I’m John Russell.
Cara Anna reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor.
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Words in This Story
viable – adj. technical : capable of living or of developing into a living thing
inseminate – v. technical: to put semen into (a woman or a female animal) in order to cause pregnancy
surrogate – adj. always used before a noun a person or thing that takes the place or performs the duties of someone or something else
eligible – adj. suitable and desirable for marriage
bachelor – n. a man who is not married
fundraising – n. activity done to collect money for a political party, charity, school, etc.
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