2018-01-05

Donald's Dilemma: North Korea

① Kim Jong Un's quest for a nuclear bomb that can hit the continental United States will test President Donald Trump's deepest instincts and define America's position in the world.

② Will he opt for diplomacy or war?

③ Mr Trump could fall back on deterrence and containment.

④ But that would leave American cities vulnerable to a North Korean strike.

⑤ Or he could break with the past and use force, risking war and a catastrophic loss of life in north-east Asia.

⑥ Mr Trump's choice will test America's alliances with South Korea and Japan, while around the world other partners will study how he weighs their interests.

⑦ The president's choice will also shape the century-defining relationship between America and China: the two superpowers could end up working together more closely, or fighting each other.

⑧ For 25 years American presidents have been able to avoid choosing between diplomacy and military action.

⑨ Mr Trump does not have that luxury.

▍生词好句

quest /kwɛst/: n. 追寻

continental /kɒntɪˈnɛnt(ə)l/: adj. 大陆的

instinct /ˈɪnstɪŋ(k)t/: n. 本能

opt for…: 倾向于做某事

diplomacy /dɪˈpləʊməsi/​: n. 外交

deterrence /dɪˈtɛr(ə)ns/: n. 威慑

containment /kənˈteɪnm(ə)nt/: n. 限制

vulnerable /ˈvʌln(ə)rəb(ə)l/: adj. 脆弱的

strike /strʌɪk/: n. 袭击

catastrophic /katəˈstrɒfɪk/: adj. 灾难性的

alliance /əˈlʌɪəns/: n. 联盟

weigh /weɪ/: vt. 掂量；权衡