(AFA/2003)
Fear of Loose Nukes
Forget ANTHRAX; NOW it’s nukes. On Saturday Osama bin Laden told Dawn newspaper in Pakistan that Al Qaeda has nuclear weapons to be used “as a deterrent.” Although unconfirmed, his claim can hardly be ignored. The United states has long worried about what nuclear weapons Al Qaeda could get its hands on.
The main U.S. concern is that Russia is the source. Moscow has responded to fears that terrorists could use stray nuclear material to build a “dirty bomb” by promising to thighten security around its nuclear submarines and nuclear research centers. The United States has long encouraged such steps. But last week the White House threatened to block a $40 billion appropriations bill if extra allocation – some designed to enhance security in Russia – were added, choosing instead to focus the package on domestic economic stimulus.
Even if extra funds are eventually allocated to help the Russians, it may be a case of too little, too late. Two Turkish men – Aydin Duran, 32, and Mehmet Aydin, 47 – were arrested last Tuesday near Istanbul in possession of 1,150 grams of uranium, which they were allegedly trying to sell. Turkish police say the enriched uranium could have been used to build a bomb or, packed in a conventional weapon, to spread radiation. And it’s known that the two men traveled frequently to Eastern Europe and Ukraine, where they probably obtained the uranium. (They have already admitted to buying the uranium from a Russian supplier.) The good news is that Duran and Aydin don’t appear to have terrorist connections. They’re more likely a couple of entrepreneurs out to make a buck, say police. The bad news: Others like them may well have already connected with Al Qaeda. In others words, bin Laden could be telling the truth.
(Newsweek, November 19, 2001)
The terrorists have nuclear weapons to be used “as a deterrent.” The underlined word in the text means:
a) something that stops people doing something because they are afraid
of what will happen if they do.
b) something murderous and difficult to be controlled.
c) something that has complete control over unaware people.
d) a substance that can cause serious damage and explosions.
Respostas
Resposta:
a) something that stops people doing something because they are afraid
of what will happen if they do.
Tradução: alguma coisa que ''pare'' as pessoas de fazerem algo porque estão com medo do que acontecerá se fizerem algo.
Explicação:
As a deterrent - arma nuclear que funciona como um ''meio de intimidação'', ou seja, a arma nuclear que o Al Qeda dizia ter seria somente usada como um meio de intimidar os inimigos.
b) something murderous and difficult to be controlled.
algo mortal e difícil de ser controlado
c) something that has complete control over unaware people.
algo que tem o controle completo sobre pessoas inconscientes
d) a substance that can cause serious damage and explosions.
uma substância que pode causar sérios danos e explosões