CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS. Chemical weapons work fast,
then disappear. They were used during the Iran-Iraq war, sometimes with devastating consequences for combatants, but with almost none for the environment. Since the gulf war began, allied19 planes and missiles have pounded Iraqi chemical-weapons plants that manufacture mustard gas and nerve agents. Because the plants are surrounded by a 25 sq.km "exclusion20 zone", the likelihood of a deadly plume21 invading populated areas is small. Explosives would also tend to break the gases down into less deadly substances. Harmful chemicals that penetrated23 the soil would disappear without a trace within a few weeks at most.
Biological agents could be a different problem. Iraq is believed to possess some of them. In open air, most of those die within hours. But if they penetrate22 the ground, they can survive in a dormant24 state for decades, waiting for new victims.
military a.军事的,军用的 n.[the ~]军队,武装力量
militant a.激进的,好斗的 n.激进分子,斗士
[联想词] cannon25 n.大炮,火炮
artillery26 n.火炮,大炮
armor n.盔甲,装甲,保护物
pistol n.手枪
trigger n.1.扳机 2.引起反应的行动 vt.触发,引起
ammunition27 n.军火,弹药
lexicon n.1.词典,字典 2.特殊词汇,专门词汇
[联想词] appendix n.1.阑尾 2.附录
slaughter vt. n. 1.屠杀,杀戮 2.屠宰
[联想词] massacre28 vt.1. 大规模屠杀,残杀2.彻底击败 n.1.大屠杀 2.惨败 assassination29 n.刺杀,暗杀
foul a.1.难闻的 2.令人不愉快的,糟透了的 3.污浊的 vt.1.对…犯规 2.弄脏,污染 n.犯规
devastate30 vt.1.破坏,蹂躏,使荒芜 2.压倒,使垮掉
devastating a. 1.毁灭性的,破坏力极强的 2.令人震惊的 3.强有力的
ecology n. 1.生态 2.生态学
prelude n.前奏,序幕,先声
strait n. 1.海峡 2.[-s]困境,危难
[联想词] cape31 n. 1.海角,山甲 2.斗篷,披肩
isle32 n.小岛
vulnerable a.1.易受伤的,脆弱的 2.易受攻击的,难防御的
[联想词] susceptible33 a.1.易受影响的 2.过敏的 3.能接受的,容许的
contaminate vt.弄脏,污染
disastrous a. 1.灾难性的 2.极坏的,很糟的
[联想词] misfortune n. 1.不幸,厄运 2.灾难,灾祸
gush16 v. 1.喷,涌 2.滔滔不绝地说 n.1.喷,涌流 2.迸发,发作
blaze vi.1.熊熊燃烧,着火 2.发光,放光 3.迸发,爆发
[联想词] glare vi.1.怒目而视 2.发射强光 n.炫耀,张扬
disrupt vt.使中断,扰乱
monsoon n.季风,季节风
mustard n.芥菜
likelihood n.可能,可能性
plume n.1.(升上空中的)一缕(烟,尘土等) 2.羽毛