North Korea (n.北韓、朝鮮) said on Wednesday leader Kim Jong-il (n.金正日) had sent condolences (n.哀悼) on the death of former (adj.前任的) South Korean (adj.南韓的) President (n.總統) Kim Dae-jung (n.金大中), the latest sign of a possible easing (n.緩和) in the chill (n.冷淡) between the rival (adj.敵對的) Koreas (n.韓國).
      Kim Dae-jung died on Tuesday at the age of 85. An extraordinary (adj.非凡的) figure (n.人物) in South Korea(n.南韓)'s shift (n.改變) to democracy, he won the Nobel (n.諾貝爾) Peace Prize for a June 2000 summit (n.峰會) with Kim Jong-il and efforts at reconciliation (n.和解) with the prickly (adj.很難應付的) North.
      "Though Mr Kim Dae-jung passed away (v.逝世), the feats (n.貢獻) he performed (v.做) to achieve national reconciliation and realize the desire for reunification (n.統一) will remain long with the nation," North Korea's KCNA (n.朝鮮中央通信社) quoted (v.引述) the message as saying.
      A close aide (n.助手) of the late (adj.已故的) Kim told reporters that the North wanted to send a five-strong (adj.有……人的) delegation (n.代表團) to the South to pay its respects.
      Analysts (n.分析家) said Kim's death could help improve ties (n.關係) between the Koreas, which have soured (v.惡化) since President Lee Myung-bak (n.李明博) took power in the South about 18 months ago.
(Reuters, August 19)

      南韓前總統金大中逝世，北韓領袖金正日周三致以哀悼。這是兩個敵對韓國冷淡關係有望緩和的最新跡象。
      金大中周二逝世，享年85歲。在南韓邁向民主的進程中，他是一位非凡人物。2000年6月，他跟金正日舉行峰會，努力與很難應付的北韓和解，因而獲頒諾貝爾和平獎。
      朝鮮中央通信社引述唁電說：“金大中先生雖然逝世，他為實現民族和解與統一而作出的貢獻，將在民族歷史上萬古留芳。”
      已故的金大中一名親信向記者透露，北韓打算派遣五人代表團南下弔唁。
      自從李明博大約18個月前就職南韓總統後，兩韓關係自此惡化。
      分析家指出，金大中逝世或可令兩韓關係改善。
      （路透社，8月19日）

      1.condolence (n)，kun-DOE-lun-s　哀悼、弔唁
      解讀：致以哀悼，可說express / give / offer / send one's condolences，這時常用複數condolences；另一個慣常問候死者家屬的說法是My / Our condolences go to ...（我向……謹致弔慰之意）；弔唁信是letter of condolence，這時常用單數condolence。
      2.chill (n)　寒冷、冷淡
      解讀：chill本指溫度上的寒冷、涼意，例如feel a damp chill是感到又濕又寒；此字引申到心理上的寒意，通常指恐懼、毛骨悚然，例如︰The thought sent a chill down her spine（這個念頭令她毛骨悚然），如文中解作冷淡則不算普遍；形容詞是chilly，指寒冷的、冷淡的。
      3.sour (v)s-OUR　惡化、變壞
      解讀：sour本是形容詞，解作酸的，以至食物酸腐的；作動詞時，可指食物因變壞而出現酸味，因而引申指關係、氣氛等變壞、惡化；另一種說法是go / turn sour，當中的sour依然是形容詞，例如︰Their relationship soured / went sour / turned sour都是指他們的關係惡化了。