周三，朝鲜声称第一枚氢弹试爆成功。

The U.S. Geological Survey reported a 5.1 magnitude earthquake early Wednesday (UTC) near the site of previous North Korean nuclear tests.

周三早间，据美国地质调查局报告称，在之前朝鲜核试验场地附近发生5.1级地震。

People watch a TV news program showing North Korea's announcement, at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2016.

The test site is in the mountainous northeastern part of the country, near the border with China.

该试验基地位于该国东北部山区，中国边境附近。

North Korea announced the test on its state-run broadcast. The announcer said the test was "a self-defensive measure to thoroughly protect our nation's autonomy."

朝鲜在其中央电视台进行报道。播音员声称该次试爆是保护国家的自主权的一种正当防卫措施。

A spokesman from the National Security Council in the United States says it is too soon to confirm North Korea's claim.

美国国家安全委员会的一位发言人表示证实朝鲜的说法尚为时过早。

But if the claim is true, he says the U.S. "will respond appropriately to any and all North Korean provocations."

但他表示如果该说法属实，美国将对朝鲜的任何挑衅行为作出恰当的回应。

The last confirmed nuclear test by North Korea came in 2013.

朝鲜上次被证实进行核试验是在2013年。

If it was a nuclear test, an analyst from Korea Defense Network says, it was more powerful than previous tests based on the seismic activity it produced.visit the website www.chinavoa.com to get more information!

韩国国防部网络的分析师表示，如果此次试验为核试验，基于它所造成的地震活动，它比之前的核试验威力更强大。

"North Korea's nuclear test could have been 2.5 times more powerful than Hiroshima," he said.

他说：“朝鲜的核试验其威力是广岛的2.5倍以上。”

But intelligence officials from South Korea say they think the blast was not that powerful. They think the test produced an explosion less than half as strong as the one in Hiroshima during World War II.

但是，韩国情报官员表示，爆炸的威力不够强大。他们认为该次核试验造成的爆炸其威力不足二战期间在广岛的核试验威力。

Both South Korean President Park Geun-Hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe condemned the test.

但是韩国总统朴槿惠和日本首相安倍晋三都强烈谴责了这次核试验。

Abe says, "North Korea's nuclear test is a serious threat to our nation's security and absolutely cannot be tolerated."

安倍表示：“朝鲜核试验严重威胁到我国国家安全，绝对不能被容忍。”

The United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting Wednesday to discuss North Korea's claim of a test.

周三，联合国安理会将召开紧急会议，讨论朝鲜针对核试验的说法。

Last year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his country had developed a hydrogen bomb. If North Korea's claim turns out to be true, it will have been the second nuclear test under Kim's leadership.

去年，朝鲜最高领导人金正恩表示，该国已经研制出氢弹。如果朝鲜的说法被证实，这将是金正恩领导下的第二次核试验。

I'm Mario Ritter.

我是马里奥·理特。

Brian Padden wrote this story for VOANews. Dan Friedell adapted it for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor.

What do you think about North Korea testing a bomb? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section or on our Facebook page.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

collision – n. a crash in which two or more things or people hit each other

condemn – v. to say in a strong and definite way that someone or something is bad or wrong

fission – n. a process in which the nucleus of a heavy atom is split apart

fusion – n. a process in which the nuclei of atoms are joined

nucleus – n. the central part of an atom that is made up of protons and neutrons

provoke – v. to cause (a person or animal) to become angry, violent, etc.

tolerate – v. to allow (something that is bad, unpleasant, etc.) to exist, happen, or be done

North Korea says it tested a hydrogen bomb on Wednesday.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported a 5.1 magnitude earthquake early Wednesday (UTC) near the site of previous North Korean nuclear tests.

The test site is in the mountainous northeastern part of the country, near the border with China.

North Korea announced the test on its state-run broadcast. The announcer said the test was "a self-defensive measure to thoroughly protect our nation's autonomy."

A spokesman from the National Security Council in the United States says it is too soon to confirm North Korea's claim.

But if the claim is true, he says the U.S. "will respond appropriately to any and all North Korean provocations."

The last confirmed nuclear test by North Korea came in 2013.

If it was a nuclear test, an analyst from Korea Defense Network says, it was more powerful than previous tests based on the seismic activity it produced.visit the website www.chinavoa.com to get more information!

"North Korea's nuclear test could have been 2.5 times more powerful than Hiroshima," he said.

But intelligence officials from South Korea say they think the blast was not that powerful. They think the test produced an explosion less than half as strong as the one in Hiroshima during World War II.

Both South Korean President Park Geun-Hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe condemned the test.

Abe says, "North Korea's nuclear test is a serious threat to our nation's security and absolutely cannot be tolerated."

The United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting Wednesday to discuss North Korea's claim of a test.

Last year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his country had developed a hydrogen bomb. If North Korea's claim turns out to be true, it will have been the second nuclear test under Kim's leadership.

I'm Mario Ritter.

Brian Padden wrote this story for VOANews. Dan Friedell adapted it for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor.

What do you think about North Korea testing a bomb? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section or on our Facebook page.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

collision – n. a crash in which two or more things or people hit each other

condemn – v. to say in a strong and definite way that someone or something is bad or wrong

fission – n. a process in which the nucleus of a heavy atom is split apart

fusion – n. a process in which the nuclei of atoms are joined

nucleus – n. the central part of an atom that is made up of protons and neutrons

provoke – v. to cause (a person or animal) to become angry, violent, etc.

tolerate – v. to allow (something that is bad, unpleasant, etc.) to exist, happen, or be done