Pope Leo XIV Speaks About Nuclear Safety

Apr 26, 2026, 12:12
A2

Pope Leo XIV Speaks About Nuclear Safety

Introduction

Pope Leo XIV spoke about the Chernobyl accident. He wants the world to be peaceful. He says we must use energy in a safe way.

Main Body

The Chernobyl accident happened 40 years ago in Ukraine. Many people died. Many other people got sick from the radiation. The Pope says this is a lesson for us. War is bad. Some countries fight to take things from other countries. The Pope says this is stealing. He wants leaders to be responsible. Pope Leo XIV and President Donald Trump are not friends now. The Pope speaks against war. He is worried about the war in Ukraine. He does not want another nuclear accident.

Conclusion

The Pope remembers Chernobyl. He asks leaders to stop wars and use technology to save lives.

Vocabulary Learning

accident (n.)
mistake / something bad that happens by chance意外；事故
Example:He had a car accident yesterday but he is okay now.
lesson (n.)
experience / something you learn from a mistake教訓；課
Example:The accident was a big lesson for the company.
peaceful (adj.)
quiet / calm and without war和平的；安寧的
Example:We all want to live in a peaceful world.
radiation (n.)
dangerous energy / energy that comes from nuclear sources輻射
Example:The workers wore special clothes to protect themselves from radiation.
responsible (adj.)
reliable / having the duty to take care of something負責任的
Example:Good leaders are responsible for their people.

Sentence Learning

The Chernobyl accident happened 40 years ago in Ukraine.
Time and Place: This sentence uses '40 years ago' to show time and 'in Ukraine' to show location.時間與地點: 此句子使用 '40 years ago' 表示時間，並使用 'in Ukraine' 表示地點。
Pope Leo XIV and President Donald Trump are not friends now.
Connector and Time: The word 'and' joins two people, and 'now' shows the current situation.連接詞與時間: 'and' 一詞連接兩個人，而 'now' 則表示目前的狀況。
He is worried about the war in Ukraine.
Prepositional Phrase: The phrase 'about the war' explains the reason for his feeling.介詞短語: 'about the war' 短語解釋了他感到憂慮的原因。
He asks leaders to stop wars and use technology to save lives.
Connector: The word 'and' connects two different actions that the Pope wants leaders to do.連接詞: 'and' 一詞連接了教宗希望領導者採取的兩個不同行動。
Many other people got sick from the radiation.
Prepositional Phrase: The word 'from' shows the source or cause of the sickness.介詞短語: 'from' 一詞顯示了疾病的來源或成因。
B2

Pope Leo XIV Issues Statement on Nuclear Safety and Global Conflict during Chernobyl Anniversary

Introduction

Pope Leo XIV used the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster to call for the peaceful use of atomic energy and to criticize the use of warfare to control global resources.

Main Body

During his remarks following the Angelus prayer at the Vatican, the Pope focused on the historical importance of the 1986 explosion at the Soviet-era plant in Ukraine. He described the event as a permanent scar on human memory and a warning about the dangers of using powerful technologies. According to a 2005 United Nations report, there were an estimated 4,000 confirmed and projected deaths in the three most affected countries, although other organizations claim the number is higher. Furthermore, about 600,000 workers, known as liquidators, were exposed to dangerous levels of radiation during the cleanup. Beyond the technical warnings, the Pope addressed wider political and ethical problems. He asserted that using armed conflict to take control of resources is a theft of the world's chance for peace. He also criticized other social issues, such as consumerist lifestyles and systemic prejudice. The Pope emphasized that leaders must make decisions with responsibility and care to ensure that nuclear power is used only to protect and preserve life. Regarding the political reaction, the American-born Pope has seen a decline in his relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump. This tension is caused by the Pope's frequent public statements against dictatorship and military war. These disagreements are happening while the world remains concerned that the four-year conflict in Ukraine could lead to more nuclear accidents.

Conclusion

Pope Leo XIV has connected the history of the Chernobyl disaster to today's global instability, calling for responsible management of technology and an end to wars fought over resources.

Vocabulary Learning

assert (v.)
state firmly / to say that something is certainly true斷言；堅稱
Example:The lawyer continued to assert that his client was innocent despite the new evidence.
instability (n.)
uncertainty / a state in which things are likely to change or fail不穩定；動盪
Example:Political instability in the region has led to a significant decrease in foreign investment.
prejudice (n.)
bias / an unfair and unreasonable opinion or feeling偏見；歧視
Example:Laws were introduced to help eliminate racial prejudice in the workplace.
preserve (v.)
maintain / to keep something as it is, especially in order to prevent it from being damaged保護；保存；維護
Example:It is important to preserve natural habitats to protect endangered species from extinction.
systemic (adj.)
structural / affecting an entire system or body系統性的；制度性的
Example:The organization needs to address systemic problems rather than just fixing individual mistakes.

Sentence Learning

Furthermore, about 600,000 workers, known as liquidators, were exposed to dangerous levels of radiation during the cleanup.
Passive Voice: This structure focuses on the workers who were affected by the radiation rather than the radiation itself, creating a formal tone.被動語態: 此結構將焦點放在受輻射影響的工人身上，而非輻射本身，從而營造出一種正式的語調。
According to a 2005 United Nations report, there were an estimated 4,000 confirmed and projected deaths in the three most affected countries, although other organizations claim the number is higher.
Conjunction of Contrast: 'Although' is used to introduce a clause that contrasts with or qualifies the information provided in the first part of the sentence.對比連詞: 「although」(雖然) 用於引入一個子句，以對句子的前半部分提供對比或修正的資訊。
The Pope emphasized that leaders must make decisions with responsibility and care to ensure that nuclear power is used only to protect and preserve life.
Noun Clause: The clause starting with 'that' functions as the object of the verb 'emphasized,' clearly defining the specific message being delivered.名詞子句: 以「that」引導的子句作為動詞「emphasized」的賓語，清晰地界定了所傳達的具體訊息。
These disagreements are happening while the world remains concerned that the four-year conflict in Ukraine could lead to more nuclear accidents.
Subordinating Conjunction: 'While' is used here to show that two significant situations are occurring at the same time, highlighting the background context.從屬連詞: 此處使用「while」(當⋯⋯之際) 表示兩個重大情況正同時發生，從而突顯背景脈絡。
He asserted that using armed conflict to take control of resources is a theft of the world's chance for peace.
Gerund as Subject: The gerund phrase 'using armed conflict' acts as the subject of the inner clause, turning an action into a conceptual noun.動名詞作主語: 動名詞短語「using armed conflict」(使用武裝衝突) 作為內嵌子句的主語，將一個動作轉化為概念性的名詞。
C2

Pope Leo XIV Issues Statement on Nuclear Safety and Global Conflict during Chernobyl Anniversary

Introduction

Pope Leo XIV utilized the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster to advocate for the peaceful application of atomic energy and to criticize the appropriation of global resources through warfare.

Main Body

The pontiff's remarks, delivered following the Angelus prayer at the Vatican, centered on the historical significance of the 1986 explosion at the Soviet-era plant in present-day Ukraine. He characterized the event as a definitive mark on the collective human conscience and a cautionary example regarding the deployment of increasingly potent technologies. This historical context is underscored by data from a 2005 United Nations report, which estimated 4,000 confirmed and projected deaths across the three most impacted nations, although other organizations have proposed higher casualty figures. Additionally, approximately 600,000 individuals engaged in remediation efforts, termed liquidators, were subjected to significant radiation exposure. In addition to the technical warnings, the Pope addressed broader geopolitical and ethical concerns. He asserted that the pursuit of resource extraction through armed conflict constitutes a theft of the global prospect for peace. This critique extended to other societal issues, including consumerist lifestyles and systemic prejudices. The pontiff expressed a preference for decision-making processes guided by responsibility and discernment to ensure that atomic power remains dedicated to the preservation of life. Regarding the political reception of these statements, the American-born pontiff has experienced a deterioration in relations with U.S. President Donald Trump. This tension is attributed to the Pope's increased frequency of public statements opposing despotism and military conflict. These developments occur amidst ongoing concerns regarding the potential for the four-year conflict in Ukraine to result in further nuclear incidents.

Conclusion

Pope Leo XIV has linked the legacy of the Chernobyl disaster to current global instabilities, calling for a transition toward responsible technological governance and the cessation of resource-driven warfare.

Vocabulary Learning

appropriation (n.)
seizure / the action of taking something for one's own use, typically without permission侵佔；撥用
Example:The illegal appropriation of land by the occupying forces was condemned by the international community.
cessation (n.)
termination / the fact or process of ending or being brought to an end停止；中止
Example:The treaty called for the immediate cessation of all nuclear testing in the region.
despotism (n.)
tyranny / the exercise of absolute power, especially in a cruel and oppressive way專制；獨裁
Example:The revolution was fueled by a collective desire to overthrow centuries of royal despotism.
discernment (n.)
insight / the ability to judge well and make wise decisions辨別力；洞察力
Example:Choosing the right investment requires a high degree of financial discernment.
remediation (n.)
rectification / the action of reversing or stopping environmental damage修復；補救
Example:Extensive remediation is required to make the former chemical plant safe for residential use.

Sentence Learning

The pontiff's remarks, delivered following the Angelus prayer at the Vatican, centered on the historical significance of the 1986 explosion at the Soviet-era plant in present-day Ukraine.
Reduced Relative Clause: The past participle phrase 'delivered following...' acts as a reduced relative clause (which were delivered), allowing for the efficient embedding of contextual information without a relative pronoun.縮略相對子句：過去分詞短語「delivered following...」充當縮略相對子句（原為 which were delivered），在不使用關係代名詞的情況下，有效地嵌入背景資訊。
He characterized the event as a definitive mark on the collective human conscience and a cautionary example regarding the deployment of increasingly potent technologies.
Parallelism and Lexical Density: The sentence employs parallel noun phrases ('a definitive mark' and 'a cautionary example') and high lexical density to convey complex ethical judgments with precision.平行結構與詞彙密度：本句採用平行的名詞短語（「a definitive mark」與「a cautionary example」）及高詞彙密度，精準地傳達複雜的倫理判斷。
Additionally, approximately 600,000 individuals engaged in remediation efforts, termed liquidators, were subjected to significant radiation exposure.
Parenthetical Past Participle Phrase: The phrase 'termed liquidators' functions as a parenthetical past participle phrase that provides a specific nomenclature for the subject without disrupting the core grammatical structure.括注式過去分詞短語：「termed liquidators」作為括注式的過去分詞短語，為受詞提供了特定稱謂，同時不影響核心語法結構的流暢性。
He asserted that the pursuit of resource extraction through armed conflict constitutes a theft of the global prospect for peace.
Nominalization: The use of abstract nouns like 'pursuit,' 'extraction,' and 'prospect' transforms actions into concepts, a hallmark of C2-level formal and philosophical discourse.名詞化：使用「pursuit」、「extraction」及「prospect」等抽象名詞將動作轉化為概念，這是 C2 級別正式及哲學論述的顯著特徵。
The pontiff expressed a preference for decision-making processes guided by responsibility and discernment to ensure that atomic power remains dedicated to the preservation of life.
Complex Post-modification: The noun 'processes' is modified by a past participle phrase ('guided by...') and followed by a purpose clause ('to ensure...'), creating a sophisticated multi-layered sentence structure.複雜後置修飾：名詞「processes」由過去分詞短語（「guided by...」）修飾，隨後接上目的子句（「to ensure...」），構建了精妙且具層次感的句子結構。