WMD stands for weapons of mass destruction — weapons built to kill very large numbers of people at once, rather than one soldier at a time. In practice it covers three or four kinds: nuclear (bombs like the ones used in 1945), chemical (poison gas), biological (diseases used as a weapon), and sometimes radiological (an ordinary bomb that spreads radioactive material).

WMD『WMD』 stands for代表 weapons of mass destruction「大規模毀滅性武器」——weapons built to kill very large numbers of people at once被設計來一次殺死非常多人的武器, rather than one soldier at a time而不是一次一個士兵那樣殺。In practice實際上 it covers three or four kinds它涵蓋三到四種: nuclear (bombs like the ones used in 1945)核子（像1945年用的那種炸彈）, chemical (poison gas)化學（毒氣）, biological (diseases used as a weapon)生物（把疾病當武器用）, and而且 sometimes radiological (an ordinary bomb that spreads radioactive material)有時候還包括放射性（把放射性物質散播出去的普通炸彈）。

You say the three letters one by one: W-M-D. The plural is usually WMDs, though careful writers sometimes leave it as WMD because the D already stands for a plural idea.

You say the three letters one by one你會一個字母一個字母唸: W-M-D『W-M-D』。The plural複數 is usually通常是 WMDs『WMDs』, though不過 careful writers小心的作者 sometimes有時候 leave it as WMD會保留寫成WMD because因為 the D already stands for a plural ideaD本身已經有複數的意思了。

Here is the part your students should really understand: this is a news and politics word, not a science word. It became famous around 2003, when the American and British governments said Iraq had WMD and used that as the reason to go to war; no such weapons were found.

Here is the part你的學生真正該懂的部分是 your students should really understand這裡: this is a news and politics word這是一個新聞和政治用字, not a science word不是科學用字。It became famous around 2003它在2003年前後變得有名, when當時 the American and British governments美英兩國政府 said Iraq had WMD說伊拉克有WMD and而且 used that as the reason to go to war拿這個當開戰的理由; no such weapons were found結果沒有找到這種武器。

Because of that history, the word now carries weight. When a politician says WMD, listeners hear both "terrible danger" and, often, "is that true?" It is a word people argue about, not a neutral label — and that is exactly why it appears so often in newspapers and in reading tests.

Because of that history因為那段歷史, the word now carries weight這個字現在帶著沉重的份量。When a politician says WMD當政治人物說WMD, listeners聽的人 hear both "terrible danger"會同時聽到「可怕的危險」 and而且常常 often, "is that true?"「這是真的嗎？」 It is a word people argue about這是一個大家會爭論的字, not a neutral label不是一個中立的標籤——and而且 that is exactly why it appears so often這正是為什麼它常常出現 in newspapers and in reading tests在報紙和閱讀測驗裡。