新西兰英语 372 Memorial service for 29 miners

　　Today, a memorial service was held in Greymouth for the 29 miners¹ killed in the Pike River Coal Mine. The bodies are still in the mine so families cannot hold funerals but instead this was a service to remember and honour all 29 men. The service was held outdoors at the race course, and about 10,000 people attended. A special train travelled from Christchurch this morning to Greymouth and many people flew in by plane from other parts of New Zealand.
There were 29 tables in front of the grandstands. Families decorated the tables with ferns from the forest and photos, treasures and other things that were precious to their family member who died. There were miner’s helmets, football boots, wedding photos and other reminders² of each man.
Each of the people who attended wore a yellow ribbon to remind them of the early hope that these men would be found alive. They were also given a small fern from the forest which is around the coal mine.
The speakers at the service included the Prime³ Minister, the Governor-General, the mayor⁴ of Greymouth, and the CEO of the Pike River Mine who has been in constant contact with the families every day since that terrible day nearly two weeks ago. The Prime Minister spoke⁵ especially to the families who had lost a husband and father because he too lost his father when he was young.
“I was such a child. I know that the absence of a parent is a heaviness you learn to carry in your own way. It is a terrible thing to happen. But it doesn’t mean your children will not go on to live happy, worthwhile and fulfilling⁶ lives.”
There were poems, songs, music, speeches and a haka. Meanwhile throughout New Zealand, people stopped work at 2pm for two minutes silence to remember these 29 men.
Questions
1. This was a very sad occasion⁷. Do you think it would have helped the families?
2. In your culture, what kind of ceremony do you have to remember people who died?
3. Do you think there should be a permanent memorial built in Greymouth to remember these men?

1 miners   

矿工( miner的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The coal miners have come out for about two weeks. 煤矿工人已罢工约两周了。
• The roof of the cave dropped in on the miners, trapping them. 洞穴的顶部坍了下来，砸在矿工身上。

2 reminders   

n.令人回忆起…的东西( reminder的名词复数 )；提醒…的东西；（告知该做某事的）通知单；提示信

参考例句：

• The film evokes chilling reminders of the war. 这部电影使人们回忆起战争的可怕场景。
• The strike has delayed the mailing of tax reminders. 罢工耽搁了催税单的投寄。

3 prime   

adj.首要的，主要的；最好的，第一流的

参考例句：

• The prime minister spoke of the general insecurity in the country.总理谈到了全国普遍存在的不安全。
• He met with the Prime Minister of Japan for an hour.他和日本首相会见了一个小时。

4 mayor   

n.市长

参考例句：

• The new mayor said he would clean the city up.新市长说，他要整顿本市。
• The mayor hurried into his office,brushing off the reporters.市长赶快走进办公室，拒不接见记者。

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 fulfilling   

adj.使人满足的，令人愉快的v.履行（诺言等）( fulfill的现在分词 )；执行（命令等）；达到（目的）；使结束；满足( fulfil的现在分词 )；执行；尽到；应验

参考例句：

• If you expect to fail, you will fail. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy . 你如果预期失败，就会失败。这是一种自我应验的预测。
• Nursing is hard work, but it can be very fulfilling. 护士工作很艰苦；但可以使人感到满足。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 occasion   

n.场合，时机，机会，诱因，理由；vt.惹起，引起

参考例句：

• Her dress was too showy for such a formal occasion.在如此正式的场合，她的服装过分华丽了。
• Her tears were fought back on such an occasion.在这种场合下她忍住了眼泪。