历史上的今天-Today in History 2011-05-07

 May 7th 1915, during World War I, a torpedo¹ from a German submarine sinks the "Lusitania" off the coast of Ireland. Nearly 1200 people aboard the British ocean liner including 128 Americans are killed. The sinking helps push the United States into joining the war against the Germany two years later.

1945 end of World War II in Europe as Nazi² Germany signs an unconditional³ surrender at ally headquarters in France. The allies officially celebrate the Nazi defeat the following day.

1954, in Southeast Asia, the Battle of Dien Bien Phu ends as Vietnamese insurgents⁴ overrun French forces after a 55 day siege. In Washington, Secretary of State John Foster Dulles foreshadows America’s long and costly⁵ involvement in Vietnam during the next two decades. “An epic⁶ battle has ended. But great causes have, before now, been won out of lost battles.

1840, composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky whose ballets includes Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and Nutcracker, is born in Russia.

And 1941, big band leader Glenn Miller and his orchestra record the swing era “Chattanooga Choo Choo”

Today In History, May 7th, Sandy Kozel, the Associated Press

1 torpedo   

n.水雷，地雷；v.用鱼雷破坏

参考例句：

• His ship was blown up by a torpedo.他的船被一枚鱼雷炸毁了。
• Torpedo boats played an important role during World War Two.鱼雷艇在第二次世界大战中发挥了重要作用。

2 Nazi   

n.纳粹分子，adj.纳粹党的，纳粹的

参考例句：

• They declare the Nazi regime overthrown and sue for peace.他们宣布纳粹政权已被推翻，并出面求和。
• Nazi closes those war criminals inside their concentration camp.纳粹把那些战犯关在他们的集中营里。

3 unconditional   

adj.无条件的，无限制的，绝对的

参考例句：

• The victorious army demanded unconditional surrender.胜方要求敌人无条件投降。
• My love for all my children is unconditional.我对自己所有孩子的爱都是无条件的。

4 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

5 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

6 epic   

n.史诗，叙事诗；adj.史诗般的，壮丽的

参考例句：

• I gave up my epic and wrote this little tale instead.我放弃了写叙事诗，而写了这个小故事。
• They held a banquet of epic proportions.他们举行了盛大的宴会。