历史上的今天-Today in History 2012-07-31

 July 31st, 1964. Ranger¹ VII transmits pictures of the Moon back to Earth before the American space probe smashes on to the lunar surface. 5 years later, the first men set foot on the Moon during NASA’s Apollo XI mission.

1777. A young nobleman from France begins to make his name during the American Revolution. The Marquis de Lafayette, then 19 years old, is appointed a major general in the Continental² Army. The following year, France formally sides with the American colonists³ against the British. 1972. Missouri Senator Thomas Eagleton withdraws as Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern’s running mate. The move follows the disclosure that Eagleton had been hospitalized for psychiatric treatment in the 1960s and twice receives electroshock therapy for depression.

“My personal feelings are secondary to the necessity to unify⁴ the Democratic Party and to elect George McGovern as the next president of the United States.”

McGovern taps Sargent Shriver to replace Eagleton on the Democratic ticket. That fall, they lose to President Richard Nixon in a landslide⁵.

“The Dark Lord Ascending”

And 1965. “The 2 men appeared out of nowhere, a few yards apart in the narrow moon-lit lane.

”

Meet the writer who cast the literary spell that created young magician Harry⁶ Potter. J. K. Rowling, author of the best-selling Potter books, is born in southwest England.

Today in History, July 31st. Ed Donahue, the Associated Press.

1 ranger   

n.国家公园管理员，护林员；骑兵巡逻队员

参考例句：

• He was the head ranger of the national park.他曾是国家公园的首席看守员。
• He loved working as a ranger.他喜欢做护林人。

2 continental   

adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的

参考例句：

• A continental climate is different from an insular one.大陆性气候不同于岛屿气候。
• The most ancient parts of the continental crust are 4000 million years old.大陆地壳最古老的部分有40亿年历史。

3 colonists   

n.殖民地开拓者，移民，殖民地居民( colonist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Colonists from Europe populated many parts of the Americas. 欧洲的殖民者移居到了美洲的许多地方。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Some of the early colonists were cruel to the native population. 有些早期移居殖民地的人对当地居民很残忍。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 unify   

vt.使联合，统一；使相同，使一致

参考例句：

• How can we unify such scattered islands into a nation?我们怎么才能把如此分散的岛屿统一成一个国家呢？
• It is difficult to imagine how the North and South could ever agree on a formula to unify the divided peninsula.很难想象南北双方在统一半岛的方案上究竟怎样才能达成一致。

5 landslide   

n.(竞选中)压倒多数的选票；一面倒的胜利

参考例句：

• Our candidate is predicated to win by a landslide.我们的候选人被预言将以绝对优势取胜。
• An electoral landslide put the Labour Party into power in 1945.1945年工党以压倒多数的胜利当选执政。

6 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。