万花筒 2011-09-11&09-13 俄罗斯坠机 精英冰球队遇难

 It is one of the worst disasters ever involving a sports team, a plane crash outside Yaroslavl, Russia, 150 miles northeast of Moscow. Forty-three of the 45 people aboard were killed. The plane was carrying Yaroslavl Lokomotiv, one of the top teams in the continental¹ Hockey League, headed for the season opener in Minsk. Among the dead, stars of the hockey world, players and coaches from 10 nations including Russia, Canada, Sweden and Germany. Several were former members of the NHL. Just two people survive, a Russian hockey player Alexander Galimov and a crew member, both are in critical condition. 

 

 

 

The plane, a chartered² Yak-42, built in 1993, took off in sunny weather and crashed just moments later into the bank of the Volga River. Reports say the plane had trouble gaining altitude and hit an antenna³ near the airport. 

 

 

 

At the League's opening match today in central Russia, stunned⁴ hockey fans heard the news of the crash announced during the game. They observed the moment of silence for the victims. 

 

 

 

The devastating⁵ blow has been felt throughout the hockey world. Today the president of the International Ice Hockey Federation⁶ said it is the darkest day in the history of our sport. Today's tragedy also raises new questions about air safety in this country. A crash in northern Russia less than two months ago left 47 people dead. It was blamed on pilot error. An investigation⁷ has been opened into today's crash. President Medvedev will visit the site on Thursday but fans and fellow players across Europe are mourning what is today a huge loss.

1 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。

2 chartered   

a.特许的，持有特许证的

参考例句：

• the Institute of Chartered Accountants （英国皇家）特许会计师协会
• The government chartered the new airline. 政府给这家新航空公司颁发了许可证。

3 antenna   

n.触角，触须；天线

参考例句：

• The workman fixed the antenna to the roof of the house.工人把天线固定在房顶上。
• In our village, there is an antenna on every roof for receiving TV signals.在我们村里，每家房顶上都有天线接收电视信号。

4 stunned   

adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The fall stunned me for a moment. 那一下摔得我昏迷了片刻。
• The leaders of the Kopper Company were then stunned speechless. 科伯公司的领导们当时被惊得目瞪口呆。

5 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

6 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

7 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。