2006年VOA标准英语-New York City Still Transforming Since 9/11

By Kane Farabaugh
New York, NY
10 August 2006
 
watch September 11 Legacy¹

It was the deadliest terrorist attack on U.S. soil.  That soil in New York City -- seven hectares of it -- is at the center of a debate five years after the tragedy that transformed it.  VOA's Kane Farabaugh reports security and safety are only part of the concern at the World Trade Center site in a city that is very different five years after the September 11 attacks.

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She has majestically² stood in New York harbor since 1886.  For more than a century, thousands of ships have brought millions of the "tired, the poor, the huddled³ masses yearning⁴ to breathe free" under the watchful⁵ eye and glowing torch of Lady Liberty.

It took just one cataclysmic event in New York City on September 11th, 2001 to change this landmark's relationship with its visitors -- for example, the 354 stairs that once led to her crown were sealed off to the public -- perhaps forever.

As a bill to reopen those stairs is being debated in the House and Senate, the Statue of Liberty continues to symbolize⁶ New York City, post 9/11.  A city in the middle of a debate about how to move forward.

If Ground Zero is the most famous real estate in Lower Manhattan, it is also the most controversial. So far the only construction completed at the site is World Trade Center Number 7, where the floors are beginning to fill up with tenants⁷.  

 
World Trade Center developer Larry Silverstein
  
World Trade Center developer Larry Silverstein says most of his problems in moving forward with the rest of the site do not come from terrorists, but from politicians who had little to do with getting World Trade Center 7 built.

"It is a reflection of what private enterprise can accomplish when government interference does not exist."

Until April of this year, Silverstein was locked in a battle with state and local government over an insurance payout on the original twin towers, which he purchased only six weeks before the attacks.

Daniel Libeskind   
  
He's also been at odds⁸ with the master architect of the site, Daniel Libeskind.  The two have disagreed about how to construct a permanent memorial to honor the thousands that perished here.  They also cannot decide how to create 10 million square feet of useable, comfortable office space.

"There are many people who believed that we should build one story houses after the attack.  I was not one of them.  Nor were New Yorkers.  The idea of a tall building didn't emanate⁹ from me… it emanated¹⁰ from the desire of New Yorkers at the Javits Center who voted overwhelmingly that Ground Zero should have an iconic high rise building."

That iconic high rise building is called the Freedom Tower.  It is at the center of Lower Manhattan's transformation¹¹ after 9/11. Freedom Tower is leading the way in next-generation building design based on lessons learned from the World Trade Center collapse¹².

Current plans call for the structure to rise to 541 meters, which translates into 1,776 feet -- to honor the year the United States declared independence from Britain.  

 
David Childs
  
It will be one of the tallest structures in the world. It will also be the most secure building in the city according to one of the architects, David Childs. "We always worked above and beyond the local codes, but now we were able to change to codes to what will be the most secure buildings of all.  And I think, and I just wanted to underline Larry's statement ,that the concern that people have, they should be concerned about all the other buildings, not about these, what set the pace for what security should be." 

Norman Siegel   
  
But some family members are skeptical¹³.  Norman Siegel represents the Skyscraper¹⁴ Safety Campaign, originally founded by the families of Christian¹⁵ ReganHard. 

He was a 28 year old probationary¹⁶ firefighter who died in the World Trade Center collapse. "The old World Trade Center was above the law.  The firemen couldn't even come in and investigate.  That's a continuing fight that we have now.  To get whatever is going to be built there to be in compliance¹⁷ with the New York codes.  The Port Authority has not agreed to that. They always say 'We exceed the codes.'  We're very suspicious of that."

Ground Zero is also a final resting place.  There were no bodies to bury for 1,152 families that lost loved ones on September 11th.  As construction moves forward, and condemned¹⁸ buildings damaged by the attacks are taken down, workers continue to find human remains¹⁹.

Mr. Siegel adds, "Two years ago, the city of New York told the family members that in regards to human body parts at the Deutsche Bank building right next to the World Trade Center, that everything was cleaned.  The last few months over 700 body parts have been located.  It leads to more and more family members not trusting their government." 

New York City is a metropolis²⁰ that continues to change --  many say, for the better. 

Photographer John Botte   
  
Retired²¹ New York City police detective and Ground Zero photographer John Botte echoes the feelings many New Yorkers have about their city. "The city is better off the way it is.  Aside from the attacks, safety wise, crime is -- you know -- the homicide rate is down.  I notice the streets aren't polluted with drugs the way they used to be. It seems like a cleaner, happier place wherever you go.  It's a much different New York City than it was 17 or 18 years ago.  I love New York. What can I say? I'm a New York City cop."

And many New Yorkers now feel a closer bond with police officers and firefighters. 

 
Jan Ramirez 
  
Jan Ramirez is with the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation.  "I will never walk past a policeman or fireman again without seeing some incredible depth of heroism²², humanity, resourcefulness in them."

New Yorkers are also more aware of their surroundings.

While most think another attack is likely, using planes as missiles to destroy buildings seems to be less of a concern. 

That is something reinforced to Larry Silverstein during a recent flight he took from California. "The gentleman sitting in the first row back from the cockpit, he rose also to get out of the plane, and as he turned around he said, 'Mr. Silverstein - you're doing a good job. Keep up the work.'  I didn't know who he was but he obviously recognized me.  I said, 'Thank you very much. What do you do?'  He said, 'Well, I'm here to make sure this plane is not used as it was used on 9/11.'  I said, 'You must be a federal air marshall.'  He said,  'I am.'  I said, 'Are you guys on all the flights?'  He said,  'All I can tell you is a plane will never again be used in America as it was used on 9/11.'"

Work continues around the clock to prepare Ground Zero for the building ahead.  In the midst of construction, the hole in the ground itself is a security concern.

Police have stepped up patrols along the perimeter²³, where the slurry wall that holds the Hudson River back could be breached²⁴ by a terrorist attack.

Terrorists also reportedly have targeted the bridges and tunnels providing the link between Manhattan and New Jersey²⁵.  The FBI announced in July it had uncovered an al-Qaida plot to attack one of the tunnels leading to lower Manhattan, with the intention of flooding the financial district.

1 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

2 majestically   

雄伟地； 庄重地； 威严地； 崇高地

参考例句：

• The waters of the Changjiang River rolled to the east on majestically. 雄伟的长江滚滚东流。
• Towering snowcapped peaks rise majestically. 白雪皑皑的山峰耸入云霄。

3 huddled   

挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• We huddled together for warmth. 我们挤在一块取暖。
• We huddled together to keep warm. 我们挤在一起来保暖。

4 yearning   

a.渴望的；向往的；怀念的

参考例句：

• a yearning for a quiet life 对宁静生活的向往
• He felt a great yearning after his old job. 他对过去的工作有一种强烈的渴想。

5 watchful   

adj.注意的，警惕的

参考例句：

• The children played under the watchful eye of their father.孩子们在父亲的小心照看下玩耍。
• It is important that health organizations remain watchful.卫生组织保持警惕是极为重要的。

6 symbolize   

vt.作为...的象征，用符号代表

参考例句：

• Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。
• Dolphins symbolize the breath of life.海豚象征着生命的气息。

7 tenants   

n.房客( tenant的名词复数 )；佃户；占用者；占有者

参考例句：

• A number of tenants have been evicted for not paying the rent. 许多房客因不付房租被赶了出来。
• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。

8 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

9 emanate   

v.发自，来自，出自

参考例句：

• Waves emanate from the same atom source.波是由同一原子辐射的。
• These chemicals can emanate certain poisonous gases.这些化学药品会散发出某些有毒的气味。

10 emanated   

v.从…处传出，传出( emanate的过去式和过去分词 )；产生，表现，显示

参考例句：

• Do you know where these rumours emanated from? 你知道谣言出自何处吗？ 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The rumor emanated from Chicago. 谣言来自芝加哥。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

11 transformation   

n.变化；改造；转变

参考例句：

• Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
• He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。

12 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

13 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

14 skyscraper   

n.摩天大楼

参考例句：

• The skyscraper towers into the clouds.那幢摩天大楼高耸入云。
• The skyscraper was wrapped in fog.摩天楼为雾所笼罩。

15 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

16 probationary   

试用的，缓刑的

参考例句：

• After a six-month probationary period, she was confirmed in her post. 经过六个月的试用期之后，她获准正式任该职。
• After a three-month probationary period, she was confirmed in her post. 经过三个月的试用期后，她获准正式任职。

17 compliance   

n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从

参考例句：

• I was surprised by his compliance with these terms.我对他竟然依从了这些条件而感到吃惊。
• She gave up the idea in compliance with his desire.她顺从他的愿望而放弃自己的主意。

18 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

19 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

20 metropolis   

n.首府；大城市

参考例句：

• Shanghai is a metropolis in China.上海是中国的大都市。
• He was dazzled by the gaiety and splendour of the metropolis.大都市的花花世界使他感到眼花缭乱。

21 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

22 heroism   

n.大无畏精神，英勇

参考例句：

• He received a medal for his heroism.他由于英勇而获得一枚奖章。
• Stories of his heroism resounded through the country.他的英雄故事传遍全国。

23 perimeter   

n.周边，周长，周界

参考例句：

• The river marks the eastern perimeter of our land.这条河标示我们的土地东面的边界。
• Drinks in hands,they wandered around the perimeter of the ball field.他们手里拿着饮料在球场周围漫不经心地遛跶。

24 breached   

攻破( breach的现在分词 )； 破坏，违反

参考例句：

• These commitments have already been breached. 这些承诺已遭背弃。
• Our tanks have breached the enemy defences. 我方坦克车突破了敌人的防线。

25 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。