VOA常速英语2008年-Pope Benedict Visits 9/11 Terrorist Attack Site

By Barbara Schoetzau
New York
20 April 2008

Pope Benedict XVI began his last day in the United States at Ground Zero, the site of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on New York. From VOA's New York Bureau, correspondent Barbara Schoetzau has the story.

The pontiff brought his message of peace to hallowed ground as the popemobile descended¹ the ramp² to the lowest levels of the former World Trade Center site.

Pope Benedict knelt in silent prayer on a pew placed in front of a large candle, which he then lit.

The pope then offered a brief prayer for peace and healing for survivors³ and the families of victims of the attacks in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

"Oh God of love, compassion⁴ and healing, look on us people of many faiths and traditions who gather today at this site of incredible violence and pain. We ask in your goodness to give eternal light and peace to all who died here, to heroic first responders, along with a the innocent men and women who were victims of this tragedy simply because their work or service brought them here on September 11th, 2001," he said.

The pope then met individually with two-dozen survivors and representatives of victims' families.

According to officials, Benedict XVI insisted that a stop at Ground Zero be put on the schedule of his three-day visit to New York. For the low key, secular⁵ occasion, the Pope wore a long white overcoat in marked contrast to the more elaborate vestments he has worn throughout the rest of his six-day visit to the United States.

1 descended   

a.为...后裔的，出身于...的

参考例句：

• A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
• The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

2 ramp   

n.暴怒，斜坡，坡道；vi.作恐吓姿势，暴怒，加速；vt.加速

参考例句：

• That driver drove the car up the ramp.那司机将车开上了斜坡。
• The factory don't have that capacity to ramp up.这家工厂没有能力加速生产。

3 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

4 compassion   

n.同情，怜悯

参考例句：

• He could not help having compassion for the poor creature.他情不自禁地怜悯起那个可怜的人来。
• Her heart was filled with compassion for the motherless children.她对于没有母亲的孩子们充满了怜悯心。

5 secular   

n.牧师，凡人；adj.世俗的，现世的，不朽的

参考例句：

• We live in an increasingly secular society.我们生活在一个日益非宗教的社会。
• Britain is a plural society in which the secular predominates.英国是个世俗主导的多元社会。