VOA标准英语2011--Memorial Service in New York Honors Vict

Memorial Service in New York Honors Victims of 9/11 Attacks

Ten years ago, the United States homeland came under attack. Islamic terrorists² flew hijacked³ passenger planes into the two World Trade Center towers in New York and another into the Pentagon outside of Washington, D.C. A fourth plane crashed in Pennsylvania. Sunday, family members attended a 10-year anniversary memorial service, where they were the first to tour the 6.5-hectare site on the original World Trade Center location.
Dawn over New York City. Gorgeous⁴. And, promising⁵. Just like it was 10 years ago until terrorists interrupted a sunny September morning. Family members gathered at the same spot where their loved ones died.
At 8:46 a.m. there was silence to remember when the first plane struck the World Trade Center's North Tower.
President Barack Obama read a psalm⁶ from the Bible.
"Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea."
Then, family members and friends started reading the long list of victims.
At 9:03 a.m., silence again to mark the moment when the second plane hit the South Tower.
The was more silence for when the third plane hit the Pentagon, the South Tower of the World Trade Center collapsed⁷, the fourth plane crashed in Pennsylvania and when the North Tower collapsed.
Security was tight because of a new terrorist¹ threat. Streets were closed. Police lined the sidewalks.
But inside the memorial, family members say they felt the tranquility of trees and waterfalls, set within the footprints of where the towers once stood.
Mary Jane Maounis lost her brother James. She walked inside the memorial with her younger brother.
"He was looking down at the water to see where the water was in the pool and as he was looking down, his hand was leaning on the ledge⁸ and that's where his hand was, right on his name."
Maounis says right then, she felt she and her brother were together again, for the first time since that day 10 years ago. James was killed as the plane hit the south tower. He was on the 90th floor. She was on the 62nd.
"I had a hard time at first, why it was not me and why him and going through all those emotions. But now, at this time, I realize that's how life is sometimes and I guess there are reasons for it."
Eric Oertel traveled from Michigan to bring his children here. They weren't even born when his good friend, Christopher Ingrossia, died in the attack. Oertel says Christopher would have liked the 400 trees and the ever flowing water of the reflecting pools.
"He was a forward thinking guy. I think he would like the flip⁹ side - that life goes on. People move on."
Separate ceremonies are being held today at the Pentagon and the crash site of the fourth hijacked plane near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

1 terrorist   

n.恐怖主义者，恐怖分子

参考例句：

• Without the gun,I'm a sitting duck for any terrorist.没有这支枪，我就成了恐怖分子下手的目标了。
• The district was put on red alert during a terrorist's bomb scare.这个地区在得到恐怖分子炸弹恐吓后作了应急准备。

2 terrorists   

n.恐怖主义者，恐怖分子( terrorist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The terrorists have halted their bloody campaign of violence. 恐怖分子已经停止了他们凶残的暴力活动。
• They were finally forced to capitulate to the terrorists' demands. 他们最后被迫屈从恐怖分子的要求。

3 hijacked   

劫持( hijack的过去式和过去分词 )； 绑架； 拦路抢劫； 操纵（会议等，以推销自己的意图）

参考例句：

• The plane was hijacked by two armed men on a flight from London to Rome. 飞机在从伦敦飞往罗马途中遭到两名持械男子劫持。
• The plane was hijacked soon after it took off. 那架飞机起飞后不久被劫持了。

4 gorgeous   

adj.华丽的，灿烂的，美丽的，宜人的，棒的

参考例句：

• The gorgeous costume added to the brilliance of the dance.华丽的服装使舞蹈更加光彩夺目。
• What a gorgeous day it is today!今天天气多好啊！

5 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

6 psalm   

n.赞美诗，圣诗

参考例句：

• The clergyman began droning the psalm.牧师开始以单调而低沈的语调吟诵赞美诗。
• The minister droned out the psalm.牧师喃喃地念赞美诗。

7 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

8 ledge   

n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁

参考例句：

• They paid out the line to lower him to the ledge.他们放出绳子使他降到那块岩石的突出部分。
• Suddenly he struck his toe on a rocky ledge and fell.突然他的脚趾绊在一块突出的岩石上，摔倒了。

9 flip   

vt.快速翻动；轻抛；轻拍；n.轻抛；adj.轻浮的

参考例句：

• I had a quick flip through the book and it looked very interesting.我很快翻阅了一下那本书，看来似乎很有趣。
• Let's flip a coin to see who pays the bill.咱们来抛硬币决定谁付钱。