Days That Shook The World 惊世一刻

The pioneers of flight have captured public imagination, but the history of aviation is a catalogue of human tragedy and technical disaster. The catastrophic loss of the Hindenburg airship, and the dramatic explosion of the Challenger Space Shuttle highlight the risks of man's quest to fly. Based on eyewitness¹ accounts, this is a dramatized reconstruction² of events as they happened, on two days that shook the world. It is the sixth of May 1937, and as the Spanish civil war wages on, Guernica is bombed by the German Luftwaffe. In London, preparations are underway for the coronation of King George VI. In America, Howard Hughes has flown from Los Angeles to New York in a world record, seven and a half hours, and at Lakehurst, New Jersey³, another aviation sensation is keenly awaited.


It is dawn, on May the 6th, 1937. At Lakehurst Naval⁴ Air Station, 31-year-old radio reporter Herbert Morrison and his engineer Charles Nelson arrive at the base. Neither man is aware of it yet, but by this time tomorrow, they will have become a part of the events that will define the rest of their lives. In doing so, they will make history.

850 miles away, the great airship Hindenburg is approaching the coast of Nova Scotia. The size of four football pitches and almost as large as the ill-fated SS Titanic⁵, Hindenburg is the largest and most luxurious⁶ airship ever built and the pride of the German Zeppelin fleet. She is due to arrive in New Jersey in one hour, but strong headwinds during the flight and bad weather ahead have forced the crew to take a more northerly route delaying arrival by at least 8 hours. The Hindenburg will not arrive this morning. The northerly route has afforded passengers and crew a spectacular view of icebergs⁷ in the cold water of the North Atlantic. Among those enjoying the scene is noted⁸ vaudeville⁹ entertainer Joseph Spah, who is looking forward to seeing his wife and young family later today.

Spah is a celebrity¹⁰ on both sides of the Atlantic due to his death-defying balancing act. His was the last-minute booking on this trip. He has been performing at the Scala in Berlin, and he's now booked to appear at Radio City Music Hall in New York.


word to remember:
vaudeville:Stage entertainment offering a variety of short acts such as slapstick turns, song-and-dance routines, and juggling¹¹ performances. 舞台杂耍

1 eyewitness   

n.目击者，见证人

参考例句：

• The police questioned several eyewitness to the murder.警察询问了谋杀案的几位目击者。
• He was the only eyewitness of the robbery.他是那起抢劫案的唯一目击者。

2 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

3 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。

4 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

5 titanic   

adj.巨人的，庞大的，强大的

参考例句：

• We have been making titanic effort to achieve our purpose.我们一直在作极大的努力，以达到我们的目的。
• The island was created by titanic powers and they are still at work today.台湾岛是由一个至今仍然在运作的巨大力量塑造出来的。

6 luxurious   

adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的

参考例句：

• This is a luxurious car complete with air conditioning and telephone.这是一辆附有空调设备和电话的豪华轿车。
• The rich man lives in luxurious surroundings.这位富人生活在奢侈的环境中。

7 icebergs   

n.冰山，流冰( iceberg的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The drift of the icebergs in the sea endangers the ships. 海上冰山的漂流危及船只的安全。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The icebergs towered above them. 冰山高耸于他们上方。 来自辞典例句

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

9 vaudeville   

n.歌舞杂耍表演

参考例句：

• The standard length of a vaudeville act was 12 minutes.一个杂耍节目的标准长度是12分钟。
• The mayor talk like a vaudeville comedian in his public address.在公共演讲中，这位市长讲起话来像个歌舞杂耍演员。

10 celebrity   

n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望

参考例句：

• Tom found himself something of a celebrity. 汤姆意识到自己已小有名气了。
• He haunted famous men, hoping to get celebrity for himself. 他常和名人在一起, 希望借此使自己获得名气。

11 juggling   

n. 欺骗, 杂耍(=jugglery) adj. 欺骗的, 欺诈的 动词juggle的现在分词

参考例句：

• He was charged with some dishonest juggling with the accounts. 他被指控用欺骗手段窜改账目。
• The accountant went to prison for juggling his firm's accounts. 会计因涂改公司的帐目而入狱。