1. firefighter n. [C] someone whose job is to make fires stop burning and help people to escape from other dangerous situations 消防队员
fireman n. [C] a man whose job is to stop fires burning 男消防员
firefighter & fireman: some people think that 'fireman' is a sexist term, and prefer the politically correct term 'firefighter'.
2. raring a. very enthusiastic and eager to do sth. 急于做某事的;渴望做某事的 e.g. 1. She’s training hard and raring to run in the marathon. 她正在刻苦训练,渴望参加马拉松比赛。
2. She was raring to get back to her work.她急切希望重新工作。
3. bearing n. [C] an exact position, usually measured from north(通常从北方算起的)方位,方向
e.g. 1. The first thing is to learn to take a compass bearing第一件事就是学习辨别罗盘方向。 2. Follow the bearing to the next checkpoint.顺着这个方向到下一个检查点。 3. He is out of his bearings.他迷失方向了。
4. dent n. [C] a hollow area in the surface of sth., usually made by sth. hitting it 凹痕;凹坑 e.g. 1. There was a large dent in the passenger door.乘客座位那边的门上有一大块凹坑。 2. The front of the car has a dent in it. 小汽车的前面有一个凹痕。 3. The impact of the stones made little dents in the metal. 石头的撞击几乎没给金属留下什么凹痕。
5. racket n. [sing] (infml) a loud noise 吵闹声;喧嚷声
e.g. 1. The old machine used to make an awful racket. 这台旧机器以前噪声大得吓人。 2. The students kicked up no end of a racket in the street.这些学生在大街上大吵大闹。 3. Such a racket made me headache.这样的吵闹使我头痛。
6. tile n. [C] a flat square piece of baked clay or other material, used for covering walls, floors etc. 瓷砖;墙砖
e.g. 1. I entered the kitchen, with its old tile floor and its cherry wood cabinets. 我走进了厨房,里面是年月久远的瓷砖地面以及樱桃木材质的橱柜。
2. I’m laying ceramic floor tiles in the kitchen. 我正在给厨房的地板铺瓷砖。
7. scenario n. [C] a situation that could possibly happen 可能发生的事;可能出现的局面 e.g. Imagine a scenario where only 20% of people have a job. 设想一下这种情况,只有20%的人有工作。 possible / likely / plausible scenario:可能的情况 e.g. The most likely scenario is that Brooks will resign. 最可能出现的局面是布鲁克斯即将辞职。
8. berserk a. out of control with anger or excitement; wild or frenzied 非常激动;发狂 go berserk 1) become very excited 非常激动;发狂
e.g. The home crowd went berserk when their side scored again. 主场的人群在他们一方再次得分之后欣喜若狂。 2) become very angry and violent 狂怒,暴跳如雷
e.g. Dad went berserk when he found out.爸爸知道以后勃然大怒。 9. rumble n. [C] a series of long low sounds 隆隆声;轰隆声 e.g.1. At night you can hear the low rumble of traffic in the distance 深夜时分,你能听到远处车辆低沉的隆隆声。
1
2. We heard the occasional rumble of a passing truck.我们偶尔听到卡车驶过的隆隆声。 10. runaway a. a runaway vehicle or animal is out of control(车辆或动物)失控的 e.g. 1. a runaway horse
2. A runaway car rolled down a hill and crashed into ten cars. 一辆失控的车从山上滚下来, 撞了十辆车。
11. herd n. [C] a group of animals of one kind that live and feed together 兽群;牧群 e.g. 1. She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。 2. The animals tend to graze in herd. 这些动物喜欢成群地吃草。
12. rockslide n. [C] a mass of stony material deposited by such an avalanche 岩滑(堆) 13. fleetingly ad. in a fleeting manner 短暂地;简短地 fleeting a. lasting for only a short time 短暂的;简短的
e.g. 1. I caught a fleeting glimpse of them as they drove past.我匆匆瞥见他们驱车而过。 2. Carol was paying a fleeting visit to Paris.卡洛儿正在巴黎做短暂停留。 14. bagel n. [C] a small ring-shaped type of bread 小面包圈 e.g. Cream cheese and tomatoes taste great on a bagel. 面包圈加上奶酪和西红柿尝起来好吃极了。
15. firehouse n. [C] a small fire station, especially in a small town 消防站
e.g. During his shift, he eats and sleeps at the firehouse. 轮到他值班时,吃住都要在消防站。 16. shorthand n. [U] a shorter but less clear way of saying sth. 简略(或隐晦)的表达方式 e.g. 1. He's been “relocated”, which is shorthand for “given a worse job a long way away”. 他已经被“调职”,这是一种隐晦的说法,其实是“到很远的地方做一份较差的工作”。 2. Poetry for him is simply a shorthand for literature that has aesthetic value. 在他看来,诗歌就是具有审美价值的文学作品的简略表达方式。
17. fumble v. try to hold, move, or find sth. with your hands in an awkward way 笨拙地摸;胡乱摸索;搜寻;乱抓
e.g.1. She fumbled for her keys in her bag.她在包里胡乱地寻找钥匙。 2. She reached round to fumble the light on. 她伸手摸着去开灯。
18. flashpoint n. [C, U] a situation in which serious problems are likely to develop 紧急关头;临界点
e.g. 1. The crisis in that troubled country neared a flashpoint last week. 那个多灾多难的国家所潜伏的危机在上周几乎一触即发。
2. Community unrest is approaching the flashpoint.群众的不安定情绪已接近一触即发之势。 19. postscript n. [C]
1) information added to the end of a story, article, or report (故事、文章或报道结束后的)补充信息,附言
e.g. There's an interesting postscript to this tale.这个故事后面有一段有趣的附记。
2) an additional remark at the end of a letter, after the signature and introduced by “PS”附笔,又及 e.g. He added a postscript at the end of the letter: “Leaving tomorrow”. 他在信末附言:“明日出发”。
20. aftermath n. the effects and results of sth. bad or important (不良或重要事件的)结果,后果,余殃
e.g. 1. How would they cope with the aftermath of the war?他们会如何处理战争的后果? 2. In the aftermath of the hurricane, many people's homes were destroyed. 飓风的后果是许多人的家园被毁。
2
21. massive a. 1) very severe 严重的
e.g. He was born with a massive heart attack.他天生就有严重的心脏病。 2) very large, solid and heavy 大而重的;厚重的
e.g. The bell is massive, weighing over 40 tons.这口钟非常大,有40多吨重。 3) very large in amount or degree 大量的,大规模的
e.g. The wedding got massive media coverage.婚礼得到大众传播媒介的广泛报道。
22. battalionn. [C] 1) an organization or unit within the division in FDNY(纽约消防局的)大队 e.g. FDNY are organized into five borough commands. Within those Borough Commands exist nine divisions, each headed by a Deputy Chief. Within each division operate four to seven battalions, led by a Battalion Chief.纽约消防局下设5个区,5个区下面共有9个支队,领导为支队长。每个支队有4—7个大队,领导是大队长。
2) a large group of soldiers that consists of three or more smaller groups called companies 营(由三个或三个以上的连组成)
e.g. The battalion's outposts were called in. 这个营的前哨被召回。
23. extinguish vt. (fml) make a fire or cigarette stop burning. (A more usual word is put out.) 熄灭;扑灭
e.g. 1. They fought for hours to extinguish the fire.他们奋战了几个小时把火扑灭。 2. Please extinguish all cigarettes.请熄灭所有香烟。 Word family: extinguisher n. 灭火器
24. evacuate v. leave a building or other place because it is not safe 撤离,撤出(某危险建筑物或地方)
e.g. 1. If the alarm sounds, all students should evacuate immediately. 如果警报响起,所有的学生都应该立即撤离。
2. During the war he was evacuated to Scotland.战争期间,他被撤离到苏格兰。 Word family: evacuation n. 撤离 evacuee n. 被疏散人员
25. amid prep. if sth. happens amid noise, shouting, laughter etc, it happens while there is a lot of noise etc all around; if sth. happens amid particular feelings or events, it happens while people have these feelings or while these events are happening (在声音等的)包围中;在……中间;在……气氛下
e.g. 1. Norman stepped onto the stage amid applause.诺曼在掌声中走上了舞台。 2. He drank off a glass of beer amid their cheers.
在他们的欢呼声中,他把杯子里的啤酒一饮而尽。
3. Talks broke down amid accusations of a hostile takeover bid. 谈判在对敌意接管的一片指责声中破裂了。
26. rubble n. [C] broken pieces of stone and brick from buildings, walls etc. that have been destroyed (被毁建筑物、墙壁等的)碎石,碎砖,瓦砾
e.g. After the earthquake, it took months to clean up the rubble.地震后,花了数月才清理完瓦砾。 reduce sth. to rubble:destroy it completely
e.g. A bomb reduced the houses to rubble.炸弹彻底摧毁了房屋。
27. toll n. [sing] the total number of people who have been killed or hurt 总伤亡人数 e.g. 1. The death toll has risen to 83.死亡人数已经上升到83人。 2. The bombings took a heavy toll, killing hundreds of Londoners. 爆炸造成伤亡惨重,有几百名伦敦人丧生。
28. nightmare n. [C] 1) a very frightening and unpleasant dream 噩梦;梦魇
3
e.g. She always has terrible nightmares about traffic accidents.她经常做关于车祸的噩梦。 2) an extremely difficult or frightening situation 困境;可怕的情景;无法摆脱的恐惧 e.g. The company now faces the nightmare of bankruptcy.公司现在面临破产的困境。
29. chaotic a. happening in a confused way and without any order or organization 混乱的;紊乱的;杂乱的
e.g. With no one to keep order, the situation in the classroom was chaotic. 没人维持秩序,教室里的情况一片混乱。 Word family: chaos n.
e.g. 1. The country was plunged into economic chaos.国家陷入了经济混乱。 2. The kitchen was in chaos.厨房一团糟。
30. tragedy n.[C, U]a very sad event that causes people to suffer or die 惨事;不幸;悲剧性事件 e.g. 1. The trip ended in tragedy.这次旅行以悲剧收场。
2. The measures were designed to prevent any similar tragedies. 设计这些措施是为了防止类似的悲剧。
Antonym: comedy n. 喜剧 Word family: tragic a. 悲惨的 31. utmost a. as much as possible: used for emphasizing a quality or feeling (用于强调某种品质或感情)最大的,极度的
e.g. 1. We attach the utmost importance to public safety. 我们把公共安全看做最重要的事。 2. All equipment should be handled with the utmost care.所有的设备都要极其小心地处理。 32. heroism n. [U] impressive actions that prove someone is very brave 英雄气概;英雄行为 e.g. 1. The boy was interested in stories of heroism and self-sacrifice 这个男孩对英雄主义和自我牺牲的故事感兴趣。
2. He received a medal for his heroism. 他因其英勇行为而获得一枚奖章。 Word family:hero n. 英雄 heroic a. 英勇的 34. best-seller n. [C] a book that many people buy 畅销书 e.g. 1. His new book went straight to No.1 on the best-seller list. 他的新书在畅销书排行榜上直奔第一名。
2. In 1988, Stephen Hawking wrote A Brief History of Time, which quickly became a best-seller. 1988年, 史蒂芬·霍金写了《时间简史》,此书迅速成为畅销书。
35. gratitude n. [U] a feeling of being grateful to someone because they have given you sth. or have done sth. for you 感激;谢意
e.g.1. We welcome the opportunity to express our gratitude. 我们能有机会表示谢意十分高兴。 2. We would like to express our gratitude to everyone.我们想要向每一位表达我们的感激。 Word family: grateful a. 感激的
36. tribute n. [C, U] sth. that you do, say, or build to show that you respect and admire someone or something (表示敬意的)礼物,颂辞,行为
e.g. The couple paid tribute to the helicopter crew who rescued them. 这对夫妇向营救他们的直升机机组人员表示了赞扬和感谢。 give / pay (a) tribute to
e.g. 1. He paid tribute to the way the country had forged national unity.
2. The musician gave full tribute to his former teacher.这位音乐家盛赞了他过去的老师。
37. decent a. 1) behaving towards other people in an honest, fair, and nice way 待人宽厚的;和善的
e.g.1. It was decent of David to offer to pay.大卫很厚道,提出要付钱。
4
2. When I told her the truth, she was quite decent about it. 当我告诉她真相,她表现得很有风度。
2) of a good enough standard or quality 相当好的,像样的
e.g. His first novel was a flash in the pan, and he hasn't written anything decent since. 他的第一部小说如昙花一现,此后他再没写出像样的东西。
3) following moral standards that are acceptable to society 正派的,规矩的;体面的
e.g. 1. The majority of residents here are decent citizens.这里的大部分居民都是正派的市民。 2. After his defeat he should do the decent thing and step down. 在被击败之后,他应该不失体面地下台。
38. trustworthy a. able to be trusted as being honest, safe, or reliable 可信赖的;可信的;可靠的
e.g. He is a trustworthy person; besides, he has humor and likes outdoor activities. 他是一个可信赖的人,并且有幽默感、喜欢户外活动。 Synonyms: dependable, reliable
39. comrade n. [C] 1) a friend, especially someone you have fought together with in a war or worked with 伙伴;(尤指)同事
e.g. He misses his comrades from his days in the Army.他怀念服役时结识的朋友。
2) socialists or communists often call each other ‘comrade’, especially in meetings 同志(社会主义者或共产主义者常常互称“同志”,尤其开会时)
e.g. Comrades, please support this motion.同志们,请支持这个动议。
40. testimony n.1) [sing, U] (~ to / of) evidence that sth. exists or is true 证据;证明 e.g. The latest trade figures are testimony to the failure of government policies. 最新的交易数据证明了政府政策的失败。
2) [C, U] a formal statement about something that you saw, know, or experienced, usually given in a court of law (法庭上作的)证词
e.g. I was asked to give testimony.我被要求提供证词。
41. leadership n. [U] the qualities and skills of a good leader; the action of leading a group of people or an organization 领导才能;领导
e.g. 1. Most people complained that the mayor didn’t show enough leadership. 大多数人抱怨市长没表现出足够的领导才能。
2. In the crisis he showed real leadership.他在危机中显示了真正的领导才能。 3. When Smith died, Blair took over the leadership of the party. 史密斯去世后,布莱尔接任这个政党的领导。 42. come from / out of nowhere:happen or appear suddenly and without warning 出乎意料地发生;一下子就出现
e.g. 1. In the last few seconds, Gunnell came from nowhere to win another gold medal. 在最后几秒钟,冈内尔不知从哪儿冒出来,又赢得了一块金牌。 2. The car seemed to come from nowhere.这辆车似乎是突然冒出来的。 43. sweat like pigs / sweat like a pig / sweat like a bull: (very infml) sweat a lot (非常不正式)流很多汗;出大汗
e.g. 1. The basketball players are sweating like pigs.这些篮球运动员们汗如雨下。
2. I got up on the top, quite frightened, sweating like a pig.我爬到顶上,吓得满身大汗。 44. raring to go: very eager to start an activity 急于做某事;渴望做某事
e.g. 1. They woke up early and were raring to go.他们很早就醒来,急着开始干。
5
2. At the start of the project we were raring to go but unfortunately we’ve lost a lot of our early enthusiasm.这个项目开始的时候我们都满怀热情,但不幸的是我们现在已经没有当初那么热心了。
45. make a dent: make a small amount of progress with sth. 取得初步(或有效)进展 e.g. 1. He worked all night, but barely made a dent in the work. 他工作了整个晚上,但基本没取得任何进展。
2. Next Monday is the deadline for handing in the term papers, but most students have hardly made a dent in the work so far.学期论文最迟应在下周一交,但大部分学生至今几无进展。 46. to a man / to the last man:used for saying that all the men in a group do sth. 全体;毫无例外地
e.g. 1. The entire committee opposed him, to a man.全体委员会都反对他,全体。 2. They are Republicans to a man.他们全部都是共和党人。
3. We agreed to a man that this statement was correct.我们一致认为这一声明是正确的 47. all over the place: 1) in an untidy state 凌乱;七零八落
e.g. You couldn’t find anything because his papers were all over the place. 你不可能找到,因为他的文件杂乱无章。 2) everywhere; in many directions 到处;各方
e.g. There were bodies all over the place after the tsunami.海啸过后尸横遍野。
48. pick up on sth.: notice sth. that is not very obvious 注意到(不明显的东西) e.g. 1. This is something you would expect a skilled negotiator to pick up on. 这就是你所期望的一个老练的谈判家能注意到的东西。
2. Children picked up on our worries and anxieties.孩子们觉察到了我们的焦虑。
49. down the road: used for talking about the future and what may happen 将来;今后 e.g.1. Two years down the road, you might feel very differently. 今后的两年,你可能会感觉十分不同。
2. It’s a decision that may well have an impact further down the road. 这是一个可能对未来有深远影响的决定。
3. Attention should be focused farther down the road at bringing a durable peace to the region. 应该把关注的目光放得更远些,努力在这一地区实现持久的和平。
50. make it through sth.: not die as a result of an illness or an accident 从(疾病或事故)中活下来
e.g. She’s made it through the worst of the illness now. 她现在已经熬过了病情最糟糕的阶段。 51. steel oneself (against sth.): prepare yourself to do sth. that you know will be unpleasant or upsetting 使自己坚强起来(去面对不愉快之事)
e.g. 1. Mrs. Clark is trying to steel herself against pessimism, but both she and Mr. Clark are feeling disappointed.
克拉克太太试图让自己坚强地应付悲观情绪,但是她和克拉克先生都感到失望。 2. He steeled himself against the blow that he could see coming. 他准备咬紧牙关来面临即将到来的打击。
52. on / at the scene (of): the place where an accident, crime etc happened 在场;到场 e.g. 1. The doctor was on the scene very quickly after the accident. 事故发生后,医生迅速来到出事地点。
2. Journalists were on the scene within minutes.新闻记者几分钟后就到了事发现场。 53. on / at the scene (of): the place where an accident, crime etc happened 在场;到场
6
e.g. 1. The doctor was on the scene very quickly after the accident. 事故发生后,医生迅速来到出事地点。
2. Journalists were on the scene within minutes.新闻记者几分钟后就到了事发现场。
Choose the best answer: Computer power now allows automatic searches of fingerprint files to match a print at a crime ___ B _____. A) stage B) scene C) location D) occasion 54. out of action: if sth. is out of action, it cannot be used, for example because it is broken or is being repaired or cleaned (因损坏或正在修理、清洗等而)运转失常,无法使用 e.g. 1. The swimming pool is currently out of action. 游泳池目前无法使用。 2. The photocopier is out of action.复印机出故障了。
55.bank n. a set or series of similar things, especially electrical or electronic devices, grouped together in rows (尤指成套电器或电子设备)排;组
e.g. The DJ had big banks of lights and speakers on either side of his console. 流行音乐节目主持人的控制台两边有成排的灯和扬声器。
56.turnout coats:the uniform firefighters wear when they turn out for a fire. turnout n. a set of clothing (with accessories)装束,穿着 e.g. 1. He gives little thought to his turnout.他不注意穿着。 2. His turnout was exceedingly elegant.他的穿着非常优雅。
57.figure out:solve or discover the cause of a problem; understand解决;弄懂,了解 e.g. 1. He was trying to figure out why the camera wasn't working. 他想弄懂这架照相机为什么失灵了。
2. Could you help me figure out this problem?你能帮我解决这问题吗? 3. Women. I just can't figure them out.女人。我真理解不了她们。
58.get / be stuck:1) be fixed in a particular position or unable to move or be moved 卡住,困住,不能移动
e.g. 1. The boat was stuck in the mud. 2. They got stuck in a traffic jam.
2) unable to escape from a bad or boring situation 无法摆脱困境的 e.g. Mum resented being stuck at home with two young kids. 妈妈讨厌整天窝在家里照看两个小孩。
59.fix n.(infml) a solution to a problem, especially one that is hastily devised or makeshift (非正式)仓促的解决办法;应急之举,权宜之计
e.g. The representatives were trying to find cheap fixes to meet their obligations. 代表们为不辱使命而想找到简单易行的应急措施。
60.company n. [C] 1) an organization or unit within the battalion in FDNY (纽约消防局的)中队
e.g. Each battalion consists of four to eight companies, with a company being led by a Captain. 每一个消防大队有4—8个中队,每个中队由中队长领导。
2) a group of about 120 soldiers who are usually part of a larger group 连队
e.g. He was appointed captain of a company of rifles.他被任命为步枪连连长。
61.come round / around: become conscious again after you have been unconscious 苏醒 e.g. 1. The wounded soldier soon came round.受伤的士兵很快苏醒了。
2. When she came around her mother was sitting by her bed.当她苏醒时,妈妈就坐在她的床边。
最后撤出的人:消防员的故事
它似乎是从天而降。
7
在世贸中心北塔35层的一组电梯旁,当时大约有20多个人。我们中绝大多数是消防员,个个都差不多精疲力竭了。有的人大汗淋漓,有的脱掉了他们的消防战斗服,或是把它们扎在腰间。有好几个人大口地喘着粗气。其他人迫不及待地想要离开这儿。我们所有的人都停了下来,想喘口气,清醒一下头脑,搞明白到底出了什么事。我们已经在这儿拼命战斗了差不多一个小时了,有些人时间稍微短一点儿,可我们根本看不见哪里是尽头。当然,我们也不知道自己还能干点儿什么,没有一点儿进展。
接着传来一阵巨大的响声,整个大楼开始颤动起来,我们都愣住了。站在那儿一动不动。不管本来要做什么,现在都只能等一下了。可要等什么呢?我们不知道,但是还得等。或许我们不用等,可是问题不在这儿。问题是大家都站在那儿一动不动。所有的人中间没有一个人动,只是有人抬头看了看天花板,想搞清楚这巨大的声响到底是从哪儿传来的。好像我们都能透过天花板,很容易就找到答案似的。没有人开口说话。即便是有时间思考,我们也没有时间把思维转变成语言。
不管怎么说,我还有时间思考,有太多时间去想了,我思绪万千。我想到了每一个可能发生的最糟糕的情况,还有一些别的事情。大楼在剧烈摇晃着,像地震了似的,也像是游乐园里惊耸狂奔的过山车,可真正让我胆颤心惊的是这巨大的轰隆声。这声音实在是太大了。好像直接从我身体中飞快地穿了过去。我真想不出来是什么东西会发出如此大的响声。好像一千辆失控了的火车朝我疾速驶来。好像一群狂奔着的野兽。又好像是山崩时发出的巨大轰鸣声。太难用语言来形容了,但不管这该死的声音是什么,此刻它传得越来越快,声音越来越大,离我们越来越近,而我被困在其中,没有办法逃脱。
真是奇怪,这种时候你应该是没有时间思考的,可是你满脑子都在想着那些事。我想到了老婆和孩子,只是在脑海里一闪而过,并不是把自己的人生都回顾了一番那样。我想到了工作,我离当上支队长只有一步之遥了。我想到了放在消防队厨柜上的面包圈。我想起我们消防员平常总互相打趣说:“在大火中见吧。”或者是“我们肯定会在大火中碰面的。”我不知道这种说法是怎么来的,或者我自己是从什么时候开始说起这种话来的,但这就是我们的暗语。
意思是不管这场火有多大,以后在别处还会有比这更大的。我们能安然无恙地度过这场火,也会安然无恙地度过下一场火。遇到一场大火时,我总是这么说,也总听别人这么说,可现在我呆在这儿,想着自己再也不会说这样的话了,也不会再听到别人这么说了,因为再也不会有比这更大的火了。这会是我们大家一辈子都在说的那场大火,如果以前——就在这一个个令人胆战心惊的瞬间之前——我没有认识到这一点的话,现在这浑厚的、不祥的响声印证了这一点。
我琢磨着有什么办法能改变我们的处境。我想如果搞明白了现在发生了什么事,也许我就能应对了。所有这些思绪在我脑子里一个连着一个地闪现,想完一个又是另一个,一时间都堆积在我的脑子里。每个想法都是那么完整,好像我有足够的时间一个个地付诸行动似的,而事实上我根本没有时间。
2001年9月11日,在世贸中心遭到恐怖分子袭击而倒塌时, 理查德·皮乔托(也被称作“皮奇” )正在世贸中心的北塔里。作为纽约消防局的一名大队长,他在袭击发生后的几分钟之内就赶到了现场,带领七个中队的消防队员进入北塔,解救受困人员,扑灭四处蔓延的大火。
北塔是世贸双塔中最先受到攻击的。17分钟后南塔也遭到了袭击。而南塔第一个倒塌,时间是9点59分。当时皮乔托正在北塔里,沿着楼梯往上跑,因为电梯根本工作不了了。这时他下达了撤退的命令。到达12层时,他看到了50个人被压在废墟底下,他们有的受了重伤动弹不了,有的惊慌失措。皮乔托和他的部下扶着他们往下走。到第七层时,北塔塌了,他被埋在几千吨的瓦砾之下。过了四个小时,他终于醒了过来,领
8
着他的部下到达安全的地方。
皮乔托是袭击中幸存下来的最高级别的消防员。纽约消防局局长、第一支队长以及救援队队长全部都以身殉职了。整个事件中共有343名消防队员献出了生命,超过3,000名平民丧生。
皮乔托在他的《最后撤出的人》一书中讲述了他的经历。他用一种扣人心弦的第一人称的方式向读者描述了被认为是美国历史上最黑暗的日子、也是世人皆知的9/11那天,人们所经历的恶梦般的恐惧和混乱,当然这也是人道主义精神和英雄主义精神展现得最淋漓尽致的一天。 此书于2002年一出版就立即成为一本畅销书,作者抱着一颗感恩的心写了这本书,并欲以此书向那些品德高尚、值得信赖,并献出了生命的战友们致敬。当然,这本书也展示了他的领导才能。正如他所说的,“人们都称我们为英雄,其实我们只是在干我们的本职工作。”
埃莉诺·罗斯福 ——世界的第一夫人
亲爱的读者们:
你们好!就在1948年这个星期的某一天,正当埃莉诺·罗斯福从位于纽约华盛顿广场的公寓步行前往第八大道时,她停下了脚步。“突然间,”她在自己的联合专栏中写道,“我在人行道上看到一个男人的身影。”他是个无家可归的人,“瘦骨嶙峋,看起来十分穷困”,这种景象对城里人来说并不少见,但很少有人会像她那样为了这样的一件事情向全国民众写了一封公开信,在信中她问道:“这个穷人到底享有多少人权呢?”
年轻的时候,罗斯福夫人就为红十字会和纽约青少年联盟等组织做志愿者——她出身上流社会,心地善良。但是在当时那个以男性为主导的时代和国家里,她也仅仅是一个女人。1911年,当被问到她是否支持给予妇女选举权时,她回答说:“如果我丈夫(当时还是纽约州的一名参议员)是妇女选举权的支持者,那我也许必须支持给予妇女选举权。”但是随着富兰克林·德拉诺·罗斯福的仕途越来越顺利,她也越来越关注妇女问题、劳工问题、青年人问题和人权问题。而1932年,她和罗斯福入主白宫后,埃莉诺开始大显身手了。
在接下来的12年中,罗斯福夫人重新定义了“第一夫人”这个角色。“刚开始时,连我自己都吃了一惊,”罗斯福政府的劳工部长、罗斯福夫人的长期挚友弗朗西斯·珀金斯1952年对《时代》周刊的一名记者这样说道。“她刚开始发表演讲时,我十分惊讶。”罗斯福夫人是第一位召开新闻发布会的第一夫人(她只允许女记者参加);而且,因为罗斯福离不开轮椅,他把埃莉诺当成了自己的双腿、双眼和耳朵,因此她十分积极地参与罗斯福新政,以至于让很多人都感到震惊。
“我那时候觉得总有一天她会受挫的,”珀金斯说,因为在华盛顿,你的一举一动都在别人的注视之下。“但是她的确没出什么岔子。我不知道她是怎么做到的。这应该归功于什么呢?我想这是因为她用意真诚,心地单纯,从未想要去伤害别人。”一开始有人把这些品质归结于她的天真,但是,随着时间的推移,罗斯福夫人仁慈而无私的性情使她争取到了众多反对者的支持。
在白宫,她是妇女权利和黑人权利的头号倡导者;从1935年到 1962年她去世,她创立的报纸联合专栏《我的一天》一直都是她活动的平台。与此同时,埃莉诺还是六个孩子的母亲。她的女儿安娜说:“我们觉得如果你有这么浓厚的兴趣,又精力充沛,还有她那样聪明的头脑,你一定不要气馁。……”
“……我希望她能像现在这样一直不停地做下去。”另外,她还是一位贤妻,要照顾一个无法站立的丈夫。温斯顿·丘吉尔在1948 年曾说过:“一个双腿残疾、恶疾缠身的人能够领导美国十多年,经受住战争年代和和平时期的风雨磨难。这个奇迹我们同时也要归功于罗斯福夫人,罗斯福总统的伟大功勋中有她的一半。”
第一夫人的角色,无论多么英勇,对她来说只能算是小试身手。虽然她曾经凭借她在白
9
宫的地位去四处游说,但是掌握大权的毕竟还是总统。此外,正如珀金斯说过的那样,“她也说了一些得罪人的话。”1945年,她丈夫去世之后,罗斯福夫人似乎已经准备要退隐,离开公众的视野。
她对媒体说:“一切都结束了。”但那年的晚些时候,杜鲁门总统邀请埃莉诺出任美国驻联合国代表。她接受了使命,继续努力工作,并且永远改变了女性在美国和全世界所扮演的角色。“绝大多数一辈子当副手的人从来没有机会当一把手,”珀金斯说,“罗斯福夫人有机会当一把手,而且表现得极为出色。”
第一届联合国大会的17位女性代表和顾问都把罗斯福夫人视为领袖,而她也不负众望,很快就成为全世界最卓越的人权领袖。作为联合国人权委员会的首任主席,罗斯福监督了《世界人权宣言》历时两年的起草和通过的全过程。
此外,她和苏联代表的交锋让一位共和党人从椅子上朝前探过身来,说出了下面一番话—— 因为怕被当成是民主党的支持者,他不愿意透露自己的姓名——“如果你想知道我对罗斯福夫人的看法,那我会说她真是了不起!罗斯福夫人有一种独特的能力,能让其他国家的代表清楚地了解我们的立场。要用平常的语言来评价她高超的外交手腕,一时间还真不知道该怎么说。”
1952年,当她从联合国代表的位置上卸任时,罗斯福夫人已经是“世界的第一夫人”了。同年去印度访问时,她受到了大批崇拜者的欢迎,潘迪特·尼赫鲁向议会介绍她时,说她是“重获新生的人性的杰出代表”。
她去了印度的各大城市,造访了贫民窟,期间她经常和年轻妇女们探讨女性所面临的挑战。她说:“如果一个男人失败了,人们只会说:‘某某失败了,真是令人遗憾。’但是如果一个女人失败了,他们会说:‘你看,女人就是干不成什么事。’女人不应该比男人逊色。”安娜·埃莉诺·罗斯福从来不满足于同男人并驾齐驱,她要当那个领跑的人。
即使到了77岁的高龄,她的风头依然不减当年。1961年,她受肯尼迪总统的任命,再次出任联合国代表,同时她还主持着自己的一档电视节目《人类的前途》。在一期节目中,她对肯尼迪总统说:“很多女性都对一个问题感兴趣,那就是为什么在我们这个国家女性没有能够在政府中担任更高级别的职务呢?”
《生活》杂志已经把安娜·埃莉诺·罗斯福列入英雄殿堂,愿您同我们一起来缅怀她非凡的才智和人性的光辉。
Unit6 B words and expressions
1. syndicate vt. & n. 1) vt. sell newspaper articles, photographs, television programmes etc to organizations so that they can be published or shown in many different places 通过稿件辛迪加在多家报刊上同时发表
e.g. His column is syndicated throughout America.他的专栏文章在全美各地的报刊上发表。 2) n. an association or agency supplying material simultaneously to a number of newspapers or periodicals报刊辛迪加(指在统一经营管理下的一批报刊) e.g. newspaper syndicate
2. column n. [C] 1) an article on a particular subject or by a particular writer that appears regularly in a newspaper or magazine(报纸或杂志的)专栏(文章)
e.g. He writes a weekly column for “The Times”.他为《泰晤士报》每周写一篇专栏文章。 2) a tall solid upright stone post used to support a building or as a decoration 支柱,圆柱 e.g. The dome was supported by nine columns.这圆顶由九根柱子支撑。
3. homeless a. without a place to live hostels for young homeless people 无家可归的 e.g. 1. The floods have killed hundreds and made thousands homeless. 洪水使数百人遇害,并且让成千上万的人无家可归。
10
2. Out of sympathy for the homeless children, he gave them shelter for the night. 他怀着恻隐之心,留那些无家可归的孩子过夜.
4. uncommon a. unusual, rare, or not happening often 不寻常的;罕见的
e.g. 1. Doris is a very uncommon name nowadays.如今,多丽丝是非常罕见的名字。
2. Such attitudes were not at all uncommon thirty years ago. 这些看法在30 年前很常见。 Antonym: common
e.g. Common sense is not sense common to everyone, but sense in common things. 常识不是人人都有的知识,而是关于常见事物的知识。
5. dominate v. control something or someone, often in a negative way, because you have more power or influence 支配;控制
e.g. 1. She tends to dominate the conversation.
2. I don’t ever want to talk about being a woman scientist again. There was a time in my life when people asked constantly for stories about what it’s like to work in a field dominated by men. (CET4-2007-06) 我不想再谈论成为女科学家的话题。我生活中有段时间总不停地被人问起在一个男人统治的领域里工作是怎样的状况。
Word family: domination n. dominant v. dominion n.
6. dominant a. more powerful, important, or noticeable than other people or things 强大的,有优势的,突出的
e.g. 1. Japan became dominant in the mass market during the 1980s. 2. The dominant male gorilla is the largest in the group.
这只占支配地位的雄性大猩猩是这群大猩猩中个头最大的。
dominion n. the power or right to rule people or control something 统治权,管辖权 e.g. The king held dominion over a vast area.国王拥有广大地区的统治权。
7. suffragist n. a person advocating the extension of suffrage, especially to women 主张扩大参政权(或选举权)者(尤指主张妇女参政权或选举权者)
e.g. American suffragist refused to pay taxes on her family's farm because she didn’t have the right to vote.美国主张扩大妇女参政权者因为没有选举权而拒绝支付她家农场的捐税。 Word family:suffragist n. right to vote in political elections 选举权,投票权
e.g. When was universal suffrage introduced in your country?贵国是什么时候实行普选权的? 8. longtime a. having continued or existed as a particular thing for a long time 持续时间长的;长期存在的
e.g. 1. Tom’s getting married to his longtime girlfriend in July.汤姆即将在七月和恋爱多年的女友结婚。
2. Mr. Smith is a longtime employee in our company.史密斯先生是我们公司的老员工。
9. correspondent n. [C] a newspaper or television reporter, especially one who deals with a particular subject or area (尤指报道特定主题或领域的)通讯员,记者
e.g. 1. Our correspondent in South Africa sent this report.我们在南非的通讯员发回了这篇报道。 2. They said foreign correspondents who stayed too long in a place went blind. 他们说, 驻外记者在一个地方待得太久就变得不能发现新事物了。 Word family: correspond v. corresponding a.
10.stub vt. accidentally strike (one's toe) against sth. 意外碰伤(或碰痛)(脚趾) e.g. I’ve stubbed my toe on a rock.我在石头上把脚趾磕破了。
11. toe n. one of the five individual parts at the end of your foot 脚趾
➢ on one’s toes: with only one’s toes on the ground 踮起脚尖
11
e.g. He stood on his toes to look out of the window.他踮起脚尖朝窗外张望。
12. fishbowl n. [C] 1) (mainly journalism) a situation where nothing is private and people can see everything that happens (主要用于新闻)毫无隐秘的状态
e.g. Being in a small town like this is like living in a fishbowl.在这样一个小镇上毫无隐私可言。 2) a glass bowl for keeping live fish as pets 玻璃鱼缸
13.mishap n. [C, U] a small accident or mistake that does not have very serious results 小错误;小事故
e.g. 1. Hundreds of children ended up in hospital after some preventable mishap. 出了某种可以预防的小事故后,几百名孩子最终进了医院。 2. Tell your mother you have arrived here without mishap. 告诉你母亲你已经平平安安到达这里。
3. My whole morning's work has been put out of gear by that mishap. 我一个上午的工作全让那倒霉的事给弄得乱了套。
14.sincerity n. [U] an honest way of behaving that shows that you really mean what you say or do 真诚;诚意;真挚
e.g. 1. He’s such a politician who wants to convince you of his sincerity.
2. Sincerity, a deep genuine, heart-felt sincerity, is a trait of true and noble manhood. 真诚——深刻真挚发自内心的真诚,是真正高尚的人性的一种品质。 Word family: sincere a. sincerely ad. 15.unconscious a.
1) used about things you do without realizing you are doing them or without intending to do them(感情或想法)无意识的,不自觉的
e.g. She has the unconscious habit of biting her fingernails.
2) in a condition similar to sleep in which you do not see, feel, or think, usually because you are injured 失去知觉的,不省人事的
e.g. She was unconscious but still breathing when the ambulance arrived. 当救护车到来时,她不省人事,但还在呼吸。 Antonym: conscious 16. naïveté also naivety n. lack of sophistication, experience, judgement or worldliness 天真;幼稚;轻信
e.g. 1. Mozart's music is characterized by its naivety and clarity. 2.My own naivety shamed me. Word family:naïve a. 天真的;幼稚的;轻信的
e.g. It would be naive to think that this could solve all the area’s problems straight away. 认为这样就可以马上解决该地区的所有问题就太天真了。
17.humane a. caring about the quality of people’s or animal’s lives and trying to be kind to them人道的;仁爱的;仁慈的
e.g. They write letters demanding humane treatment of prisoners. 他们写信要求给囚犯人道的待遇。
Word family: .humanism n. 人道主义 humanity n. 仁慈,博爱
18.selfless a. caring about other people’s needs and problems more than your own 无私的 e.g. 1. The woman was deeply moved by his selfless spirit.这个女人被他无私的精神深深打动。 2. As a soldier, he showed selfless devotion to duty.作为战士,他表现出了对其天职的无私奉献。 Antonym: selfish
12
19. naysayer n. [C] (mainly AmE) (fml) one who consistently denies, criticizes or doubts 拒绝者;反对者
e.g. He ignored the naysayers and succeeded with his idea. 他对反对者视而不见并成功地实施了自己的想法。 Word family:naysay v.
e.g. I'm not going to naysay anything he does.我不会反对他做的任何事情。 Antonym:yea-sayer
20.ascribe v. 1) believe sth. is the cause of sth. else 把……归因于
e.g. Their defeat was ascribed to a poor defence.他们的失败归因于糟糕的防守。
2) claim that sth. has been written, said, made etc. by a particular person 认为是……所写 [所说,所做等]
e.g. This song is often ascribed to Bach.这首歌曲常被说成是巴赫做的。 Synonym: attribute
Translate the following Chinese sentences:
1. 他把失败归于运气不佳。He ascribed / attributed his failure to bad luck.
2. 那幅画被认定系一不出名的画家所作。The painting was ascribed / attributed to an unknown artist.
21.marvelous a. (AmE) extremely enjoyable or exciting (美)使人极其快乐或激动的 e.g. 1. It’s been an absolutely marvelous day.这是一个绝对激动人心的日子。 2. It's marvelous to see you.见到你真是太开心了。 Synonym: wonderful
22. cripple vt.1) make someone physically disabled, especially unable to walk 使致残;(尤指)使跛脚
e.g. 1. As a child she contracted polio and was crippled for life. 她小时候患过小儿麻痹症,结果终生成了瘸子。
2. She was crippled in a car accident.她在一次车祸中残疾了。
2) damage sth. severely, or prevent it from working properly 严重损坏(或毁坏) e.g. The general strike of the railway workers crippled the country's economy. 铁路工人的全面罢工使国家的经济陷于瘫痪。 23. affliction n. [C, U] 1) illness 疾病
e.g. Smoking is a major cause of cancer and other afflictions.吸烟是癌症和其他疾病的一个主要原因。
2) a serious problem 折磨;苦恼;苦事
e.g. We sympathize with people in affliction.我们和被痛苦折磨的人有共鸣。
24. summit n. [C] 1) the highest level of achievement in something (成就的)顶点,最高点 e.g. He was now at the summit of his career. 他现在正处在事业的顶峰。 2) the top of a mountain 山峰;山顶;顶峰
e.g. They camped about 1,000 feet from the summit.他们在距离顶峰1000英尺的地方扎营。 3) a meeting or series of meetings between leaders of two or more countries (国家元首之间的)峰会
e.g. A Western European summit was held in Bonn.在波恩举行了西欧各国首脑会议。
25. lobby v. & n. 1) v. try to influence politicians or people in authority on a particular subject 游说(政治家或掌权者)
e.g. Our organization is lobbying for tougher laws to control pollution.
13
我们的组织正在游说,要求更严格的法律来控制污染。
2) n. the area just inside the entrance to a hotel, theatre, or other large building 门廊,大堂 e.g. I’ll meet you in the entrance lobby.我们大堂入口处见。
26. delegate n.[C]someone who is chosen to represent a group of other people at a meeting 代表
e.g. 1. Around 350 delegates attended the conference. 大约350名代表参加了这个会议。 2. He was elected as a delegate to the annual conference.他被选为年会代表。 27. genius n.1) [U] a very high level of skill or ability 天赋
e.g. Mozart showed genius even at the age of six, when he began to compose minuets. 莫扎特六岁时就开始创作小步舞曲, 展露才华。
2) [C] someone who is much more intelligent or skillful than other people 天才 e.g. She was a mathematical genius.她是数学天才。
28.adviser n. [C] (also advisor) someone whose job is to give advice on subjects they know a lot about, for example politics or financial matters 顾问;指导者 e.g. 1. a financial adviser
2. He is one of the advisers to the President.他是总统的顾问之一。 Word family: advise v. advice n.
29.assembly n. [C] 1) a part of a government consisting of people who have been elected to make laws 立法机构;议会
e.g. The assembly voted to delay the legislation to allow further consultation to take place. 议会投票决定暂缓立法以便进一步磋商。
2) a meeting of people who represent different parts of a large organization 代表会议
e.g. Police have imposed conditions on public assemblies.警方给公众集会设置了一些条件。 Word family: assemble v.
30. deliver vt. 1) do sth. that you have promised to do 兑现(承诺)
e.g. 1. No one believed that he would be able to deliver everything that he had promised. 没人相信他能兑现他承诺过的所有事情。
2. She's waiting for him to deliver on his promise.她在等他履行他的承诺。 2) take goods, letters, packages etc. to a particular place or person 递,送(商品,信件,包裹等) e.g. I'm having some flowers delivered for her birthday.我正要送些花给她过生日。 Word family:delivery n.
31. oversee (oversaw / overseen) vt. watch something in order to check that it works or happens in the way that it should 监督;管理
e.g. 1. His job is to oversee the machines in the warehouse.他的工作是监督仓库里的机器。 2. A team leader was appointed to oversee the project.任命了一位组长来监管这个项目。 Synonym:supervise
32. additionally ad. as well as what has already been mentioned, agreed etc. 另外;此外 e.g. 1. Members receive six newsletters a year. Additionally, they have the use of a helpline. 会员一年能收到六份简报。另外,他们还可以用求助热线。 2. Brokers finance themselves additionally by short-term borrowing. 经纪人通过短期借款来为自己增加经费。 Synonym: in addition
33.superlative a. (fml) extremely good (正式)极好的;绝佳的;极优秀的
e.g. 1. Some superlative wines are made in this region.有些上等美酒是这个地区产的。
14
2. She is a versatile and superlative actress.她是位多才多艺、演技高超的女演员。
34.throng n. [C] (mainly literary) a large group of people in one place(书面)一大群人 e.g. 1. She got lost in the throng.她在人群中走失了。
2. She had to press through the throng to reach the stage.她不得不穿过拥挤的人群走上舞台。 35.admirer n. [C] someone who admires someone or something 崇拜者;赞赏者
e.g. 1. The celebrity was surrounded by friends and admirers.这个名人被朋友和崇拜者围绕。 2. He is a secret admirer of Helen, though he has never spoken to her. 他一直暗恋海伦,虽然他从未跟她说过话。 Word family: admire v. admiration n.
36. resurgent a. quickly becoming popular, important, or successful again 复兴的;再起的 e.g. 1. We remain vulnerable to a wide array of resurgent infectious diseases. 对于各种传染病的复发,我们依然抵抗力脆弱。
2. In foreign policy, Europe has been uncertain in its dealings with a resurgent Russia. 在外交方面,欧洲在对待复兴的俄罗斯方面态度不明。
37. slum n. [C] (often pl) a house or an area of a city that is in very bad condition, where very poor people live (通常复数)贫民区
e.g. The eastern part of town is a terrible slum with poverty and crime. 城市的东部是一个糟糕的贫民窟,这里充斥着贫穷和犯罪。
38. par n. [U] the usual or expected standard, especially the standard of someone’s work or health 标准;(尤指某人的工作或健康)水准
e.g. 1. His initial performances have been well below par.他最初的表现完全达不到标准。 2. Poor nutrition can leave you feeling below par.营养不良能使你感到健康状态不佳。
39. win over / round: persuade someone to agree with you or to be friendly to you 说服;把……争取过来
e.g. 1. We’ve finally won him over to our point of view.我们最终说服他同意我们的观点。 2. Don't bother buttering up to me. I'm too old a hand to be won over by flattery. 不必费事来拍我马屁。我可是个老手,才不吃那一套哩。
40.let down 1) make someone or something less likely to be successful or effective 使略逊一筹;使美中不足
e.g. The whole system is let down by the poor quality of the graphics. 图表的质量差,使得整个系统略显不足。
2) make someone disappointed by not doing something that they are expecting you to do 使……失望
e.g. 1. The families of the victims feel that the justice system has let them down. 受害者的家属觉得司法体制令他们失望。
2. He is a bit let down by the low grade he got.这次成绩不好, 他有点气馁。
41.ride the storm: not be badly harmed or damaged during a difficult period of time 度过难关 e.g. 1. The government appears to have ridden the storm. 政府似乎已经度过了难关。 2. The United States should, it was argued, attempt to ride the storm. 有人认为,美国应该设法度过难关。
42.on a par with: of the same quality as or at the same level as 与……质量相同;与……水平相当;与……持平
e.g. 1. Profits should be on a par with last year.利润应该和去年持平。 2. He doesn’t think his salary is on a par with his position in the company.
15
他觉得自己的工资与在公司里的地位不相符。
43.come into one’s own: receive the recognition for one’s powers, abilities, etc, that one deserves; gain independence; show one’s true worth (某人的权力、能力等)得到应有的承认;获得自主;显示某人的真正价值
e.g. 1. In the wintry conditions the Norwegian team really came into their own. 在冬天的环境下,挪威队真正能大显身手。
2. His study has not yet come into its own.他的研究仍然没有得到应有的承认。 3. Mother has come into her own since the children left home, she now works again. 孩子们离家后,母亲得到了自由,她现在又工作了。 44.stub one’s toe: do damage to oneself or get hurt 伤到自己
45.a fishbowl atmosphere: everyone can see what is happening in the fishbowl 在没有隐私的环境里
46.play second violin: do not lead or give solos and be always of lesser importance 居次席,居次要位置
e.g. He is tired of playing second violin to men with less talent. 他讨厌给才能不如他的人当副手。
play first violin: be the leader and take the initiative 居首席;居领导位置 47.look to: depend on someone to provide help, advice etc. 指望,依靠 e.g. 1. We look to you for support.我们指望你的支持。
2. They're looking to the new manager to make the company profitable. 他们都在指望着新经理能让公司赢利。
48.a representative of resurgent humanity refers to an example of the most admirable and progressive type of person 重获新生的人性的杰出代表
49.resurgent humanity: recovering from the horrors of the first half of the 20th century set the pace: establish a rate or standard that others have to achieve 起带头作用 e.g. Japanese firms have been setting the pace in electronic engineering. 日本的公司在电子工程方面一直处于领先。
50.induct sb. to / into sth.:officially introduce someone into an important place of honor at a special ceremony使正式就任/加入(荣誉组织)
e.g. 1. Barry was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1987. 巴里在1987年被列入篮球名人堂。
2. Mr. John was inducted into the office of governor.约翰先生正式就任州长。
51.count on sb.: depend on someone to do what you want or expect them to do for you 依靠,指望
e.g. 1. The whole team was counting on me, and I let them down. 整个球队都指望着我,我却令他们失望。
2. I was counting on Jane driving me home.我指望着简开车送我回家。
52.to the / such an extent that:used for saying that because one thing is happening something else happens 达到……的程度
e.g. 1. His business is failing to such an extent that it is losing over £20,000 a year. 他生意失败,达到一年损失两万英镑的地步。
2. Violence increased to the extent that residents were afraid to leave their homes. 暴动加剧,到了居民不敢出门的程度。
16
因篇幅问题不能全部显示,请点此查看更多更全内容