EXPLORATIONS - Reaction to September 11

EXPLORATIONS -September 11, 2002: Reaction to September 11

By Mario Ritter

VOICE ONE:
This is Mary Tillotson.
VOICE TWO:

 

And this is Steve Ember with the VOA Special English program,

EXPLORATIONS. One year ago, the United States suffered the worst

terrorist¹ attack in American history. There are many stories being told

about that day and its effects. Today, we will tell about messages from
some of you, our listeners. We will also tell how one company is dealing² with the effects of September eleventh.

((THEME))

VOICE ONE:

One year ago, Islamist terrorists³ hijacked⁴ two passenger airplanes and flew them into the World Trade Center in
New York City. The two huge buildings were destroyed. Another hijacked plane struck and damaged the Defense⁵
Department headquarters near Washington, D.C. Still another hijacked plane crashed near Shanksville,
Pennsylvania.

The events of September eleventh did not only affect Americans. The attacks united people around the world in
sympathy for the families and friends of those who were killed. Millions of people in all areas of the world were
touched by the events of that terrible day.

People who were not Americans were also killed in the attacks. The media company C-N-N keeps records of the
victims of the attacks. Almost five-hundred foreigners were among the more than three-thousand people who lost
their lives September eleventh. They were citizens of at least thirteen foreign countries. They were in the World
Trade Center and on the airplanes that crashed.

Soon after the attacks, expressions of sympathy from all around the world reached those of us working in VOA
Special English. Hundreds of letters and e-mails offered support for the American people and denounced⁶
terrorism. We received messages such as this one from France: “Deeply in my heart, I am American now. I pray
for all the victims as if they were cherished⁷ friends.
”

VOICE TWO:

Listeners of many cultures and religions wanted to express their sympathy. One listener
wrote: “I’m Egyptian and Muslim. I want to say that all Egyptians (Muslims,
Christians⁸ and Jews) condemn⁹ these killings¹⁰. God help you, God help America.
”

A listener in Somalia wrote, “We extend our heartfelt sympathy to you during this period
of hellish tragedy that occurred to the American people in [the] New York and
Washington attack.
”

One listener in Costa Rica wrote reminding us that courage and wisdom cannot be
separated: “.Have for the present courage in front of the sadness, and a great wisdom
when you will answer your enemies.
”

Still others pointed¹¹ to the important ideas that America represents to them. A listener in Cambodia wrote us:
“It’s an important fact that the two buildings and a part of the Pentagon have already fallen . but
.
democracy is still alive and even getting stronger.
”

Among the World
Trade Center victims:
hundreds of
firefighters, police
officers and other
rescuers.

VOICE ONE:
Some listeners who have experienced the effects of terrorism offered advice.
A listener in Spain wrote that the United States should “try not to cause suffering to civilian¹² populations,

because the medicine will be worse than the sickness.” He said that the Spanish people have an understanding

of terrorism from thirty years of fighting the separatist group ETA.
One listener in England wrote: “I know you.will have thousands of messages like this but, as a victim of I-
R
A attacks, I know what it feels like. My prayers are with your country tonight.
”

VOICE TWO:

Terrorist attacks are not new, but the huge size of the September eleventh event was something never seen before.
Many people from very different cultures wrote saying they felt a new connection with Americans.
A listener in China wrote: “I am shocked at the news about the terrorist attacks. I am really worried about many

citizens’ lives. They and I may be strangers to each other, but we are human beings with the same feelings, life,
and love of the world.
”

VOICE ONE:
Radio, television and the press throughout the world covered every detail of the attacks and their results. Video
recordings¹³ of the World Trade Center buildings burning and then falling were broadcast continuously for a long
time — even days after the events.

New York City and Washington, D-C, are among the largest media centers in the world. This meant that the
attacks and their effects were broadcast to the whole world as they were happening.

VOICE TWO:
The pictures and descriptions affected¹⁴ almost everyone who saw them. Many messages from listeners offered
friendship and support that helped us get through a difficult time.

A listener in Tajikistan wrote, “It was really horrible to hear that bad news about the crashes of planes and
buildings in New York and about the death of thousands of people. Please accept our deep feelings and
sympathy. We are with you dear friends!!!
”

((MUSIC BRIDGE)
)
VOICE ONE:
The World Trade Center not only represented American economic power, but also international business

cooperation. Businesses and governments of many countries had offices in the World Trade Center. The attack

affected people all over the world not only economically, but personally.
The greatest loss of life on September eleventh was not among a group of rescue workers. It was a business.
Cantor Fitzgerald occupied five floors in the north building of the World Trade Center. Those floors were hit
almost directly by American Airlines Flight Eleven, a passenger airplane that carried about ninety people.

VOICE TWO:

 

Cantor Fitzgerald is a financial company. It trades certain investments. It creates moneymaking instruments that are highly complex. Cantor Fitzgerald also has developed services
to trade what are called “greenhouse gas credits.” These kinds of credits are required by
the international environmental agreement, the Kyoto Protocol¹⁵ on Climate Change. The credits are traded among
countries that have agreed to the Kyoto Protocol. The United States is not one of them.

The most recent reports show that six-hundred-fifty-eight workers at Cantor Fitzgerald were killed on September


eleventh. About one-thousand people worked for the company in its New York offices. The business could have
failed because of the loss of sixty-five percent of its employees. However, the chairman of the company, Howard
Lutnick, and other officials wanted everyone to know that the company had survived the attack and still was
strong.

VOICE ONE:

In May of this year, Cantor Fitzgerald started a television campaign. The four-million dollar campaign was meant
to show that the company was open for business. In it, current employees and survivors¹⁶ of the September
eleventh attacks spoke¹⁷ about the event and its effects.

The television campaign shows how the workers at Cantor Fitzgerald want to move to the future by connecting
with the past. Each brief television presentation shows an employee explaining his or her reaction to the loss of
friends.

The Cantor Fitzgerald employees seem to express the need to continue on with life even after experiencing a
tragic¹⁸ event. In one presentation, employee Chris Crosby says, “Everyone who I lost would have said ‘go to
work.’” Phil Marber says the victims he worked with would demand that the survivors move forward. He
says, “Every single one of them would have wanted us to be rebuilding.
”
Joe Noviello says, “There is only
one thing that we could do.restore what is ours.
”

VOICE TWO:

Some people have criticized Cantor Fitzgerald for using the September eleventh attack as part of a television
campaign. However, the company says it has made a great effort to help support the families of the victims by
providing health care and sharing profits. The company says it also is trying to make sure that it is successful in
the future.

The television campaign by Cantor Fitzgerald shows survivors dealing with the tragic events of one year ago. It is
part of a national effort to move to the future.

((MUSIC BRIDGE))

VOICE ONE:

Many of the stories about the September Eleventh attacks and their worldwide effects are evidence of some of the
best human qualities. The employees of Cantor Fitzgerald showed how human nature seeks to return to normal.
They decided¹⁹ that returning to work was the best way they could honor their friends who died in the attack.

Messages from Special English listeners show the strong links between people of different countries, religions
and cultures. A listener in China expressed it this way, “I think all our world is a big family, so we should live
peacefully.
”

((THEME))

VOICE TWO:

This Special English program was written by Mario Ritter and produced by George Grow. This is Steve Ember.

VOICE ONE:

And this is Mary Tillotson. Listen again next week for another EXPLORATIONS program on the Voice of
America.

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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 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

3 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。

4 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。

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

6 denounced   

公开指责( denounce的过去式和过去分词 )； 揭发； 告发； 通知废止

参考例句：

• She publicly denounced the government's handling of the crisis. 她公开谴责政府处理这场危机的方式。
• He was denounced as a foreign spy. 有人告发他是外国间谍。

7 cherished   

v.珍爱( cherish的过去式和过去分词 )；怀有；爱护；抚育

参考例句：

• Children need to be cherished. 儿童需要无微不至的爱护。
• She cherished a deep resentment under the rose towards her employer. 她暗中对她的雇主怀恨在心。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

9 condemn   

vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑

参考例句：

• Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他，而有些人谴责他。
• We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。

10 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

11 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

12 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

13 recordings   

n.记录( recording的名词复数 )；录音；录像；唱片

参考例句：

• a boxed set of original recordings 一套盒装原声录音带
• old jazz recordings reissued on CD 以激光唱片重新发行的老爵士乐

14 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

15 protocol   

n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节

参考例句：

• We must observe the correct protocol.我们必须遵守应有的礼仪。
• The statesmen signed a protocol.那些政治家签了议定书。

16 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

17 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

18 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

19 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。