Remembering the Attacks of Sept. 11

By Cynthia Kirk

Broadcast: September 6, 2003

This is Steve Ember with the VOA Special English program, In the News.
Thursday will mark two years since the attacks on the United States.
On September eleventh, two-thousand-one, nineteen terrorists 1)hijacked four airplanes on the East Coast. They crashed two planes into the World Trade Center in New York City. The area where the two towers stood is now called Ground Zero.
A third plane hit the Pentagon, the Defense² Department headquarters across the Potomac River from Washington. The fourth plane crashed in a field in Shankesville, Pennsylvania, after passengers began to resist.
Almost Three-thousand people were killed that Tuesday morning, most of them in New York. DNA³ tests on remains⁴ have yet to identify almost half the World Trade Center victims.
Many Americans are attending memorials this month to honor the victims of September eleventh. Some people are visiting the areas where the attacks took place. Families of the victims say coming together helps them deal with the painful memories of that day. Other people say attending the memorials will help raise 2)awareness⁵ of what happened.
Many Americans say the attacks brought people closer together in a show of unity⁶. Others say they became more fearful and suspicious of foreigners in the United States after the attacks.
A civil rights group in Washington said reports of anti-Muslim incidents in the United States increased by fifteen-percent during the past year. The yearly report is from the Council on American Islamic Relations.
The council noted⁷ a decrease, however, in reports of unreasonable⁸ searches and unfairness toward Muslim passengers on airplanes. This decrease took place from two-thousand-one to two-thousand two. Council leaders also noted nine successful trials of anti-Muslim hate crimes last year.
The council's report criticizes federal policies established after the attacks. The report mostly deals with the USA Patriot⁹ Act. Congress passed the law in October of two-thousand-one to give federal officials more power to investigate terrorism.
The public is generally seen as supportive of the act. But some cities have said it gives law enforcement agencies too much power and threatens civil rights. The Bush administration says the anti-terrorism measures are needed to prevent future attacks.
In New York, lawmakers say only one-third of twenty-one-thousand-million dollars in promised federal aid has so far been paid. They say New York needs the money now to help its economy and to clean up the environment surrounding Ground Zero.
At the same time, discussions, and disagreements, are taking place about the best way to remember the victims of September eleventh. Officials are also deciding the final design of the series of structures that will replace the World Trade Center towers.
This VOA Special English program, In the News, was written by Cynthia Kirk. This is Steve Ember.

注释:
1) hijack¹ [5haidVAk] v.抢劫
2) awareness [E5wZEnis] n.知道，晓得

1 hijack   

v.劫持，劫机，拦路抢劫

参考例句：

• Most countries refuse to give sanctuary to people who hijack aeroplanes.大多数国家拒绝对劫机者提供庇护。
• The hijack take place just after the plane take off.劫持是飞机刚起飞后发生的。

2 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。

3 DNA   

(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸

参考例句：

• DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。

4 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

5 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

6 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

7 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。

8 unreasonable   

adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的

参考例句：

• I know that they made the most unreasonable demands on you.我知道他们对你提出了最不合理的要求。
• They spend an unreasonable amount of money on clothes.他们花在衣服上的钱太多了。

9 patriot   

n.爱国者，爱国主义者

参考例句：

• He avowed himself a patriot.他自称自己是爱国者。
• He is a patriot who has won the admiration of the French already.他是一个已经赢得法国人敬仰的爱国者。