2007年VOA标准英语-Parents of Missing Girl Return to Britain From

By Tom Rivers
London
09 September 2007

The parents of missing Madeleine McCann, 3, have returned to Britain but as suspects in her disappearance¹. Madeleine was last seen in May while on a family vacation in Portugal. Her disappearance has sparked huge international media attention. Kate and Gerry McCann were allowed to fly back to Britain but they may be called back at anytime for further questioning and court action. For VOA, Tom Rivers reports from London.

Kate and Gerry McCann, with twins Sean and Amelie, arrive at East Midlands airport in England, 09 Sep 2007

 Four months after she vanished from a vacation villa² in Portugal, the parents of Madeleine McCann have flown back to England despite being formally named as suspects in her disappearance.

At the end of last week, Gerry and Kate McCann were grilled³ about new forensic⁴ evidence the authorities think links them to the case.

Despite saying they intended to stay in Portugal to clear their names, the McCanns flew back to Britain from Faro airport on Sunday with their two youngest children. Upon arrival at East Midlands Airport, Gerry McCann said they returned now for the sake of those children.

"We want the twins, as much as is reasonably possible, to live an ordinary life in their home country and [we] want to consider the events of the last few days that have been so deeply disturbing," he said.

What the McCanns find distressing⁵ is being considered suspects in Madeleine's disappearance by the Portuguese⁶ police.

The line of investigation⁷ changed dramatically last week after authorities received forensic test results from Portuguese and British investigators⁸ from various sites including the hotel apartment and a rental⁹ car driven by the McCanns.

At this stage, no formal charges have been filed against them but some restrictions¹⁰ apply as Gerry McCann alluded¹¹ to on the airport Tarmac.

"Our return is with the full agreement of the Portuguese authorities and police. Portuguese law prohibits us from commenting further on the police investigation," added McCann.

Then, Madeleine's father again underlined to the assembled press that neither he nor his wife had done anything wrong.

"We have played no part in the disappearance of our lovely daughter Madeleine," he said.

Pictures of missing Madeleine have been posted across Europe in public places such as shop windows. The McCanns who courted the media early on in their daughter's disappearance and who now seem hounded by them, met, among others, Pope Benedict and celebrities¹² such as soccer star David Beckham and author J.K. Rowling who came forward urging people to help find the missing girl.

1 disappearance   

n.消失，消散，失踪

参考例句：

• He was hard put to it to explain her disappearance.他难以说明她为什么不见了。
• Her disappearance gave rise to the wildest rumours.她失踪一事引起了各种流言蜚语。

2 villa   

n.别墅，城郊小屋

参考例句：

• We rented a villa in France for the summer holidays.我们在法国租了一幢别墅消夏。
• We are quartered in a beautiful villa.我们住在一栋漂亮的别墅里。

3 grilled   

adj. 烤的, 炙过的, 有格子的 动词grill的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• He was grilled for two hours before the police let him go. 他被严厉盘查了两个小时后，警察才放他走。
• He was grilled until he confessed. 他被严加拷问，直到他承认为止。

4 forensic   

adj.法庭的，雄辩的

参考例句：

• The report included his interpretation of the forensic evidence.该报告包括他对法庭证据的诠释。
• The judge concluded the proceeding on 10:30 Am after one hour of forensic debate.经过近一个小时的法庭辩论后，法官于10时30分宣布休庭。

5 distressing   

a.使人痛苦的

参考例句：

• All who saw the distressing scene revolted against it. 所有看到这种悲惨景象的人都对此感到难过。
• It is distressing to see food being wasted like this. 这样浪费粮食令人痛心。

6 Portuguese   

n.葡萄牙人；葡萄牙语

参考例句：

• They styled their house in the Portuguese manner.他们仿照葡萄牙的风格设计自己的房子。
• Her family is Portuguese in origin.她的家族是葡萄牙血统。

7 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

8 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 rental   

n.租赁，出租，出租业

参考例句：

• The yearly rental of her house is 2400 yuan.她这房子年租金是2400元。
• We can organise car rental from Chicago O'Hare Airport.我们可以安排提供从芝加哥奥黑尔机场出发的租车服务。

10 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

11 alluded   

提及，暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• In your remarks you alluded to a certain sinister design. 在你的谈话中，你提到了某个阴谋。
• She also alluded to her rival's past marital troubles. 她还影射了对手过去的婚姻问题。

12 celebrities   

n.（尤指娱乐界的）名人( celebrity的名词复数 )；名流；名声；名誉

参考例句：

• He only invited A-list celebrities to his parties. 他只邀请头等名流参加他的聚会。
• a TV chat show full of B-list celebrities 由众多二流人物参加的电视访谈节目