VOA标准英语2009年-Samoan Tsunami Victims Turn to Faith for S

By Mike O'Sullivan
American Samoa
05 October 2009

The death toll¹ has reached 176 people, following last week's tsunami² in the Pacific islands of Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga. Cleanup and recovery efforts are under way and survivors³ are taking time to remember the victims.  Religious services throughout the islands brought communities together Sunday.

In many of parts of this island, life seems to be back to normal. However, in the small coastal⁴ communities hit hard by the tsunami, signs of devastation⁵ and loss are everywhere. In the village of Asili, a seaside building is washed away and a memorial of flowers, a photograph and sports trophy⁶ commemorates⁷ a young victim of the tsunami.

 
People gather for church service at Holy Cross Catholic Church in village of Leone, American Samoa, 4 Oct 2009
Samoans are highly religious and many remembered the dead in Sunday services and other special memorials. They gathered in the Catholic cathedral in Apia, in the nation of Samoa and in Congregational churches in American Samoa.

They prayed in a Pentecostal church on a mountainside outside the city of Pago Pago. This is a congregation of the Assemblies of God denomination⁸, where people worship with emotion.

In the seaside village, Leone, others filled Holy Cross Catholic church for a more somber⁹ service. Ten people in this village died and most were members of this parish. The church pastor¹⁰, Monsignor Etuale Lealofi, was visiting a family when they learned that their grandmother was a victim of the tsunami.

"It was pretty hard. And, the question was, why did God take her and not us," he said.

He says that is a question he cannot answer.

Local officials say it could take months to clean up the pockets of devastation. Rebuilding will take much longer. High school teacher Vasa Siu says he reassures¹¹ his students that they are safe.

"But, as far as the mood is, everybody's in a state of shock," he said. "They can't believe what's happening. We're trying to do the best that we can spiritually and emotionally, because there are so many losses."

He says that in this is a place of family and tradition. He says the islands are small and community ties are strong. People are turning to each other, and their faith, for support.

1 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

2 tsunami   

n.海啸

参考例句：

• Powerful quake sparks tsunami warning in Japan.大地震触发了日本的海啸预警。
• Coastlines all around the Indian Ocean inundated by a huge tsunami.大海啸把印度洋沿岸地区都淹没了。

3 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

4 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

5 devastation   

n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤

参考例句：

• The bomb caused widespread devastation. 炸弹造成大面积破坏。
• There was devastation on every side. 到处都是破坏的创伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 trophy   

n.优胜旗，奖品，奖杯，战胜品，纪念品

参考例句：

• The cup is a cherished trophy of the company.那只奖杯是该公司很珍惜的奖品。
• He hung the lion's head as a trophy.他把那狮子头挂起来作为狩猎纪念品。

7 commemorates   

n.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的名词复数 )v.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• A tombstone is erected in memory of whoever it commemorates. 墓碑是为纪念它所纪念的人而建的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A tablet commemorates his patriotic activities. 碑文铭记他的爱国行动。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

8 denomination   

n.命名，取名，(度量衡、货币等的)单位

参考例句：

• The firm is still operating under another denomination.这家公司改用了名称仍在继续营业。
• Litre is a metric denomination.升是公制单位。

9 somber   

adj.昏暗的，阴天的，阴森的，忧郁的

参考例句：

• He had a somber expression on his face.他面容忧郁。
• His coat was a somber brown.他的衣服是暗棕色的。

10 pastor   

n.牧师，牧人

参考例句：

• He was the son of a poor pastor.他是一个穷牧师的儿子。
• We have no pastor at present:the church is run by five deacons.我们目前没有牧师：教会的事是由五位执事管理的。

11 reassures   

v.消除恐惧或疑虑，恢复信心( reassure的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• A significant benefit of Undo is purely psychological: It reassures users. 撤销的一个很大好处纯粹是心理上的，它让用户宽心。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Direct eye contact reassures the person that you are confident and honest. 直接的目光接触让人相信你的自信和诚实。 来自口语例句