VOA标准英语2009年-Theft of Infamous Sign at Auschwitz Sp

The Yad Vashem Holocaust¹ Memorial in Jerusalem expresses shock over the theft of the iron sign, which reads 'ARBEIT MACHT FREI' or 'Work makes you free.' Yad Vashem director Avner Shalev says the theft is "an attack on the memory of the Holocaust."

Robert Berger | Jerusalem 18 December 2009

 
Photo: AP
Tourists walk under a copy of the inscription² 'Arbeit Macht Frei' at the main entrance to the former Nazi³ death camp Auschwitz Birkenau, in Oswiecim, southern Poland, 18 Dec 2009.

 
The theft of a key symbol at a Nazi death camp in Poland has sparked outrage⁴ in Israel.

The Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem expressed shock over the theft of the infamous⁵ iron sign at Auschwitz, which reads "ARBEIT MACHT FREI" or "Work makes you free." Yad Vashem director Avner Shalev said the theft is "an attack on the memory of the Holocaust."

Shalev told Israel's Army Radio that the theft was apparently⁶ carried out by "Neo-Nazi anti-Semites who want to destroy democracy in Europe and return to a period of murder and chaos⁷."

Six million Jews were killed by the Nazis⁸ during the Holocaust, including about a million at the Auschwitz death camp in Poland.

Christine Alkassis, deputy curator of the Auschwitz Museum, told Israel Radio that the staff at the museum is shocked and outraged⁹ by the theft of a symbol of the Holocaust.

Museum officials say the thieves entered Auschwitz before dawn and ripped the sign off its foundation. They carried it 300 meters to an opening in a barbed-wire fence. A getaway vehicle was waiting on the road nearby.

Holocaust organizations in Israel demanded that the Polish authorities apprehend¹⁰ and severely¹¹ punish the perpetrators. They called on the nations of the world to step up the fight against anti-Semitism so the events of the Holocaust will never happen again. 

1 holocaust   

n.大破坏；大屠杀

参考例句：

• The Auschwitz concentration camp always remind the world of the holocaust.奥辛威茨集中营总是让世人想起大屠杀。
• Ahmadinejad is denying the holocaust because he's as brutal as Hitler was.内贾德否认大屠杀，因为他像希特勒一样残忍。

2 inscription   

n.（尤指石块上的）刻印文字，铭文，碑文

参考例句：

• The inscription has worn away and can no longer be read.铭文已磨损，无法辨认了。
• He chiselled an inscription on the marble.他在大理石上刻碑文。

3 Nazi   

n.纳粹分子，adj.纳粹党的，纳粹的

参考例句：

• They declare the Nazi regime overthrown and sue for peace.他们宣布纳粹政权已被推翻，并出面求和。
• Nazi closes those war criminals inside their concentration camp.纳粹把那些战犯关在他们的集中营里。

4 outrage   

n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒

参考例句：

• When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
• We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。

5 infamous   

adj.声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的，邪恶的

参考例句：

• He was infamous for his anti-feminist attitudes.他因反对女性主义而声名狼藉。
• I was shocked by her infamous behaviour.她的无耻行径令我震惊。

6 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

7 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

8 Nazis   

n.（德国的）纳粹党员( Nazi的名词复数 )；纳粹主义

参考例句：

• The Nazis worked them over with gun butts. 纳粹分子用枪托毒打他们。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Nazis were responsible for the mass murder of Jews during World War Ⅱ. 纳粹必须为第二次世界大战中对犹太人的大屠杀负责。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 outraged   

a.震惊的，义愤填膺的

参考例句：

• Members of Parliament were outraged by the news of the assassination. 议会议员们被这暗杀的消息激怒了。
• He was outraged by their behavior. 他们的行为使他感到愤慨。

10 apprehend   

vt.理解，领悟，逮捕，拘捕，忧虑

参考例句：

• I apprehend no worsening of the situation.我不担心局势会恶化。
• Police have not apprehended her killer.警察还未抓获谋杀她的凶手。

11 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。