VOA标准英语 Italy Quake Victims Mark Somber Easter Holiday

Thousands of people made homeless by Italy's deadliest earthquake in 30 years celebrated¹ a somber² Easter on Sunday. Six days after the quake struck and with the death toll³ now standing⁴ at 294, masses were held in makeshift chapels⁵ set up in tent cities. The Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi traveled to the devastated⁶ area again on Sunday. He has promised not to abandon the people affected⁷ by the quake.
　
A young boy holds two Easter eggs in a shelter set up for earthquake survivors⁸, in L'Aquila, central Italy

In the more than 30 tent cities hosting thousands of people made homeless by last Monday's 6.3 magnitude earthquake, priests offered communion wafers at makeshift altars. The mood this Easter in the Abruzzo region was somber as many prayed for relatives and friends they lost to the quake.

Aid workers distributed brightly wrapped chocolate Easter eggs to cheer up the children and their distraught families. Traditional Easter meals of lamb were organized in the camps and Italian dove-shaped Easter cake was also handed out.

Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Sunday declared the emergency phase over but said it would be months before most of the people displaced will know if they can go back to their homes.

Prosecutors⁹ are investigating why so many modern buildings were flattened¹⁰ by the quake and whether flawed construction materials were to blame.

Mr. Berlusconi attended a mass for rescuers and volunteers at a police academy in L'Aquila on Easter Sunday and complimented them for their work.In this occasion, he said, we certainly took a step forward to make all of us feel we belong to the same country and we can be proud of our generosity¹¹ and the assistance we have provided to all these people. I believe I can speak for the whole nation when I say this and compliment you for your work.

Berlusconi added that everything possible would be done to get people out of tents in the shortest possible time.

The search for possible quake survivors has now ended and officials said that no one remains¹² officially missing. But the possibility that dead bodies may still emerge as the rubble¹³ is cleared is not being ruled out.

One person died in the hospital Sunday, raising the death toll to 294. And six victims were being buried, two days after a collective funeral was held for more than 200 people.

People prayed on Easter Sunday and tried to find comfort in religion. But the aftershocks in the region continue and residents remain nervous.

In his Easter greetings to Italians, Pope Benedict urged survivors not to lose hope. He has said he would visit the stricken area after Easter Sunday.

1 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

2 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。

3 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。

4 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

5 chapels   

n.小教堂， （医院、监狱等的）附属礼拜堂( chapel的名词复数 )；（在小教堂和附属礼拜堂举行的）礼拜仪式

参考例句：

• Both castles had their own chapels too, which was incredible to see. 两个城堡都有自己的礼拜堂，非常华美。 来自互联网
• It has an ambulatory and seven chapels. 它有一条走廊和七个小教堂。 来自互联网

6 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

7 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。

8 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

9 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

10 flattened   

[医]（水）平扁的，弄平的

参考例句：

• She flattened her nose and lips against the window. 她把鼻子和嘴唇紧贴着窗户。
• I flattened myself against the wall to let them pass. 我身体紧靠着墙让他们通过。

11 generosity   

n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为

参考例句：

• We should match their generosity with our own.我们应该像他们一样慷慨大方。
• We adore them for their generosity.我们钦佩他们的慷慨。

12 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。

13 rubble   

n.（一堆）碎石，瓦砾

参考例句：

• After the earthquake,it took months to clean up the rubble.地震后，花了数月才清理完瓦砾。
• After the war many cities were full of rubble.战后许多城市到处可见颓垣残壁。