英语新闻与报道—News & Reports 85

Wk 32 (8 August 1945)

 USA Drops Nuclear Bombs On JapanThis Week in HistoryThe USA drops atomic bombs on two Japanese cities at the end of World War II.

In 1945, the USA dropped two atomic bombs on Japan, one on the city of Hiroshima and another, three days later, on the city of Nagasaki. The bombs instantly killed at least 120,000 men, women and children and caused severe injuries in tens of thousands more. Over time, the total death toll¹ rose to perhaps 240,000. The USA excused their use of nuclear weapons of mass destruction (WMD) on civilians² as necessary to force Japan's unconditional³ surrender at the end of World War II.

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 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

3 unconditional   

adj.无条件的，无限制的，绝对的

参考例句：

• The victorious army demanded unconditional surrender.胜方要求敌人无条件投降。
• My love for all my children is unconditional.我对自己所有孩子的爱都是无条件的。