VOA慢速英语2016 美国历史上最严重大规模枪击事件造成50人丧生

AS IT IS 2016-06-13 50 Dead in Worst Mass Shooting in US History 美国历史上最严重大规模枪击事件造成50人丧生

A gunman has killed 50 people and wounded another 53 at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. It was the worst mass shooting in U.S. history.

一名枪手在美国佛罗里达州奥兰多市一家同志夜总会造成50人死亡，53人受伤。这是美国历史上最严重的大规模枪击事件。

President Barack Obama, in an address to the nation Sunday, called the attack “an act of terror and an act of hate.” He said the American people are united in grief and outrage¹. Obama praised the police and others who worked to rescue the hostages and end the attack.

美国总统巴拉克·奥巴马在周日向全国发表演讲时，将此次袭击称为“出于仇恨的恐怖行为”。他说美国人民会在悲痛和愤慨中团结一致。奥巴马称赞了警方和其他解救人质并终止袭击的工作人员。

The president also called the attack a “further reminder² of how easy it is for someone to get their hands on a weapon.” Obama’s comments mark his fifteenth address linked to a mass shooting during his presidency³.

总统在讲话中还说，这次袭击“再一次提醒了人们拿到枪到底有多容易”。这已经是奥巴马总统生涯中发表的关于大规模枪击事件的第15次讲话了。

Many families still do not know the fate of their loved ones who were at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando.

很多家庭还不知道他们所爱的人在奥兰多的脉搏夜总会遭遇了什么事情。

Police have identified the shooter as Omar Saddiqui Mateen. He worked as a security guard since 2007. He was killed at the scene in a gunfight with police. Mateen is a U.S. citizen born in New York. His parents are from Afghanistan.

警方已经确认，枪手是奥马尔·萨迪奎·迈丁。他自2007年以来一直从事保安工作。他在与警方的交火中被击毙。迈丁是在纽约出生的美国公民。他的父母来自阿富汗。

U.S. Senator Bill Nelson of Florida said intelligence officials informed him the shooter might have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. He added investigators⁴ are focused on Fort Pierce, about 190 kilometers from Orlando, where the gunman lived.

佛罗里达州参议员比尔·尼尔森说，情报官员告诉他，枪手可能向伊斯兰国家效忠过。他补充说，调查人员主要集中在枪手的住处——距离奥兰多约190公里的皮尔斯堡。

Ronald Hopper of the FBI said Mateen purchased at least two guns last week. He said the FBI had earlier questioned Mateen after reports that he had made comments sympathetic to the Islamic State. But the agency determined⁵ there was not enough evidence to continue an investigation⁶.

美国联邦调查局的罗纳德·霍珀说，迈丁在上周至少购买了两把枪。他说联调局在迈丁发表过同情伊斯兰国的言论之后，曾经在早些时候质询过他。但是联调局认定没有足够的证据来继续进行调查。

Mateen’s father, Mir Siddiqui, told NBC News that he did not believe the attack was connected to religion. He suggested it was more likely an act of homophobia. He said his son had expressed deep anger when he saw two men kissing recently.

迈丁的父亲米尔·萨迪奎在接受美国国家广播公司采访时说，他不认为这次袭击与宗教有关。他认为这更像是一种恐同行为。他说他儿子最近看到两个男人接吻就会感觉非常生气。

We are saying we are apologizing for the whole incident, Siddiqui said. "We are in shock like the whole country."

“我们想说我们为整个事件道歉。萨迪奎说，“我们也和全国人民一样震惊。”

The suspect exchanged gunfire with an officer working at the nightclub around 2 o’clock in the morning. About 300 people were inside. The gunman then went inside and took hostages, Orlando police chief John Mina said.

疑犯在凌晨两点的时候和在夜总会工作的警官交火。夜总会里大约有300人。奥兰多警察局长约翰·米纳说，枪手之后进去然后劫持了人质。

About three hours later, officials sent in a special police team to rescue the hostages. Officers shot and killed the attacker.

大约三个小时之后，警方派了一支特警队去解救人质。警方击毙了袭击者。

The shooter had an assault rifle and a handgun.

枪手有一支突击步枪和一支手枪。

“It appears he was organized and well prepared," Chief Mina said.

“可以看得出来，这是经过精心策划和准备的。”米纳局长说。

World leaders have reacted to the news of the massacre⁷ in Florida with messages of sympathy and solidarity⁸ with the United States.

世界其他国家领导人就佛罗里达州大屠杀的消息向美国表达了同情和声援。

French President Francois Hollande sent a statement condemning⁹ “with horror" the mass killing¹⁰ in Florida. It expressed the “full support of France and the French with America’s authorities and its people in this difficult time.”

法国总统弗朗索瓦·奥朗德“充满愤慨地”发表声明谴责佛罗里达州的大规模死伤事件。这份声明表达了“法国和法国人民对正处于艰难时期的美国和美国人民的全面支持”。

Italian Premier¹¹ Matteo Renzi posted a message on the social media website Twitter. Our heart is with our American brothers, he wrote.

意大利总理马泰奥·伦齐社交网站推特上发了一条信息。“我们的心与美国兄弟同在。”他写道。

The Vatican said Pope Francis joins the families of victims in “prayer and compassion¹².”

梵蒂冈方面称，教皇方济各参加了遇难者家属的祈祷并安抚了他们。

Words in This Story

nightclub - n. a place that is open at night, has music, dancing, or a show, and usually serves alcoholic¹³ drinks and food?

outrage - n. extreme anger : a strong feeling of unhappiness because of something bad, hurtful, or morally wrong?

assault rifle - n. a gun that can shoot many bullets quickly and that is designed for use by the military?

fate - n. the things that will happen to a person or thing: the future that someone or something will have?

pledge allegiance - verb phrase to declare loyalty¹⁴ to a person, country, group, etc.?

homophobia ?-? n. a person who hates or is afraid of homosexuals or treats them unfairly

authorities ?-? n. people who have power to make decisions and enforce rules and laws?

compassion ?-? n. a feeling of wanting to help someone who is sick, hungry, in trouble, etc.?

1 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。

2 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

3 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

4 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》

5 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

6 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。

7 massacre   

n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀

参考例句：

• There was a terrible massacre of villagers here during the war.在战争中，这里的村民惨遭屠杀。
• If we forget the massacre,the massacre will happen again!忘记了大屠杀，大屠杀就有可能再次发生！

8 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

9 condemning   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的现在分词 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。
• I concur with the speaker in condemning what has been done. 我同意发言者对所做的事加以谴责。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

10 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

11 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

12 compassion   

n.同情，怜悯

参考例句：

• He could not help having compassion for the poor creature.他情不自禁地怜悯起那个可怜的人来。
• Her heart was filled with compassion for the motherless children.她对于没有母亲的孩子们充满了怜悯心。

13 alcoholic   

adj.（含）酒精的，由酒精引起的；n.酗酒者

参考例句：

• The alcoholic strength of brandy far exceeds that of wine.白兰地的酒精浓度远远超过葡萄酒。
• Alcoholic drinks act as a poison to a child.酒精饮料对小孩犹如毒药。

14 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。