VOA标准英语2014--Boston Gears Up for First Marathon after 2013 Bombings

 

Boston Gears Up for First Marathon after 2013 Bombings 

WASHINGTON — The northeastern U.S. city of Boston is getting ready for its first marathon since the 2013 race, in which terrorist bombs killed three people and wounded 265 others. This year, the annual Boston Marathon takes place April 21, with about 36,000 participants registered -- thousands more than last year. Organizers, survivors¹ and participants are determined² not to allow painful memories of last year's bloodshed to undermine a tradition that started in 1897.

Marathon Sports, a sport store, is close to the finish line of the Boston Marathon. When a bomb exploded outside its doors on April 15 of last year, the store became a makeshift emergency room. Manager Shane O'Hara said that when some of the most seriously wounded were brought in, his employees tore sports clothes off hangers³ to make tourniquets⁴ and bandages. 

"We had one kind of where we're standing⁵ now, and we had one in the corner, I had one on the bench, and I want to say there was one down in the basement. The scene outside was the most gruesome thing I've ever seen, other than just watching an actual war-style movie, that's what you saw, but this was totally real life," said O’Hara.

O'Hara is still recovering from the mental shock of the experience. A marathon runner from last year, Heather Abbott, was one of many victims who lost their limbs in the blast.  Her left leg was amputated below the knee and she received a life-like prosthesis.

"I think I found myself to be a little more emotional than I expected at this time of the year, just because it brings back memories of what I was doing around this time last year, and the fact that I didn't know I only had a few weeks left with my two legs," said Abbott.

Abbott attended a memorial service Tuesday for the victims of the attack. With her was Peter Riddle⁷, one of the people who helped get her to safety after the attack. At the service, Vice⁶ President Joe Biden praised Americans for the courage displayed in the face of terrifying carnage, and for registering to run in even greater numbers this year.

"America will never, ever - ever - stand down. We are Boston, we are America, we respond, we endure, we overcome and we own the finish line," said Biden.

Abbott said she plans to be at that finish line Monday to watch two first-time Boston Marathon runners cross it. They were the two people who first ran to her aid. 

"I'll be watching Erin Chatham, who's the woman who initially⁸ found me on the ground, cross the finish line. She's running the marathon for the first time, and Peter [Riddle] is as well, so I'm really excited to be with them that day," said Abbott.

 

Security has been bolstered⁹ for this year's Boston Marathon.  Authorities will increase the number of police officers in the city, while bags, bottles and canisters are banned along the marathon route. It is believed that the suspected bombers¹⁰ carried homemade explosives in their backpacks.

1 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

2 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。

3 hangers   

n.衣架( hanger的名词复数 )；挂耳

参考例句：

• The singer was surrounded by the usual crowd of lackeys and hangers on. 那个歌手让那帮总是溜须拍马、前呼後拥的人给围住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I want to put some of my good hangers in Grandpa's closet. 我想在爷爷的衣橱放几个好的衣架。 来自辞典例句

4 tourniquets   

n.止血带( tourniquet的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Can tourniquets be used in patients with sickle cell disease? 止血带能否用于镰状细胞病患者？ 来自互联网
• Fig. 1-1 A, Straight (rectangular) tourniquets fit optimally on cylindrical limbs. 图1-1A直（长方形）止血带最适合用于柱状的肢体。 来自互联网

5 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。

6 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

7 riddle   

n.谜，谜语，粗筛；vt.解谜，给…出谜，筛，检查，鉴定，非难，充满于；vi.出谜

参考例句：

• The riddle couldn't be solved by the child.这个谜语孩子猜不出来。
• Her disappearance is a complete riddle.她的失踪完全是一个谜。

8 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

9 bolstered   

v.支持( bolster的过去式和过去分词 )；支撑；给予必要的支持；援助

参考例句：

• He bolstered his plea with new evidence. 他举出新的证据来支持他的抗辩。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The data must be bolstered by inferences and indirect estimates of varying degrees of reliability. 这些资料必须借助于推理及可靠程度不同的间接估计。 来自辞典例句

10 bombers   

n.轰炸机( bomber的名词复数 )；投弹手；安非他明胶囊；大麻叶香烟

参考例句：

• Enemy bombers carried out a blitz on the city. 敌军轰炸机对这座城市进行了突袭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Royal Airforce sill remained dangerously short of bombers. 英国皇家空军仍未脱离极为缺乏轰炸机的危境。 来自《简明英汉词典》