历史上的今天-Today in History 2010-08-13

 August 13th, 1961The Cold War division of Berlin deepens, leading to an iconic symbol of the conflict. East Germany seals the border between the city’s west and east to halt the flight of refugees. Days later, construction begins on the Berlin Wall, meant to serve as a permanent barrier. The wall falls nearly three decades later as communism crumbles¹ across Eastern Europe.

1926Cuba’s Fidel Castro is born on this day although some sources say he was born a year later. Castro established the first Communist state in the Western Hemisphere, challenging the United States during the Cold War and beyond.

1521Spain makes a major conquest in North America. Hernando Cortez captures present-day Mexico City from Aztec Indians. Spanish rule in Mexico lasts for the next three centuries.

1899Alfred Hitchcock, director of silver screen thrillers² is born in London. Among his films: Psycho, North by Northwest, Vertigo³, Rear Window and The Birds.

And 1995In Dallas, baseball hall of famer Mickey Mantle⁴ of the New York Yankees dies of liver cancer. He was 63 years old.

Today in History, August 13th, Sandy Kozel, the Associated Press.

1 crumbles   

酥皮水果甜点( crumble的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This cake crumbles too easily. 这种蛋糕太容易碎了。
• This bread crumbles ever so easily. 这种面包非常容易碎。

2 thrillers   

n.紧张刺激的故事( thriller的名词复数 )；戏剧；令人感到兴奋的事；（电影）惊悚片

参考例句：

• He has written seven thrillers, and clearly enjoys intellectual pursuits. 他已经写了7本惊悚小说，显然很喜欢这样的智力活动。 来自辞典例句
• Most Americans prefer to read fast-moving adventure stories that we call "thrillers". 大部分美国人喜欢看我们称之为"惊险小说"的情节多变的冒险故事。 来自辞典例句

3 vertigo   

n.眩晕

参考例句：

• He had a dreadful attack of vertigo.他忽然头晕得厉害。
• If you have vertigo it seems as if the whole room is spinning round you.如果你头晕，就会觉得整个房间都旋转起来

4 mantle   

n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红

参考例句：

• The earth had donned her mantle of brightest green.大地披上了苍翠欲滴的绿色斗篷。
• The mountain was covered with a mantle of snow.山上覆盖着一层雪。