VOA慢速英语--海军英雄获得荣誉勋章

AS IT IS 2016-03-02 Navy Hero Earns Medal of Honor 海军英雄获得荣誉勋章

After hours of hiking through the mountains of eastern Afghanistan, he and his Navy team reached its target: a one-room building where Taliban fighters were holding an American hostage.

Team member Nicolas Checque attacked a guard. Byers, trained in special warfare¹, ran through the door, which was covered by heavy blankets. They slowed the team’s attack.

As Byers took down the blankets, the fighters shot at him and his team. In the darkness, he saw a fighter in the corner of the room. He shot him, then saw another person crawling across the floor.

“By the time I got to him, he already had a weapon in his hand,” Byers told VOA. “I didn’t know if he was just a scared hostage or if he was the actual enemy.”

Byers called the name of the hostage -- Dr. Dilip Joseph. He was a father of four who had been teaching medical workers in Afghanistan.

Joseph answered. He was a few meters away. Byers shot another fighter, then laid on top of Joseph, shielding him from flying bullets.

“When I did that, there was another person within arm’s reach, another enemy that had a weapon and grenades and stuff that was in the corner,” Byers said. “I was able to pin that person to the wall by grabbing his throat and holding him there, as I’m laying on top of the doctor, until our team was able to come in and take care of that threat.”

The team saved Joseph. But there was a cost: Nicolas Checque had been shot in the head. He was dead.

“He died a hero, and his name will forever be etched in history as being a true American hero,” Byers said.

Yesterday, President Barack Obama gave Byers the Medal of Honor, the highest award for valor². Obama praised Byers for his heroism³.

“In just minutes, by going after those guards, he had saved the lives of several teammates and that hostage,” Obama said.

The president said members of the American military who “volunteer for missions of extreme risk” with little chance for survival are very special.

Byers has been deployed⁴ to other countries 11 times. He is still in the Navy. In addition to the Medal of Honor, he has earned 18 medals.

“I followed a dream, and I never envisioned that I’d be sitting here,” he told VOA. “I got to serve with some of the greatest people on the face of the planet, and that in and of itself is a truly humbling⁵ experience.”

Words in This Story

grenade – n. a small bomb that is designed to be thrown by someone or shot from a rifle

stuff – n. informal used to refer to something when you do not need to name exactly what it is, or do not know what the name of it is

pin – v. to prevent or stop (someone or something) from moving by holding or pressing firmly against something

etch – v. to produce a pattern, design, etc., by using a powerful liquid (called an acid) to cut the surface of metal or glass; often used figuratively, as in the article above

envision – v. to think of (something that you believe might exist or happen in the future); to picture (something) in your mind

1 warfare   

n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突

参考例句：

• He addressed the audience on the subject of atomic warfare.他向听众演讲有关原子战争的问题。
• Their struggle consists mainly in peasant guerrilla warfare.他们的斗争主要是农民游击战。

2 valor   

n.勇气，英勇

参考例句：

• Fortitude is distinct from valor.坚韧不拔有别于勇猛。
• Frequently banality is the better parts of valor.老生常谈往往比大胆打破常规更为人称道。

3 heroism   

n.大无畏精神，英勇

参考例句：

• He received a medal for his heroism.他由于英勇而获得一枚奖章。
• Stories of his heroism resounded through the country.他的英雄故事传遍全国。

4 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

5 humbling   

adj.令人羞辱的v.使谦恭( humble的现在分词 )；轻松打败（尤指强大的对手）；低声下气

参考例句：

• A certain humbling from time to time is good. 不时受点儿屈辱是有好处的。 来自辞典例句
• It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-buildingexperience. 据说天文学是一种令人产生自卑、塑造人格的科学。 来自互联网