VOA标准英语2010年-Cheerful Haitians Return Home on First

Passengers checking in for American Airlines' first commercial flight out of Miami International Airport since the January 12 earthquake

"I feel wonderful! American Airlines is so happy to be going back to Haiti." - George Hazy¹, American Airlines VP

At 4:00 a.m. February 19, American Airlines employees at Miami International Airport arrived at work to find over a hundred people - mostly Haitians - already lined up and eager to check in for the first commercial flight into Port-au-Prince, since the January 12 earthquake.

There was no pushing, shoving or shouting and rather than "doom² and gloom" these passengers were cheerful as they eagerly stood in line, ready to check their luggage, collect boarding passes and go through security.

Why would anyone want to travel to Haiti now - considering the enormous amount of human and material devastation³ the Caribbean nation is facing?

This passenger said he is ready to go back and rebuild his shattered business in Port-au-Prince, 19 Feb. 2010

"My family is in Haiti, my business is in Haiti," one passenger explained.  He said he goes back and forth⁴ between the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince and Miami every two months or so - until the earthquake hit. "Everything I had is shattered but I'm ready to rebuild."

"I feel like I'm ready to return home," another passenger said. "I know there's going to be a lot of emotion when I arrive, but I've been preparing for that for a few days now."

Others, like American mental health care official Amber⁵ Gray, from Santa Fe, New Mexico say they are returning to provide badly-needed medical assistance.  Gray said she has been traveling back and forth to Haiti for over a decade, and remembers fondly the Hotel Montana, pulvarized by the 7.0 magnitude earthquake.

"I love Haiti," she said. "And as corny as it sounds, despite everything that's happened to them, the people are still joyful⁶, resilient and hopeful." 

Employees working behind the American Airlines counter were surprised to arrive at 4:00 am to find hundreds already lined up to check in, 19 Feb. 2010

American Airlines Miami Vice⁷ President George Hazy was very pleased that two completely full flights were smoothly⁸ dispatched, Friday.

"I feel wonderful! American Airlines is so happy to be going back to Haiti," Hazy said.  He said in addition to the two flights out of Miami this morning, they also had one out of Fort Lauderdale and one out of New York City. 

"We're happy to be back in Port-au-Prince," Hazy added.

On February 20, Air France and Air Canada will begin flights into Port-au-Prince too.

"Better get here early," advised a Haitian man, working as a baggage handler for American Airlines. "We'll have double the amount of passengers we have today."
 

1 hazy   

adj.有薄雾的，朦胧的；不肯定的，模糊的

参考例句：

• We couldn't see far because it was so hazy.雾气蒙蒙妨碍了我们的视线。
• I have a hazy memory of those early years.对那些早先的岁月我有着朦胧的记忆。

2 doom   

n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定

参考例句：

• The report on our economic situation is full of doom and gloom.这份关于我们经济状况的报告充满了令人绝望和沮丧的调子。
• The dictator met his doom after ten years of rule.独裁者统治了十年终于完蛋了。

3 devastation   

n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤

参考例句：

• The bomb caused widespread devastation. 炸弹造成大面积破坏。
• There was devastation on every side. 到处都是破坏的创伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

5 amber   

n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的

参考例句：

• Would you like an amber necklace for your birthday?你过生日想要一条琥珀项链吗？
• This is a piece of little amber stones.这是一块小小的琥珀化石。

6 joyful   

adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的

参考例句：

• She was joyful of her good result of the scientific experiments.她为自己的科学实验取得好成果而高兴。
• They were singing and dancing to celebrate this joyful occasion.他们唱着、跳着庆祝这令人欢乐的时刻。

7 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。

8 smoothly   

adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地

参考例句：

• The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。
• Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。