The United States is marking the 14th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks. U.S. officials and many other Americans attended obrvances Friday to remember tho killed and their loved ones.
Nearly 3,000 people died on September 11, 2001 when hijackers ud four pasnger airplanes to carry out suicide attacks in the United States. In addition to the victims, the 19 hijackers also were killed. Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and his group claimed responsibility for the attacks. U.S. forces killed him in a surpri raid on his hiding place in Pakistan four years ago.
Friday morning, President Barack Obama, his wife and White Hou workers obrved a public moment of silence in Washington. They gathered on the White Hou grounds at 8:46. That was the exact time when a hijacked airplane struck the World Trade Center.
US Marks 14th Anniversary of 9/11 Attacks
In New York, families of the victims gathered for a ringing of bells and reading of the nam
es of tho killed in the terrorist attacks. Moments of silence were held at 8:46 and 9:03 in the morning, when a cond hijacked plane also hit the World Trade Center.
Near Washington, U.S. Defen Secretary Ash Carter and other officials attended an obrvance at the Pentagon, the home of the Defen Department. They joined in remembering tho killed when a hijacked airplane hit the Pentagon, killing 184 people.
Earlier Friday, a large American flag was hung down the side of the Pentagon, where the pasnger jet hit.
There also was a moment of silence at 10: That was the time when a fourth hijacked plane crashed in western Pennsylvania. All 44 people on the plane were killed. Many Americans believe the hijackers had planned to attack a target in the nation’s capital.
The fourth plane came down in a field in the rural community of Shanksville. Today, a new visitors center there tells the story of the 9/11 attacks. The Flight 93 National Memorial was t up to recognize the pasngers and crewmembers who attacked the hijackers.
Stephen Clark is with the U.S. National Park Service. It operates the visitors center and surrounding grounds.
“It just amazes me that this aircraft was but 18 minutes away from hitting Washington, D.C.”
The field was quiet on Friday, very different from the situation 14 years ago.
Gordon Felt’s brother Edward was one of the pasngers on United Airlines Flight 93 on September 11, 2001.
“It is surreal at times. Early on, it became very evident to us very quickly that our loved ones, the events surrounding their deaths, had historical significance to our country.”
The last 35 minutes of Edward Felt’s life, and others on the plane, are explained at the new visitors center. Relatives hope visitors to the memorial will understand the full effect of the actions of their loved ones.
“They’ll get a n of who tho 40 heroes were, as well as what their collective actions did to help save the Capitol building that morning.”
I’m George Grow.
This report was bad on information from VOA’s News Division. George Grow adapted this story for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor.
From: /englishlistening/voaenglish/voaspecialenglish/2015-09-12/401739.html
surreal – adj. very strange or unusual
significance – adj. importance; being worthy of attention
collective – adj. shared or done by a group of people
1. remember vt.记着; 纪念
例句：For example, it can easily remember such things as:
例如，它可以轻易地记住下面这些信息。
2. obrve vt.观察; 研究
例句：We must obrve the decencies.
我们一定要遵守规矩。
3. attend vi.出席; 致力于，献身于
例句：He is really too busy to attend to anything el.
他实在太忙, 无法分身。
4. significance n.意义; 重要性
例句：It has a wider significance.
它有更广泛的意义。
5. explain vt.讲解，解释
例句：Plea explain yourlf.
请你把意思说清楚。
1. Nearly 3,000 people died on September 11, 2001 when hijackers ud four pasnger airplanes to carry out suicide attacks in the United States.
carry out 进行; 执行; 完成
例句：No matter what we do, we must carry out our duties.
无论干什么工作,我们都应履行自己的职责。
2. In addition to the victims, the 19 hijackers also were killed.
in addition to 除…之外
例句：In addition to French, he has to study Japane.
除了法语外,他还得学日语。
3. The Flight 93 National Memorial was t up to recognize the pasngers and crewmembers who attacked the hijackers.
t up 建立; 准备; 安排
