unit 1 We've been Hit

Unit 1 ―We’ve Been Hit‖ Section One Pre-reading Activities I. Audiovisual supplement Watch the video and answer the following questions. 1. What’s the building that was hit? 2. What was the event? When did it happen? （插入视频） Script:

News: We have unconfirmed reports this morning that a plane has crashed into one of the towers

of the World Trade Center. CNN Center right now ... Officer A: Holy shit!

News: ... work on this story, calling our sources and trying to figure out exactly what happened,

but, clearly, something relatively devastating happening this morning there. We’re going to join another one of our New York affiliates for their live coverage. Here at the top of this tower, there’s a huge, gaping hole, flames still inside.

Officer B: Can you believe this? What schmuck笨人 would fly a plane into the Trade Center? Officer C: Maybe they ran out of gas or something. Officer B: Yeah, Colovito. Right.

Officer D: Maybe some jerk-off forgot which lever to pull on his twin-engine. Officer E: That’s not a small plane. Officer B: Hell, no.

Police Chief: All right, listen up! Let me have your attention here! They’re telling us it’s a

commuter plane. Tower One is being evacuated as a precaution. They’ve asked us to send a team down to assist. Sergeant McLoughlin.

Team Leader: I’ve got a list of names here. Step out when you hear it. We’re going downtown.

(Roll-calling)

Answers to the Questions:

1. The building is the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. 2. It was one of the 9/11 attacks. It happened on September 11, 2001.

II. Cultural information 1. President Bush’s address to the nation （添加录音gwb9-11address）

Good evening. Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts. The victims were in airplanes or in their offices: secretaries, business men and women, military and federal workers, moms and dads, friends and neighbors. Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable卑劣的 acts

of terror. The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness and a quiet, unyielding anger. These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed. Our country is strong.

A great people has been moved to defend a great nation. Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent削弱 the steel of American resolve. America was targeted for attack because we’re the brightest beacon灯塔 for freedom and opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from shining. Today, our nation saw evil — the very worst of human nature — and we responded with the best of America. With the daring of our rescue workers, with the caring for strangers and neighbors who came to give blood and help in any way they could. Immediately following the first attack, I implemented our government’s emergency response plans. Our military is powerful, and it’s prepared. Our emergency teams are working in New York City and Washington D.C. to help with local rescue efforts. Our first priority is to get help to those who have been injured, and to take every precaution to protect our citizens at home and around the world from further attacks. The functions of our government continue without interruption. Federal agencies in Washington which had to be evacuated today are reopening for essential personnel tonight and will be open for business tomorrow. Our financial institutions remain strong, and the American economy will be open for business as well.

The search is underway for those who were behind these evil acts. I have directed the full resources of our intelligence and law enforcement communities to find those responsible and to bring them to justice. We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor窝藏 them.

I appreciate so very much the members of Congress who have joined me in strongly condemning谴责 these attacks. And on behalf of the American people, I thank the many world leaders who have called to offer their condolences哀悼and assistance. America and our friends and allies join with all those who want peace and security in the world, and we stand together to win the war against terrorism.

Tonight, I ask for your prayers for all those who grieve, for the children whose worlds have been shattered, for all whose sense of safety and security has been threatened. And I pray they will be comforted by a Power greater than any of us, spoken through the ages in Psalm 23:

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for you are with me.

This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time. None of us will ever forget this day, yet we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world.

Thank you. Good night. And God bless America! 2. September 11 attacks

The September 11 attacks (often referred to as September 11th or 9/11) were a series of coordinated suicide attacksby al-Qaeda upon the United States on September 11, 2001. On that morning, 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners. The hijackers intentionally crashed two of the airliners into the Twin Towers of theWorld Trade Center in New

York City, killing everyone on board and many others working in the buildings. Both buildings collapsed within two hours, destroying nearby buildings and damaging others. The hijackers crashed a third airliner into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C. The fourth plane crashed into a field nearShanksville in rural Pennsylvania after some of its passengers and flight crew attempted to retake control of the plane, which the hijackers had redirected toward Washington, D.C. There were no survivors from any of the flights.

The death toll of the attacks was 2,995, including the 19 hijackers. The overwhelming

majority of casualties were civilians, including nationals of over 70 countries. In addition, there is at least one secondary death — one person was ruled裁决/认定 by a medical examiner to have died from lung disease due to exposure to dust from the World Trade Center’s collapse.

Section Two Global Reading I. Main idea The text describes a particular episode in the disaster that occurred on September 11, 2001 in New York, in praise of the courage and compassion of man. It presents three people in the attack, who demonstrated great valor trying to save those who were in danger and needed help.

II. Structural analysis 1. Divide the text into parts by completing the table.

Paragraphs 1 2-9 10-30 Main ideas It tells of people’s perception of the WTC. It describes the initial reaction of people inside the WTC when the building was hit. It is mainly about how the three men (Mayblum, Ramos and Hong) endeavored to save a heavyset体格魁伟的 man by their joint efforts. 31-34 It describes the gathering of some of the survivors and the victims’ wives.

2. What is the function of the last part?

It is a most touching scene. It seems to suggest that the author has, from what is described above, reached the conclusion about the ultimate moral dilemma: ―Save yourself, or save another.‖

Section Three Detailed Reading Text I Narration clues:

Part One (1): Adam Mayblum worked in his office on the 87th floor of the WTC. Part Two (2-9): WTC was crashed. Adam Mayblum helped others and ran down himself. Part Three (10-30): Harry Ramos was the head trader at May Davis. He helped others. He and Hongzhu helped Victor, a heavyset man from the 53 floor to the 36 floor. Harry Ramos stayed to help Victor and died.

Part Four (31-34): May Davis held a gathering. People recalled Harry Ramos’s sacrifice due to helping Victor.

“We’ve Been Hit!”

With the building in flames, one man needed help. Another man refused to leave him.

1 Adam Mayblum used to enjoy watching as storms lashed the windows of his office: You

think that’s power? Mayblum would scoff. I’m on the 87th floor of the World Trade Center. That’s power. The drawstrings 拉绳on his window shades 窗帘would appear to sway 摆动slightly, but it was an illusion错觉. Although they were 1,040 feet in the sky, The WTC was quite steady.

Paragraph 1 Questions

1. How much do you know about the World Trade Center?

The World Trade Center was more than its signature twin towers: it was a complex of 7

buildings on 16 acres, constructed and operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The towers rose at the heart of the complex, each climbing more than 100 feet higher than the silver mast of the Empire State Building. The World Trade Center was hit by hijacked planes on September 11, 2001.

2. What images are used to emphasize the steadiness of the WTC? Storms and drawstrings.

Words and Expressions 1. lash vt. hit violently or suddenly

e.g. The farmer lashed the mules with a stick. The waves lashed the shore. Collocation:

lash out (at / against sb. / sth.) make a sudden violent attack with blows or words Synonym:

1

rd

th

4