樱花下的誓言

China begins three-day mourning

 

China has begun three-days of national mourning for the tens of thousands of people killed in the 8.0 earthquake in southwest China's Sichuan Province on May 12th. Earlier on Monday at 4:58 a.m. the national flag at Tian'anmen Square in downtown Beijing was lowered to half-mast after the traditional ceremony began with a full, flag-raising ceremony.

 

All national flags will fly at half-mast at home and at Chinese diplomatic missions abroad from Monday to Wednesday. Public recreational activities will be halted during the mourning period.

 

At 2:28 p.m. on Monday Chinese citizens nationwide will stand in silence for three minutes to mourn the victims of the earthquake in Sichuan Province. Meanwhile, air raid sirens and horns of automobiles, trains and ships will also mark the tragic moment. During the mourning period, condolence books will be opened in China's Foreign Ministry and Chinese embassies and consulates around the world. The Olympic Torch Relay for the Beijing Summer Olympic Games will also be suspended for three days, beginning on Monday.

 

China has begun three days of mourning for victims of last Monday's earthquake in Sichuan Province.

 

新闻发布会: press conference

汶川地震：Wenchuan Earthquake

大地震：the massive earthquake

8.0级地震：the 8.0- magnitude earthquake

地震灾区：quake-hit area/ quake-stricken area

重灾区：the worst-hit area

震中：epicenter

余震：aftershock

地震灾民：quake victim

人民解放军：People's Liberation Army soldier

武警：armed polce

消防官兵：fire-fighter

医务工作者：medical worker

救援者：rescuer

救援队：rescue team

自愿者：volunteer

伤者：the injured

失踪者:the missing

废墟：debris/ruin

卫生：sanitation\hygiene

只要有一线希望，我们就要尽百倍努力：

If only there is the slighted hope, we will spare no effort.

只要有一个幸存者，我们就绝不会放弃：

If only there is survivor in the debris, we will never give up.

黄金72小时：golden 72 hours

温总理：Premier Wen

联合国秘书长：UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

红十字会：the Red Cross

医疗队：medical team

资金和物资：funds and material

可移动医院：mobile hospital

死亡人数：death toll

与时间赛跑：race against time

生命线：lifeline

民政部：the Ministry of Civil Affairs

国务院信息办：the Information Office of the State Counsil

中央台记者：CCTV correspondent

中国大使馆：Chinese Embassy

外交使节：envoy

降半旗：Flags are to be kept at half-mast .

默哀：mourn

哀悼：condolence  [kən'dəuləns]

人道主义援助：humanitarian aid

救济工作：relief work

捐赠：donate

咨询热线：consultation hotline

疏散：evacuate

堰塞湖：barrier lake/quake lake

重建：rebuild

震后重建：post-quake reconstruction

尽快进行重建工作：carry out reconstruction as soon as possible

复原：rehabilitation

帐篷小学：camp primary school

复课：resume classes

建立DNA数据库：build DNA database

火葬：cremate

阻止疫情：prevent epidemic

文化遗产：culture heritage

大熊猫：giant panda

抢救生命是重中之重：Saving is the top priority.

任何困难都难不倒英雄的中国人民：

I firmly believe that no difficulties will daunt our Chinese People.

全世界都站在你们的身后并会帮助你们：

The whole world is standing behind you and will help you.

不是哭的时候：There was no time for tears.

时间就是生命：Every minute costs a life.

以色列政府向中国人民的慰问是这样说的：Our hearts go out to the families of the victims and we pray for the speedy recovery of all the survivors。

 

It shows drastic change in the way that Chinese government handles natural disasters. When the quake in Tangshen happened in 1976 which killed approx 250,000 people, the Chinese government blocked the news and refused for any aids from outside world. Today, the government immediately sends in soldiers and paramilitary police to rescue people and asks for international help. The prime minister Wen Jia-Bao and other local officials do not hide their high emotion toward the sufferings of the people. The Chinese government may still not be perfect under different circustances, but it should be given proper credit for trying their best to do the right things. The world should try their part to be more understanding of today's China that has traveled down a long and difficult path.

　　 这则报道显示了中国政府在处理自然灾害方法上的剧大变化。1976年发生的唐山地震造成25w中国人死亡，当时的中国zf封锁了消息并拒绝了外界的所有帮助。今天，中国政府第一时间派出士兵和武警救援群众并请求国际援助。总理温家宝和一些地方官员丝毫不掩饰对于人民所遭受巨大痛苦的情感。中国zf也许仍然不会在不同情况下表现完美，但是我们必须对他们尽自己所能做正确的事情这一事实给予赞扬。世界应该对中国现在大幅迈出的艰难的改变脚步给予理解！

 

After all the bad attention China has been getting recently, I am so proud to watch as they band together to help others. China should be an example to the Myanmar government. These people are showing that, when it comes down to it, material possessions and money are nothing compared to human life.

　　在最近所有关于中国恶意的注意之后，我骄傲的看到他们救灾的行动，他们愿意为其他人提供帮助。中国应该成为缅甸政府的榜样。这些人民显示出，当灾难发生的时候富有和金钱远远没有生命来的宝贵！

 

　　it's incredibly unreal to see that these people are not complaining, and are just focusing on the relief effort. With 1.3 billion people like this, able to grind out the toughest and most grim situations, no wonder they will be the next super power. Can you even find 1.3 billion people like this anywhere outside of that country?

　　 难以置信甚至令人感觉有些虚幻地看到，这些人民没有抱怨，只是将自己的注意力集中于救济工作。13亿人同样如此，能机械地坚韧近乎冷酷地面对这种情况，所以无怪乎他们是一个超级大国！你能在世界别的地方找到这样的13亿人么？