This Day in History July 16… 歷史上的今天 7月16日

As one of the most famous families in American history, the Kennedys have seen many sad times. Many family members, including former President John F. Kennedy, were killed in the prime of their lives. On this date in 1999, John F. Kennedy, Jr., his wife, and his sister-in-law were added to that list. They died when their plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on a hazy night. JFK, Jr. was a skilled pilot who flew often. The flight started in New Jersey and was supposed to land in Massachusetts. Experts said JFK, Jr. had become disoriented and gotten too close to the water, which caused the crash.

名列美國歷史上最著 名的家族之一，甘迺迪家族發生過許多悲劇。許多家庭成員，包括前總統甘迺迪在內，都英年早 逝。1999年的今天，小約翰．甘迺迪和妻子及小姨子加入了那個行列。在一個霧濛濛的夜晚，他們因為飛機在大西洋墜毀而喪生。小甘迺迪經常駕駛飛機，是個 熟練的飛行員。這架飛機從新澤西州起飛，預定在麻州降落。專家說小甘迺迪迷失方向並且離海面太近，因而造成墜機。

單字片語

in the prime of one’s life 某人正值壯年之際
例：Mr. Brown was killed in the prime of his life. （布朗先生正值壯年時遭到殺害。）
crash into... 撞上……
例：The car crashed into a tree, killing the driver on the spot.（這輛車撞上一棵樹，駕駛當場死亡。）
hazy a.有薄霧的；朦朧的
skilled a.熟練的
disoriented a.迷失方向的
例：Alan became disoriented in the city’s maze of streets.
（城 裡迷宮般的街道使亞倫迷失了方向。）

知識大補帖

小甘迺迪(左)與妻子在空難中雙亡。資料照片

甘迺迪總統的父親約瑟夫．甘迺迪在二次大戰期間曾任駐英大使，當時他拒絕 簽發500名猶太人的簽證，結果這些猶太人通通被送進集中營（concentration camp）慘死，外傳甘迺迪家族詛咒（Kennedy Curse）就是這樣來的。首先是約瑟夫．甘迺迪的長子小約瑟夫．甘迺迪在二次大戰期間擔任空軍飛官殉職，接著次子約翰．甘迺迪在總統任職期間遇刺 （assassinated），而他另一個擔任司法部長的兒子羅伯．甘迺迪也在眾目睽睽下遇刺身亡。到了第三代，羅伯．甘迺迪的一個兒子死於吸毒過量，另 一個則在滑雪時撞樹身亡；甘迺迪總統的兒子小約翰．甘迺迪駕駛飛機失事，這些意外使得甘迺迪家族的詛咒之說更顯離奇。