VOA标准英语2012--Chinese-American Recalls POW Past
时间：2019-01-13 作者：英语课 分类：VOA标准英语2012年(五月)
Chinese-American Recalls POW Past
Japan entered World War II in December 1941, attacking British-controlled Malaya and Singapore almost at the same time as Pearl Harbor.
Paul Loong, a young Malaysian, was fighting with the British. When they surrendered the Malay Peninsula, Loong and thousands of others were shipped off to Japan, where they did hard labor 1 as prisoners of war.
Life was brutal 2 in the three years Loong spent as a POW. One out of every five prisoners died in the first year.
"I think they thought they were going to win the war," Loong says, "that they were not going to answer to any war crimes."
The POWs did hard labor from dawn to dusk and were beaten daily, according to Loong.
"With a stick, with rifle butts 4, with whatever they had handy," he says.
He began to keep the diary his daughter would discover decades later. In it he wrote that if he made it out alive, 'Everyday will be a holiday.'
"Can you imagine getting up, no one to bother you, no one to beat you up with a butt 3 of a rifle," he says. "Peace at last. That's what I consider a holiday."
After being freed, Loong sailed to America, reaching San Francisco in 1947. But his road to US citizenship 5 was long and difficult. He even enlisted 6 in the US military and fought in the Korean war in hopes of becoming a US citizen. He finally became an American in 1956.
"This was one of the happiest days of my life," he recalls.
Over the nine years and despite attempts by US Immigration to deport 7 him, Loong never lost hope.
"No regrets, no regrets," he says. "The main thing is I came here. I became a citizen. I have a nice family. What more do you want? Millions of dollars? You cannot take one red penny with you when you die, right?"
With the help of veterans' benefits, Loong attended medical school and then worked as a physician at the Department of Veterans Affairs in New Jersey 8, where he raised his family.
His daughter believes we should learn from people all around us who have served in the military.
"Whether it's about the war, World War II, Korea, Vietnam. We have these returning vets 9 from Afghanistan and Iraq," says Theresa Loong. "Take some time to spend a few minutes with someone 'cause you really don't know what you're going to find out."
She says her father, like everyone, has his tough days but he continues to honor his personal philosophy, taking every day as a holiday.
- We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
- He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。
- She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
- They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。
- The water butt catches the overflow from this pipe.大水桶盛接管子里流出的东西。
- He was the butt of their jokes.他是他们的笑柄。
- The Nazis worked them over with gun butts. 纳粹分子用枪托毒打他们。
- The house butts to a cemetery. 这所房子和墓地相连。
- He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
- Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。
- enlisted men and women 男兵和女兵
- He enlisted with the air force to fight against the enemy. 他应募加入空军对敌作战。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- We deport aliens who slip across our borders.我们把偷渡入境的外国人驱逐出境。
- More than 240 England football fans are being deported from Italy following riots last night.昨晚的骚乱发生后有240多名英格兰球迷被驱逐出意大利。
- He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
- They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。
- I helped train many young vets and veterinary nurses too. 我还帮助培训了许多年青的兽医和护士。 来自互联网
- In fact, we've expanded mental health counseling and services for our vets. 实际上，我们已经扩大了退伍军人的心理健康咨询和服务。 来自互联网