VOA慢速英语:Luxury Skyscraper Burns in Dubai

短语讲解：

1. The hotel had been packed with people celebrating New Year’s Eve when fire broke out at about 9:30 p.m., (about 1730 UTC).

break out vt.（战争、打斗等不愉快事件） 突然发生，爆发
例句：He'll break out some of these days.
他总有一天会脱颖而出的。

2. At least 14 people were injured.

at least 至少
例句：For that day at least he lost heart.
至少这一天他是垂头丧气的。

3. Witnesses said tens of thousands of people were crowded into the downtown area near the blazing hotel and the Burj Khalifa.

tens of thousands of 成千上万; 千百万; 千千万万
例句：Tens of thousands of professional personnel
数以千万计的专门人才。

4. Authorities in the United Arab Emirates said earlier Thursday that thousands of security personnel were on duty because of the New Year's events.

because of 因为，由于
例句：He is feeling wretched today because of the rain.
因为下雨，他今天情绪很不好。