CNN 2011-12-19

 A big thanks to Mr_students for introducing our panel-to-be programme of 2011.I'm Carol Azutz.You're in store for 10 minutes of commercial free headlines,starting right now.

First up.President Obama has 2 words for American troops who have been serving in Iraq,Welcome home.That was his message during a visit to North Carolina's_yesterday.As we've reported,the war in Iraq is officially over.Almost all US military personnel will be out of that country by the end of this year,though about 16000 US officials and contractors¹ will remain in Iraq.The President and first-lay Michel Obama praised the efforts and sacrifices of the men and women who served in Iraq and their families.President Obama said the fact that US forces sacrificed so much for people they've never met is an example of what makes Americans special.He also said Iraq will continue to deal with challenges.Some of these are being faced by Iraqi Christians³ right now.Around 97 percent of Iraqis are Muslim,but there's a small christian² community there and Michael Homs explains why that community could face more threats now than it did before.Chrismas approaches and Iraqi Christians pray for peace,goodwill and that they'll make it till next Chrismas alive.Outside,police and church security on high alert,being a Christian in Iraq is enough to cost your life.it is a time actually for celebrations and for being very happy,because Christ is coming actually to all the lives,to all the churches,all the country,but we are afraid,we are afraid of attacks.The war here has done the Christian community no favor at all.Saddam Hussein of course often brutally⁴ kept_on extremists and christians here benefited from that.Those who would have wanted to do them harm could not.Well,that of course has now all changed.I was kidnapped in 2006 from church.Father Sah was held by Muslim extremists for 28 days.Did you think you would die? Yes,yes,sometimes,actually.Hundreds of other christians have died.Throughout the war,dozens of churches have been bombed,priests and missioners abducted,the homes of the faithful attacked.Last year in October,the worst attack so far,gunmen stormed a Baghdad church,taking the congregation of hostages and detonating bombs.More than 50 worshippers died.Back at Saint Joses,Father sirl says there'll be a chrismas tree inside this year,no decorations outside.He says that would be inviting⁵ trouble to a church that's already received its most recent threat just this month.Today the faithful praying regardless_celebrating their religion while acknowledging it could come with a heavy price.Michael Homs,CNN Baghdad

1 contractors   

n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Contractors winning construction jobs had to kick back 2 per cent of the contract price to the mafia. 赢得建筑工作的承包商得抽出合同价格的百分之二的回扣给黑手党。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

3 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

4 brutally   

adv.残忍地，野蛮地，冷酷无情地

参考例句：

• The uprising was brutally put down.起义被残酷地镇压下去了。
• A pro-democracy uprising was brutally suppressed.一场争取民主的起义被残酷镇压了。

5 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。