CNN 2012-05-06

 From the CNN news in mid¹ Atlanta, Georgia. It is Thursday. I am Karl Azuz and this is CNN student news.

First up today, we have more for you on President Obama's surprise trip to Afghanistan. Afghan forces are expected to fully² take over their country's security after most American troops leave in 2014. While he was there on Tuesday, President Obama signed a deal about how the United States and Afghanistan will work together after that. He also talked about the challenges that are still ahead for US forces. 

I recognize that many Americans are tired of war. As president, nothing is more wrenching³ than signing a letter to a family that falls. We are walking into the eyes of a child who'll grow up without a mother or father. I'll not keep Americans in harms way a single day longer than it's absolutely required for our national security. But we must finish the job we started in Afghanistan and end this war responsibly.

Back in the United States, there are some different reactions to the President's visit to Afghanistan. Former Massachusetts governor Mitt⁴ Romney, the Republican Party’s presumptive presidential nominee⁵, supported the trip. He said quote our troops and the American people deserve to hear our president about what is at stake in this war. But US senator James Inhofe, a republican from Oklahoma, said this visit is more about politics, quote clearly this is campaign related, this trip to Afghanistan is an attempt to show up the president's national security potentials, he said.

One of Governor Romney's primary opponents is officially dropping out of the Republican race. Former US speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, announced yesterday he is suspending his campaign. Gingrich, who won primary contest in South Carolina and Georgia, thanked his supporters. He also expressed his support for Governor Romney. 

Couple of days ago, we had a story on Chinese activist⁶ Chen Guangcheng. He escaped from house arrest, and then there were questions about where he was. The answer was: in the US embassy in China. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton is in Beijing right now. She is there for a meeting about global issues like economy and technology. But the news that Chen was in the US embassy could overshadow that meeting. Chen has spoken out against Chinese government over human right issues, that's something US officials have also raised concerns about. Chen left the US embassy to go to a hospital on Wednesday. But there are conflicting reports about how he left. US and Chinese officials say it was Chen's decision. One of his friends says Chen was forced to leave. Later Wednesday, Chen told CNN that he wants to leave China. He said he is worried his life could in danger if he stays.

1 mid   

adj.中央的，中间的

参考例句：

• Our mid-term exam is pending.我们就要期中考试了。
• He switched over to teaching in mid-career.他在而立之年转入教学工作。

2 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

3 wrenching   

n.修截苗根，苗木铲根（铲根时苗木不起土或部分起土）v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的现在分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛

参考例句：

• China has been through a wrenching series of changes and experiments. 中国经历了一系列艰苦的变革和试验。 来自辞典例句
• A cold gust swept across her exposed breast, wrenching her back to reality. 一股寒气打击她的敞开的胸膛，把她从梦幻的境地中带了回来。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

4 mitt   

n.棒球手套，拳击手套，无指手套；vt.铐住，握手

参考例句：

• I gave him a baseball mitt for his birthday.为祝贺他的生日，我送给他一只棒球手套。
• Tom squeezed a mitt and a glove into the bag.汤姆把棒球手套和手套都塞进袋子里。

5 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

6 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。