From VOA
Learning English, this is In The News.
Americans are
expressing anger1
and sadness2 at the latest3 shooting4 incident in
the United States. This one took
place5 last Monday in Washington, DC, just a short distance
from the Capitol building6.
Twelve people were killed7 and several others8 wounded9 in the
attack at Washington’s Navy Yard10.
Police shot dead11
the gunman12 after
a search13 at the
base.
He was identified as14
34-year-old Aaron Alexis, a former15
Navy Reserve sailor16.
At the time of the shooting, he was an information technology specialist with a
private company17
that worked for the Defense Department.
His mental
condition has become18
a central issue19
in the investigation. He had recently
told20 police that he was hearing voices21. Mr. Alexis was arrested22 in two
separate shooting incidents in 2004 and 2010.
Yet23 he held24
a security clearance25,
which enabled26
him to enter a secure military area.
This week, many
Americans were remembering the victims27
of the attack. On Capitol Hill, lawmakers28
suspended debate for a few minutes29.
Senate Majority Leader30
Harry Reid said a few words.
“My thoughts31 are with
those who are suffering32
as a result of the loss33
of their loved ones34
and also those people recovering from
the wounds35.”
Senator Chris
Murphy represents Connecticut, where a gunman killed 26 people at an elementary
school in Newtown last year. Since
then36, he has been the Senate’s leading supporter37 of gun control38
legislation. He says the Navy Yard shootings show why stronger laws are needed39.
“People out there40 do not
understand why Congress does nothing41
as these shootings continue to mount42.
I think people in Newtown shake43
their heads when they see another shooting and further44 potential indifference from Congress.”
Like45 Mr. Murphy, Illinois Senator Richard Durbin is a
member of the Democratic Party46.
Mr. Durbin notes that47 gun
control legislation died48
in the Senate earlier this year49.
He says the failure50
was mainly51 the
result of Republican opposition to new restrictions and requirements52 for gun purchases53.
“We have to do
everything we can to keep54
guns out of the hands of those who would misuse55
them – felons56
who have a history of misusing firearms57,
the mentally unstable58
who cannot be trusted59
to have a firearm.”
Republican lawmakers have shown little interest60
in re-opening the gun control debate. But several61
say the Navy Yard shootings raise
other important issues62. Senator Lindsey Graham
says the shooter63
never should have been64
cleared for duty65
as a military contract worker.
“To me, it is not about66 gun
control. It is about what has
happened67 with our contractor force. How could68 he pass a background check69
to get a job70
with the federal government after he had misused a weapon71 twice72?
When you shoot
a guy’s tires73
out because you are mad at74
him, you are a good candidate not to work for the federal government.”
Another
Republican senator, John McCain, had this to say:
“We also should
focus75 our
attention on people who show mental instability76
and whether77 they
should have access to weapons or not. I think all Americans are in agreement on that78.”
Congressional
members say something should be done
to prevent79 attacks like the one on Monday. But there is no solution80
acceptable to everyone81.
And that’s In The News, from VOA Learning English. I’m Steve Ember.
Vocabulary
1. anger = raiva
2. sadness = tristeza
3. the latest = o mais recente
4. shooting = tiroteio
5. took place = aconteceu
6. Capitol building = prédio do Capitolio
7. were killed = foram mortas
8. several others = várias outras
9. wounded = feridos
10. Navy Yard = arsenal da Marinha
11. shot dead = matou a tiros
12. gunman = atirador
13. search = busca
14. identified as = identificado como
15. former = ex
16. sailor = marinheiro
17. private company = empresa particular
18. has become = tem se tornado
19. central issue = questão central
20. had recently told = tinha recentemente ditto
21. hearing voices = ouvindo vozes
22. arrested = preso
23. Yet = porém
24. Held = portava
25. security clearance = certificado de segurança
26. enabled = possibilitou
27. victims = vítimas
28. lawmakers = legisladores
29. a few minutes = alguns minutos
30. Majority Leader = líder da maioria
31. Thoughts = pensamentos
32. Suffering = sofrendo
33. Loss = perda
34. loved ones = entes amados
35. recovering from the wounds = recuperando-se das feridas
36. Since then = desde então
37. Supporter = defensor
38. gun control = controle de armas
39. stronger laws are needed = leis mais fortes são necessárias
40. out there = lá fora
41. does nothing = não faz nada
42. mount = aumentar
43. shake = balançar
44. further = adicional
45. Like = como
46. Democratic Party = partido democrata
47. notes that = observa que
48. died = morreu
49. earlier this year = no início deste ano
50. failure = falha
51. mainly = principalmente
52. requirements = exigencies
53. purchases = compras
54. keep = manter
55. misuse = fazer mal uso
56. felons = criminosos
57. firearms = armas de fogo
58. mentally unstable = instável mentalmente
59. cannot be trusted = não se pode confiar
60. have shown little interest = têm mostrado pouco interesse
61. several = vários
62. raise other important issues = levanta outras questões importantes
63. shooter = atirador
64. never should have been = nunca deveria ter sido
65. cleared for duty = liberado para o serviço
66. is not about = não se trata de
67. what has happened = o que tem acontecido
68. could = poderia
69. pass a background check = passar por uma verificação de antecedentes
70. get a job = conseguir um emprego
71. weapon = armament
72. twice = duas vezes
73. guy’s tires = os pneus de um cara
74. mad at = louco com, furioso com
75. focus = focar, concentrar
76. instability = instabilidade
77. whether = se ou não
78. in agreement on that = de acordo com isso
79. should be done to prevent = deveria ser feito para prevenir
80. there is no solution = não há nenhuma solução
81. acceptable to everyone = aceitável para todos
