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Remarks by the President on the Sequester


THE PRESIDENT: Good morning, everybody. (Applause.) Please have a seat. Well, welcome to the White House. As I said in my State of the Union address last week, our top priority must be to do everything we can to grow the economy and create good, middle-class jobs. That’s our top priority. That's our North Star. That drives every decision we make. And it has to drive every decision that Congress and everybody in Washington makes over the next several years. And that’s why it’s so troubling that just 10 days from now, Congress might allow a series of automatic, severe budget cuts to take place that will do the exact opposite. It won't help the economy, won't create jobs, will visit hardship on a whole lot of people. Here’s what’s at stake. Over the last few years, both parties have worked together to reduce our deficits by more than $2.5 trillion. More than two-thirds of that was through some pretty tough spending cuts. The rest of it was through raising taxes -- tax rates on the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans. And together, when you take the spending cuts and the increased tax rates on the top 1 percent, it puts us more than halfway towards the goal of $4 trillion in deficit reduction that economists say we need to stabilize our finances. Now, Congress, back in 2011, also passed a law saying that if both parties couldn’t agree on a plan to reach that $4 trillion goal, about a trillion dollars of additional, arbitrary budget cuts would start to take effect this year. And by the way, the whole design of these arbitrary cuts was to make them so unattractive and unappealing that Democrats and Republicans would actually get together and find a good compromise of sensible cuts as well as closing tax loopholes and so forth. And so this was all designed to say we can't do these bad cuts; let’s do something smarter. That was the whole point of this so-called sequestration. Unfortunately, Congress didn’t compromise. They haven't come together and done their jobs, and so as a consequence, we've got these automatic, brutal spending cuts that are poised to happen next Friday. Now, if Congress allows this meat-cleaver approach to take place, it will jeopardize our military readiness; it will eviscerate job-creating investments in education and energy and medical research. It won’t consider whether we’re cutting some bloated program that has outlived its usefulness, or a vital service that Americans depend on every single day. It doesn’t make those distinctions. Emergency responders like the ones who are here today -- their ability to help communities respond to and recover from disasters will be degraded. Border Patrol agents will see their hours reduced. FBI agents will be furloughed. Federal prosecutors will have to close cases and let criminals go. Air traffic controllers and airport security will see cutbacks, which means more delays at airports across the country. Thousands of teachers and educators will be laid off. Tens of thousands of parents will have to scramble to find childcare for their kids. Hundreds of thousands of Americans will lose access to primary care and preventive care like flu vaccinations and cancer screenings. And already, the threat of these cuts has forced the Navy to delay an aircraft carrier that was supposed to deploy to the Persian Gulf. And as our military leaders have made clear, changes like this -- not well thought through, not phased in properly -- changes like this affect our ability to respond to threats in unstable parts of the world. So these cuts are not smart. They are not fair. They will hurt our economy. They will add hundreds of thousands of Americans to the unemployment rolls. This is not an abstraction -- people will lose their jobs. The unemployment rate might tick up again. And that’s why Democrats, Republicans, business leaders, and economists, they’ve already said that these cuts, known here in Washington as sequestration, are a bad idea. They’re not good for our economy. They’re not how we should run our government. And here’s the thing: They don’t have to happen. There is a smarter way to do this –- to reduce our deficits without harming our economy. But Congress has to act in order for that to happen. Now, for two years, I’ve offered a balanced approach to deficit reduction that would prevent these harmful cuts. I outlined it again last week at the State of the Union. I am willing to cut more spending that we don’t need, get rid of programs that aren’t working. I’ve laid out specific reforms to our entitlement programs that can achieve the same amount of health care savings by the beginning of the next decade as the reforms that were proposed by the bipartisan Simpson-Bowles commission. I’m willing to save hundreds of billions of dollars by enacting comprehensive tax reform that gets rid of tax loopholes and deductions for the well off and well connected, without raising tax rates. I believe such a balanced approach that combines tax reform with some additional spending reforms, done in a smart, thoughtful way is the best way to finish the job of deficit reduction and avoid these cuts once and for all that could hurt our economy, slow our recovery, put people out of work. And most Americans agree with me. The House and the Senate are working on budgets that I hope reflect this approach. But if they can’t get such a budget agreement done by next Friday -- the day these harmful cuts begin to take effect -- then at minimum, Congress should pass a smaller package of spending cuts and tax reforms that would prevent these harmful cuts -- not to kick the can down the road, but to give them time to work together on a plan that finishes the job of deficit reduction in a sensible way. I know Democrats in the House and in the Senate have proposed such a plan -- a balanced plan, one that pairs more spending cuts with tax reform that closes special interest loopholes and makes sure that billionaires can’t pay a lower tax rate than their salary -- their secretaries. And I know that Republicans have proposed some ideas, too. I have to say, though, that so far at least the ideas that the Republicans have proposed ask nothing of the wealthiest Americans or biggest corporations, so the burden is all on first responders or seniors or middle-class families. They double down, in fact, on the harsh, harmful cuts that I’ve outlined. They slash Medicare and investments that create good, middle-class jobs. And so far at least what they’ve expressed is a preference where they’d rather have these cuts go into effect than close a single tax loophole for the wealthiest Americans. Not one. Well, that’s not balanced. That would be like Democrats saying we have to close our deficits without any spending cuts whatsoever. It’s all taxes. That's not the position Democrats have taken. That's certainly not the position I’ve taken. It’s wrong to ask the middle class to bear the full burden of deficit reduction. And that’s why I will not sign a plan that harms the middle class. So now Republicans in Congress face a simple choice: Are they willing to compromise to protect vital investments in education and health care and national security and all the jobs that depend on them? Or would they rather put hundreds of thousands of jobs and our entire economy at risk just to protect a few special interest tax loopholes that benefit only the wealthiest Americans and biggest corporations? That's the choice. Are you willing to see a bunch of first responders lose their job because you want to protect some special interest tax loophole? Are you willing to have teachers laid off, or kids not have access to Head Start, or deeper cuts in student loan programs just because you want to protect a special tax interest loophole that the vast majority of Americans don't benefit from? That's the choice. That's the question. And this is not an abstraction. There are people whose livelihoods are at stake. There are communities that are going to be impacted in a negative way. And I know that sometimes all this squabbling in Washington seems very abstract, and in the abstract, people like the idea, there must be some spending we can cut, there must be some waste out there. There absolutely is. But this isn’t the right way to do it. So my door is open. I’ve put tough cuts and reforms on the table. I am willing to work with anybody to get this job done. None of us will get 100 percent of what we want. But nobody should want these cuts to go through, because the last thing our families can afford right now is pain imposed unnecessarily by partisan recklessness and ideological rigidity here in Washington. As I said at the State of the Union, the American people have worked too hard, too long, rebuilding from one crisis to see their elected officials cause yet another one. And it seems like every three months around here there’s some manufactured crisis. We’ve got more work to do than to just try to dig ourselves out of these self-inflicted wounds. And while a plan to reduce our deficit has to be part of our agenda, we also have to remember deficit reduction alone is not an economic plan. We learned in the 1990s, when Bill Clinton was President, nothing shrinks the deficit faster than a growing economy that creates good, middle-class jobs. That should be our driving focus -- making America a magnet for good jobs. Equipping our people with the skills required to fill those jobs. Making sure their hard work leads to a decent living. Those are the things we should be pushing ourselves to think about and work on every single day. That’s what the American people expect. That’s what I’m going to work on every single day to help deliver. So I need everybody who’s watching today to understand we’ve got a few days. Congress can do the right thing. We can avert just one more Washington-manufactured problem that slows our recovery, and bring down our deficits in a balanced, responsible way. That’s my goal. That’s what would do right by these first responders. That’s what would do right by America’s middle class. That’s what I’m going to be working on and fighting for not just over the next few weeks, but over the next few years. Thanks very much, everybody. Thank you, guys, for your service. (Applause.) END

Daily english expression: when it comes to



Học tiếng anh với Barack Obama: Now Is The Time to Take Action Against Gun Violence


Hi, everybody. This week, I announced a series of concrete steps we should take to protect our children and our communities from gun violence.
These proposals grew out of meetings Vice President Biden and his task force held over the last month with more than 200 different groups – from parents and teachers; to law enforcement and sportsmen; to religious leaders and mental health professionals.
And in the weeks ahead, I will do everything in my power to make them a reality. Because while we may not be able to prevent every senseless act of violence in this country, if there is even one thing we can do to reduce it – if even one life can be saved – we’ve got an obligation to try.
My administration is taking a series of actions right away – from strengthening our background check system, to helping schools hire more resource officers if they want them, to directing the Centers for Disease Control to study the best ways to reduce gun violence.
But the truth is, making a real and lasting difference also requires Congress to act – and act soon.
First, it’s time for Congress to require a universal background check for anyone trying to buy a gun. The law already requires licensed gun dealers to perform these checks, but as many as 40% of all gun purchases are conducted without one. That’s not safe, it’s not smart, and it’s not fair to responsible gun buyers or sellers. An overwhelming majority of Americans agree that anyone trying to buy a gun should at least have to prove they’re not a felon, or someone legally prohibited from owning one. That’s just common sense.
Second, Congress should restore a ban on military-style assault weapons, and a 10-round limit for magazines. Many assault rifles, when combined with high-capacity magazines, have one purpose and one purpose only: to fire as many bullets as possible as quickly as possible. These weapons have no place in our communities. And a majority of the American people agree with me.
Finally, Congress needs to make it easier, rather than harder, for law enforcement to do its job. We should get tougher on people who buy guns only to turn around and sell them to criminals. And at a time when many communities have been forced to make cuts to their police force, we should put more cops back on the job and back on the street.
Like most Americans, I believe the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to bear arms. We have a strong tradition of gun ownership in this country, and the vast majority of gun owners act responsibly.
But I also believe most gun owners agree that we can respect the Second Amendment while keeping an irresponsible, law-breaking few from causing harm on a massive scale. That’s what these reforms are designed to do. 
None of this will be easy. Already, we’re seeing pundits, politicians, and special-interest lobbyists calling any attempt at commonsense reform an all-out assault on liberty – not because that’s true, but because that’s how they get higher ratings and make more money. And behind the scenes, they’re doing everything they can to protect the status quo.
But this time, it can’t be up to them. It’s got to be up to you. If, like me, you want this time to be different, then I need your help to make it different. Ask your Member of Congress if they support universal background checks and renewing a ban on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.  And if the answer is no, ask them why not. Ask them why an A-grade from the gun lobby is more important than keeping kids safe in a first grade classroom. 
Since the tragedy in Newtown, I’ve gotten letters from all over the country – including many from our young people. One of them was from 8-year-old Rachel, who lives in Brooklyn, New York. She wrote: “Please do something so that bad people cannot get guns to kill other people. Children should be safe, especially in school.”
Rachel is counting on us. Let’s get this done for her, and let’s make this country a safer place for all our children to learn and grow. 
Thanks, and have a great weekend.
MEMORABLE VOCABULARY:
- grow out: nảy ra, mọc ra, sinh ra/ được tạo ra, đưa ra
- in the weaks ahead: trong những ngày tới
- to make it/them a reality: biến nó trở thành hiện thực

 

CNN Student News 15/01/2012



UNIDENTIFIED CHILDREN: From (inaudible) Lake Dallas, Texas is proud to announce that CNN STUDENT NEWS starts right now. Take it away, Carl.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARL AZUZ, CNN ANCHOR: What you`re looking at right here, pictures from the nation of Mali. These are police officers on patrol in the capital city. They are getting support from France, and other countries including the U.S are considering getting involved, too. That is because Malian government forces are fighting against rebels. The rebels are radical Islamic militants. They have links to the al-Qaeda terrorist group, they`ve been gaining control of territory in Mali for months now. We`re going to take a look at where exactly this is happening. On the map here, you`re going to see Mali. It`s in Western Africa, it`s about twice the size of the U.S. State of Texas, and it`s home to more than 15 million people.

This conflict started last year when a group of soldiers overthrew the government. When that happened, the northern part of the country, which is mostly desert, was kind of left out there on its own. And that`s where these militants started their takeover. We mentioned France is already involved in this conflict. They have hundreds of troops on the ground and they are using jets to launch airstrikes on rebel training camps and other targets. A spokesman for the rebels says, "the war has only started."

Next up, Cuba. The island nation is less than 100 miles away from the U.S., just a short flight or boat ride, but getting from one country to the other has been severely limited for decades. When Fidel Castro took control of Cuba in 1959, and set up the nation`s communist government, he put laws in place that restricted Cubans from traveling outside their country. So let`s say you lived in Cuba and had a family member who escaped to the United States. There was a good chance you wouldn`t see that person for years, because you wouldn`t be allowed to leave Cuba. Fidel`s brother Raul Castro is president now. He`s lifting some of those travel restrictions, although the new rules won`t be the same for all Cubans.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sport stars, doctors and military officials still face restriction, because of the value to Cuban society. But most Cubans now will be able to stay abroad for up to two years without losing the right to return, and for the first time, can take young children with them.

Reforms that were welcomed outside this Havana immigration office.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): This is good, they should have done it years ago. But at least now things will be easier, I suppose.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): I sincerely think Raul is doing things better than his brother, but they left him a lot of problems to fix.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: See if you can I.D. me. I`m located in North America. I`m home to many species of fish and I provide drinking water to more than 35 million people. I`m the largest lake group in the world.

I`m the Great Lakes. Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: The water cycle - evaporation and precipitation, that`s how the Great Lakes usually work, snow and rain from the region refill the Lakes to make up for the effects of evaporation. But last winter, there wasn`t a lot of snow, and last summer was really hot. That led to this. The lakes aren`t any less great, there`s just less lake. Michigan and Huron hit record low levels for December. They could break the all-time low in the next few months. It`s not necessarily a new problem. Experts say the Great Lakes levels have been below average for years. It is an economic problem. Lower water levels mean cargo ships that travel along the lakes have to carry less, or they run the risk of running aground. Low levels effect the ability to fish, too, and that means fewer tourists visiting the Great Lakes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN ROBERTS, CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT: Preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

ROBERTS: So, help you God.

OBAMA: So, help me God.

ROBERTS: Congratulations, Mr. President.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: All right. That was the moment four years ago when Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of the United States. After winning reelection last November, he`s getting ready to do that again. The presidential inauguration is this massive public event. Organizers want to make sure it goes off without a hitch. So, they are getting some practicing before the big day.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT : We saw the fife and drums practice, the marching band, members of every branch of the military practicing marching in formation. And then we had stand-ins conducting this swearing- in ceremony, stand-ins for Vice President Biden and President Obama as well as the first lady, and even two little girls standing in for Sasha and Malia Obama. So, a big day here. You know, not as many people are expected this time around as four years ago. But still, quite a crowd.

I should mention that the official swearing-in ceremony will take place at the White House on Sunday, January 20, that`s the constitutionally mandated day that the president must be sworn in. But the big public ceremony will be on Monday, and we know that the president plans to use a bible, a traveling bible used by the slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. As well as the bible that belonged to President Abraham Lincoln, that one`s on loan from the Library of Congress here in Washington. Athena Jones, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AZUZ: Teachers, if you are planning on going to Monday`s inauguration, maybe you are taking students. If so, we want to hear from you before it happens. Go to the frequently asked questions box on our home page. Click on "How do I send CNN STUDENT NEWS an email," then please, fill out the form, let us know your plans.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Today`s "Shoutout" goes out to Mr. Stevermer`s social studies classes at USC High School in Wells, Minnesota. The prefix "neuro-" refers to what system in the human body? Here we go - is it the immune system, circulatory system, respiratory system or nervous system? You`ve got three seconds, go!

Neuro refers to the nervous system, which sends impulses between your brain and other parts of your body. That`s your answer and that`s your "Shoutout."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: If you want to study those messages to and from your brain, you can use equipment that costs thousands of dollars or you can make your own for less than 100 bucks. That`s the challenge that a pair of graduate students took on, and what they came up with, is helping make the study of neuroscience accessible through every day electronics.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, do it again.

GREG GAGE, NEUROSCIENTIST: Teachers don`t really have the confidence to actually do hands on neuroscience activities. There`s like a hesitation to do that, because it is like a difficult field. So, we are trying to make the tools like simple enough that you can do as we use things people are already familiar with, cellphones or laptops. And then our equipment has one button on it, you just turn it on.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I never knew our muscle will respond like intensely like this.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`ve been enlightened by the neuroscience, I`ve been enlightened like how our brain functions. I have a better understanding of muscles and brain.

GAGE: I`m Greg Gage. I`m a DIY neuroscientist, and I co-founded Backyard Brains.

So, once the circuit boards are built, and we have the enclosure, we do a final assembly and then we put this acrylic on the top and we sandwich these together. And it`s good to go.

This is brand-new stuff, I mean this - this is what allows us to do neuroscience with the actual human being. And we just made it so that you can actually have pads, that you can actually put into your muscles and you record the electricity that is coming from your brain down to your axons, anterior muscles and as you record that voltage. It`s pretty neat.

These guys were like - like I was shocked, and I always continue to be amazed by how creative kids are, so you`ve got to listen to them. Student named Mohammad came up with an idea that instead of just recording the EMG for a muscle, you can have two kids recording for their muscles. And do it arm-wrestling, with the winners not by who falls over, but who has the largest signal.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Where is the biggest (inaudible).

GAGE: Yeah. This is brilliant.

One of the things that we say all the time is that we`re changing the world. We feel this way very passionately that what we`re trying to do change neuroscience education.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AZUZ: Well, before we go, we`re going to check out a record setting performance in Seattle. The city held its annual snow day over the weekend. The highlight of the event - the frozen flurry you`re seeing right here. A snowball fight, the world`s biggest one. Nearly 6,000 plucky participants pelted other people with perfectly packed piles of precipitation. Organizers trucked in 81 tons of snow for this, that`s more than 160,000 pounds. That`s a big commitment, but there`s no way you can deny that everyone there had a ball. Community coming together for entertainment and a world record. That`s the kind of story that just makes your heart melt. Hope you enjoy the rest of your Tuesday. For CNN STUDENT NEWS, I`m Carl Azuz.

END
 
MEMORABLE VOCABULARY:
- rebel: người nổi loạn, người phiến loạn, phiến quân
- have link to st: có mối liên hệ, liên quan với cái gì. ex: They have links to the al-Qaeda terrorist group (chúng có nhiều mối liên hệ với nhóm khủng bố An -kê - đa
- overthrow: lật đổ
-takeover; tiếp quản/ mua lại, thâu tóm (đối với các công ty kinh doanh)
- up to: lên đến. ex: But most Cubans now will be able to stay abroad for up to two years without losing the right to return, and for the first time, can take young children with them.
- for the first time: lần đầu tiên.
- evaporate: làm bay hơi. evaporation: sự bay hơi
- precipitation: 
- running aground: mắc cạn 

Daily English expression: my head's off to you


Hello everybody and welcome back to E-cubed. Today we have a very nice expression. Actually, it's a very old expression but we still use it today. The expression is: "My hat's off to you"....
what does this mean? this means "congratulation", "wow, that's amazing, i'm happy for you", "i'm proud of you", that's great. that's the expression. A long time ago in the 1920, 1930 in America, everybody weared a hat. That's a type of hat. but we weared a hat so if we wanted to show respect to some body, we'll take our head off. Even nawaday, in America, if you go to a baseball game or a football game, people may be wearing a hat. But when they play the national anthem. .... people take their hat off to show respect. Probably you do the same thing in your country. Let's check out the dialog. 
- My English is getting better Shane!
- That's great, have you been doing DD?
- I was 100% correct on the last daily Dictation.
- My hat's off to you.
Actually a lot of you have been getting better and better on Daily Dictation and may hat's off to you,. Congratulation! i respect that. That's outstanding. Keep up the good work and if you have to say congratulation to anybody, if you want to show respect, appriciation, honor to somebody. You can say: hey, my hat's off to you, congratulation, that's great, that's wonderful. i'll see you tommorrow.

TED talk video: Angela Patton: A father-daughter dance ... in prison


I was sitting with my girls and Joy said: “Dang, I wish I’d get off my back. My daddy, he calls me all the time”. “lucky for you he calls at all”said Jasmine. “I haven’t heard from my dad in years”. At this moment, I knew the girls needed a way to connect with their father. At Camp Diva, my non-profit organization, we have these type of conversations all the time. As a way to help girls in africa descent. Prepare for their passage into womanhood. These girls needed a way to invited their father into their lives, on their own terms. So I asked the girls: “how can we help other girls develop healthy relationshipe with their fathers”. “Let’s have adance” one girl shouted, and all the girls quickly backed her up. They started dreaming about the decorations, invitations, dresses they were going to wear. And what their fathers could and could not wear. It was off and running before I could even blink my eyes. But even if I could have slowed down those girls, I wouldn’t have. Because one thing I haven’t learnt from over a decade of working with girls is that they already know what they need. The wisdom lives inside of them. As long as they have infrastructure, mentorship or resources. They could build what they need, not anly to survive, but to thrive. So we had a dance. And girls and their fathers came in multidudes. They were dressed to the nines. They acted sweet, they acted silly. They really enjoyed each other’s company. It was a huge success. And the girls decided to make it an annual event. So as the season changed, and it was time to plan a dance again. One girl name Brianna spoke up and she said “my dad can’t come to the dance”, and this whole thing is making me sad.” “why not?” the girls asked. “because he is in jail”, she bravely admitted. “well can he just get out for a day?” one of the girls ask. “and come in shackles, that’s worse than not having him here at all.” At this moment, I saw an opportunity for the girl to rise the occasion and to become their own heroes. So I asked: “what do you think we should do about this, we want every girls to experiece the dance, right?”. So the girl thought for a moment, and one girl suggested: “why don’t we just take the dance in the jail?” Most of the girls doubted the possibilty of that and said: “are you crazy? Who is going to allow a bunch of little girls , dressed up to come indede the jail and dance with their daddy in Spongebob suits?” Because that’s what they called them. I said “girl, well well, you never know unless you ask” So a letter was written to the Richmond city Sheriff, signed collectively by each girl. And I would have to say, he is a very sepcial sheriff. He contacted with me immediately and said, when ever there is an opportunity to bring families inside, his door are always open. Because one thing he did know that when father connected to their children, it’s less like they will return. So, 16 inmates and 18 girls were invited . the girls were dressed in their sunday best. Snd their father traded in their yellow and blue jump suits for suits and ties. They hugged, they shared a full catered meal of chicken and fish, they laughed together . It was beautiful. The fathers and daughters even experienced the opportunity to have a physical connection some thing that a lot of them didn’t even have for a while. Fathers were in space where they were able to make their daughter play and put out her chair, and extended his hand for a dance. Even the guards cried. But after the dance,we all realized that Dad still would be in jail. So we needed to create something that they could take with them. So we brought in Flip cams. And we had them look at the Flip cams and just interview each other, their massages, their thought. This was going to be used as a touchstone. So when they started to miss each other, and feel disconnected , they could reconnect through this image. I’ll never forget that one girl looked at her father’s eyes wwiht that camera and said: “daddy, when you look at me, what do you see? “ Because our daddies are ourr mirrors. That we reflected back on when we decide what type of man we deserve, and how they see us for the rest of our lives. I know that very well. Because I was one of these lucky girls. I have had my father in my life always. He’s even here today. And that’s why it’s extremely special for me to make sure that these girls are connected to their fathers. Especially for those who are saparated because of barbed wires and metal doors. We have just created a form for girls who have heavy question on their heartto be in a position to ask their fathers those questions. And given fathers freedom to answer. Because we know that the fathers are even living with this one thought: what type of woman am I preparing to put in the world. Because a father is locked in does not mean he should be locked out of his daughter’s life

Học Tiếng anh với Barack Obama: Ending the War in Afghanistan and Rebuilding America


TRANSCRIPT:
Hi, everybody.  This week, I welcomed President Hamid Karzai to the White House to discuss the way ahead in Afghanistan.  And today, I want to update you on how we will end this war, bring our troops home, and continue the work of rebuilding America.
Over the past four years, thanks to our brave men and women in uniform, we’ve dealt devastating blows to al Qaeda.  We’ve pushed the Taliban out of their strongholds.   And our core objective – the reason we went to war in the first place – is now within reach: ensuring that al Qaeda can never again use Afghanistan to launch attacks against America. 
The 33,000 additional forces that I ordered to Afghanistan served with honor, completed their mission, and – as promised – returned home last fall.  This week, we agreed that this spring, Afghan forces will take the lead for security across the entire country, and our troops will shift to a support role.  In the coming months, I’ll announce the next phase of our drawdown.  And by the end of next year, America’s war in Afghanistan will be over.
This progress has only been possible because of the heroic sacrifices of our troops and diplomats, alongside forces from many other nations.  More than a half million Americans – military and civilian – have served in Afghanistan.  Thousands have been wounded.  More than 2,000 have given their lives.
This remains a very difficult mission.  The work ahead will not be easy.  Our forces are still in harm’s way.  But make no mistake – our path is clear, and we are moving forward.  Because after more than a decade of war, the nation we need to rebuild is our own. 
As we do, we have to care for our troops and veterans who fought in our name. We have to grow our economy and shrink our deficits.  Create new jobs and boost family incomes.  We have to fix our infrastructure and our immigration system.  We have to protect our planet from the destructive effects of climate change – and protect our children from the horrors of gun violence. 
These, too, will be difficult missions for America.  But they must be met.  And if we can summon just a fraction of the determination of our men and women in uniform, I know we can meet them.  And I intend to work as hard as I know how to make sure we do.
Thank you.

*MEMORABLE VOCABULARY:
- update sb on st: update thông tin gì cho ai đó. ex: And today, I want to update you on how we will end this war, bring our troops home, and continue the work of rebuilding America.
- over the past four years: trong 4 năm qua
- devastatin: (adj) tàn phá, phá hủy, phá hoại
- within reach: (adj) trong tầm tay , có thể đạt được
- Take the lead: lên nắm quyền
- shift to st : chuyển sang cái gì/ điều gì ex: shift to support role (chuyển sang vai trò hỗ trợ).
- in the coming months: trong những tháng tới
- by the end of next year: trước khi kết thúc năm tới
- shrink: làm co lại, làm giảm => shink the deficits: giảm thâm hụt

CNN Student news 14/01/2013




Transcript: 
 CARL AZUZ, CNN ANCHOR: For month, the National Hockey League season has been on ice. Now, teams are ready to get back on the ice. Details of the deal are coming up. My name is Carl Azuz. And we welcome you to the brand new week of CNN STUDENT NEWS.
The first story we are talking about today is in Northern Ireland. Protests have been going on there for about a week now. The ones yesterday in the northern Irish capital of Belfast. They started out peacefully, but some of them turn violent later on. There is a lot of history behind these protests, and it starts with geography. Here is Northern Ireland. What`s interesting is that it`s not actually part of the republic of Ireland, it`s part of the United Kingdom, and that`s what`s behind this tension. Nationalists, who are mostly Catholic, think Northern Ireland should be part of the Republic of Ireland. Unionists or Loyalists who are mostly Protestants, wanted to stay part of the United Kingdom. The conflict between those two groups led to decades of violence, more than 3,000 people were killed before a peace deal was signed in 1998. The protests happening now are connected to a decision regarding the British flag. In Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, the flag used to fly over City Hall every day of the year. Last month, local officials decided to limit that to 18 days per year. Unionists weren`t happy about that, they`ve been protesting in front of City Hall and another spots around Northern Ireland, in some cases protesters have fought with police officers. They`ve thrown concrete blocks, bricks, even gasoline bombs at police. Officers have responded by using water cannons to break up the protests. Some Protestants and Catholics have also been fighting with each other.

We are staying in Europe for our next story, which takes us from Northern Ireland down to Italy. One year ago yesterday a cruise ship ran aground off the Italian Coast. A lot of you remember this. There were 3200 passengers on board the Costa Concordia. There were another 1,000 crew members and 32 people on that ship lost their lives in the accident. Family members of the victims and some of the people who survived the wreck gathered for memorial service on the anniversary. Large boulder with the victims` names was lowered into the sea, and relatives tossed writs and notes into the water. This is what the Costa Concordia looks like now - it`s still on its side in the water. Crews are working to salvage the ship, to get the thing upright and towed in the port. Those efforts are taking longer that expected, and officials say it could take until this September.

Next up, we are heading to the capital of China, Beijing. Experts say that city has something in common with Los Angeles: smog. This gray haze is hanging in the air, making things hard to see. Yesterday, the smog levels in Beijing hit record levels, the numbers off the charts. Authorities warn people there to stay inside. Last year nearly 700 flights were canceled at Beijing airports because of haze and smog. Officials in China say that the air quality in the capital has gotten better since Beijing hosted the 2008 Olympics, but residents say the pollution levels have gotten worse.

Back in the U.S. Two sides of the country experience very different kinds of weather this weekend . On one coast you had freeze warnings, on the other you had people walking around in shorts. You might expect the warmer temperatures to be out west. No, not the case here. It was 30 degrees below normal in some spots there. Overnight low in Los Angeles 38 degrees, a freeze warning in Phoenix, Arizona. But then you move over to the East, and some cities had temperatures that were 30 degrees above normal. In Washington D.C., the high on Saturday was 62, here in Atlanta, 76.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Today`s first "Shoutout" goes out to Mr. Hudson`s classes at Central High School in King and Queen Country, Virginia. Which of these teams is not part of the National Hockey League`s original six? Here we go, is it the Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers or Toronto Maple Leafs. We`ve got three seconds, go.

The Bruins, Rangers and Maple Leafs are part of the original six along with the Black Hawks, Canadiens and Red Wings. The Flyers didn`t join the league until 1967. That`s your answer and that`s your "Shoutout."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: Ice hockey fans are circling January 19th on their calendars. That is when the NHL season will officially and finally start. The league had been under a lockout since September while owners and players negotiated a new contract. They agreed on a deal around the week ago, so the players are back on the ice. Training camps opened yesterday, the first games of the season will be on Saturday. There will be fewer games, as you might expect. Instead of each team playing 82 games, they`ll each play 48. And the regular season will end in late April. The last time the NHL had a labor dispute like this one, eight years ago the entire season ended up getting canceled.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Have you gotten you flu shot?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.,

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I haven`t. My mom wanted me to get it yesterday, actually, and I haven`t gotten it, so.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, madam.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. I didn`t even think about it. I don`t know.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, I have never had the flu shot before.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I haven`t.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, I`m actually concerned. I think I should get it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. My mom told me to get it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Have you gotten the flu shot?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Never.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Never. I don`t think it makes any difference.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I got the flu shot.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I got the flu shot. For the first time ever.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I didn`t want to end up in the situation where I had the flu and had to miss time from work, so. I felt it was a good idea to take a flu shot.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: Officials from the CDC, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, estimate that about 37 percent of Americans got the flu vaccine by mid-November. They say that`s about on track to where it was last year. One expert with the CDC says the only thing that`s predictable about the flu is that it`s unpredictable. There had been more cases reported earlier in this flu season than you might normally see. The spread of the flu seems to have slowed down in some areas around the U.S. , but on the other hand, there are 47 states that have reported wide spread flu activity. It doesn`t reflect how severe the flu is, just how far it`s spread, but some places like New York state and the city of Boston have declared public health emergencies because of the flu.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s time for a "Shoutout Extra Credit" "Radiance" and "Rosebud" are code names for which pair of sisters? You know what to do, is it Malia and Sasha Obama, Tia and Tamera Mowry, Jenna Hager and Barbara Bush or Serena and Venus Williams. Put another three seconds on the clock and go.

"Radiance" and "Rosebud" are the U.S. Secret Service code names of Malia and Sasha Obama. That`s your answer and that`s your "Shoutout Extra Credit."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: There are some perks when you part of the first family, you get your own code name, that`s kind of cool. You get to live in the White House. But when your father is the president, it can also mean a lot of attention on you. Malia Obama is around the age of a lot of you, and we`d like you to think about what your were like four years ago, how you`ve changed over that time and now what it would be like to do that in a public eye.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Congratulations, Mr. President.

(AUDIENCE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: All right, before we go today, we`ve got a super story out of St. Petersburg, Florida. Kids at a Children`s Hospital there got a big surprise. They looked out of their windows last week. Check it out: Spiderman looking back in at them. The wall crawler wasn`t just hanging around, he was washing windows. The regular window washing crew wore spidy outfits. Kids got a huge kick out of this, and the slew of Spiderman enjoyed getting to make the patient`s day. In fact, it seemed like everyone was awashed with excitement. You know how Spiderman watched the CNN STUDENT NEWS? On the Web. And we hope you will too when we come back tomorrow. I`m Carl Azuz, have a great day.

END

Daily English expression: brouhaha


Hello everybody, welcome back to "e-cubed". yesterday we had a cool word: hoopla. And somebody asked: is it the same as brouhaha. No, houpla and brouhaha are different. if you do not understand what hoopla means, watch yesterday's video. Today, we gonna focus on brouhaha. Brouhaha is an intersting word but actually it's scary. It means a big fight. But not between too people, between many people.5, 10, 50, 100 people fighting each others. That's "brouhaha". It's scary. Listen to the dialog. 
-did you stay 'til the end of the game.
 -No, i left at hafl time.
 - You are lucky, a huge brouhaha broke out 
- were you ok?
 - I barely escaped. 
 Have you have been in a brouhaha. I hop not, you could get hurt. Like i said, a brouhaha usually involves 10, 20, alot of people. but it's possible to have 3 or 4 people. So maybe even in your family, you've had a brouhaha. Everybody is going crazy. I hope not. For me, i'm too old to get involved in a brouhaha. But when i was young, Bruhaha was kind of fun, ...kind... of... little. I'm more mature now. I'll see you tomorrow.