Obama Comforts Families of Shooting Victims, Survivors

 President Barack Obama on Sunday comforted the families of the 12 people killed and 58 wounded in Thursday's mass shooting at a movie theater in Aurora¹, Colorado. 

In the city traumatized by a tragedy that has also shaken the nation, Mr. Obama visited the University of Colorado Hospital, where he met privately² with families and some of the wounded still in intensive care. 

A little more than three hours after he arrived, the president said he told those he met that he came not so much as a president, but as a father and a husband.

"I confessed to them that words are always inadequate³ in these situations, but that my main task was to serve as a representative of the entire country and let them know that we are thinking about them at this moment and we will continue to think about them each and every day, and that the awareness⁴ that not only all of America, but much of the world is thinking about them might serve as some comfort," he said.

Mr. Obama said he tried to assure those he met that although the alleged⁵ gunmen has received a lot of attention, it will fade and what will be remembered will be "the good people impacted by this tragedy."

The suspect, James Holmes, is in police custody⁶ as authorities continue their investigation⁷.  He is due to make his first court appearance on Monday.

As people mourn the loss of loved ones, President Obama and likely Republican presidential nominee⁸ Mitt⁹ Romney are keeping political ads off television in Colorado.

The tragedy was the second mass shooting in the state in 13 years.  A shooting spree in 1999 at Columbine High School in Littleton, only 27 kilometers away, left 12 students and one teacher dead.

Last week's shooting in Aurora has renewed the national debate over gun control, and could be a major focus of attention leading into the November presidential election.

Before flying to California for campaign events there and in other western states this week, Mr. Obama referred to a prayer vigil held Sunday night in Aurora.  He said he hopes that during the coming days and months, Americans can reflect not only on "how we can do something about some of the senseless violence that ends up marring this country," but also on its wonderful people.

1 aurora   

n.极光

参考例句：

• The aurora is one of nature's most awesome spectacles.极光是自然界最可畏的奇观之一。
• Over the polar regions we should see aurora.在极地高空,我们会看到极光。

2 privately   

adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地

参考例句：

• Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
• The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。

3 inadequate   

adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的

参考例句：

• The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
• She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。

4 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

5 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

6 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。

7 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

8 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。

9 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。