美国有线新闻 CNN 2012-10-23

 We are a week and a half away from Halloween; the presidential election is two weeks off and you are right on time for a new week of CNN Student News. My name is Carl Azuz. Let’s go ahead and get started. 

First up, protesters in Lebanon, including one former prime minister, are speaking out against Lebanon’s current prime minister. They want him out of office. Lebanon is home to around four million people. It’s located in the Middle East, on the Mediterranean¹ Sea, right next door to Syria. Some observers are concerned that the violence that’s been going in Syria could spread to Lebanon where it has already. Last Friday, a car bomb went off in the Lebanese capital of Beirut. Three people were killed including the country’s intelligence chief. Syria spoke² out against the attack, but some Lebanese officials blame Syria for it. Yesterday, after the intelligence leader’s funeral protesters fought with security forces in Beirut. The crowd threw rocks, police used tear gas to break up the protests. Several people were reportedly injured. 

Is this legit? Someone is officially recognized as a saint when he or she is canonized. This is true. In the Roman Catholic Church, canonization is the act of recognizing a saint. 

The Roman Catholic Church recognized seven people as new saints over the weekend. The canonization ceremony included some history as well. For the first time, a Native American was named a saint. During a special mass in Saint Peter’s Square on Sunday, Pope Benedict the 16th, and other worshippers celebrated³ the new saints. The pope praised Kateri Tekawitha for living a life of service. Tekawitha was a member of the Mohawk Tribe, sometimes known as Lily of the Mohawks. She converted to Catholicism and served as a nun⁴.

 

This week is a special time for another world religion. It’s Hajj, one of the five main observances of Islam. Million of Muslims participate in Hajj every year, traveling to the city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Fionnuala Sweeney has more on this annual tradition. 

 

Its name means "to set out for a place," and for Muslims around the world, that place is the holy city of Mecca. The Hajj has begun for millions of Muslims, with pilgrims making their way toward Islam’s most sacred site. A cube shaped building called the Kaaba(麦加天房) located in the Grand Mosque⁵. For daily prayers, Muslims face this structure from any given point in the world. They are also required, if able, to make this pilgrimage at least once in their lives. And then walk seven times around the Kaaba, counter clockwise in a ritual called the Tawaf(宗教绕行). 

 

Islam is beautiful, and we are beautiful. We love all people, we love all countries. 

 

The Grand Mosque’s gleaming minarets(宣礼塔) soar skyward, pilgrims hear criers(宣礼人) perform the daily prayers from these towers, calling the faithful five times a day. 

 

1 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

4 nun   

n.修女，尼姑

参考例句：

• I can't believe that the famous singer has become a nun.我无法相信那个著名的歌星已做了修女。
• She shaved her head and became a nun.她削发为尼。

5 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。