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1. Thousands of people rallied on the National Mall for Sudan's victims of genocide. The demonstrators are calling on the Bush administration to use its political muscle to help end the violence. Sunday's event attracted high-profile speakers including actor George Clooney and Holocaust survivor Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel.
2. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell says he pushed for more troops in Iraq before the war, but says President Bush didn't take his advice. Critics have accused the administration of failing to send enough soldiers to secure the peace in Iraq after the invasion three years ago.
3. The critically acclaimed 9/11 drama “United 93” opened in second place this weekend with 11.6 million dollars in receipts, that's according to studio estimates.
4. There wasn't a dry eye at this five-day festival. The event honors Vidalia onions, Georgia's official state vegetable. The onions bring in more than 90 million dollars a year to the state's economy.
WORDS IN THE NEWS
1. high-profile : adj
A high-profile person or a high-profile event attracts a lot of attention or publicity.
e.g. ...the high-profile reception being given to Mr. Arafat.
2. holocaust : n-count
A holocaust is an event in which there is a lot of destruction and many people are killed, especially one caused by war.
e.g. A nuclear holocaust seemed a very real possibility in the '50s.
3. acclaim : verb, usu passive
If someone or something is acclaimed, they are praised enthusiastically.
e.g. The group's debut album was immediately acclaimed a hip hop classic.
4. receipts : n-plural
Receipts are the amount of money received during a particular period, for example by a shop or theatre.
e.g. He was tallying the day's receipts.
5. studio : n-count
You can also refer to film-making or recording companies as studios.
e.g. She wrote to Paramount Studios and asked if they would audition her.
6. dry : adj
If someone has dry eyes, there are no tears in their eyes; often used with negatives or in contexts where you are expressing surprise that they are not crying.
e.g. There were few dry eyes in the house when I finished...
7. onion : noun
An onion is a round vegetable with a brown skin that grows underground. It has many white layers on its inside which have a strong, sharp smell and taste.
e.g. It is made with fresh minced meat, cooked with onion and a rich tomato sauce.
8. bring in : phrasal verb
Someone or something that brings in money makes it or earns it.
e.g. I have three part-time jobs, which bring in about £14,000 a year.
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