VOA慢速英語:Shooting at Connecticut School has Americans Re-Examining Gun Laws

[00:00.00]From VOA Learning English, [00:06.65]this is IN THE NEWS in Special English. [00:09.93]This week, families and friends [00:13.30]buried victims of the second worst attack [00:17.31]on a school in the United States. [00:20.01] A gunman killed 20 young children and six adults [00:25.71]at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut last Friday. [00:31.09] Police believe 20 year old Adam Lanza [00:35.21]killed his mother at home [00:37.72]then took some of her guns with him to the school. [00:42.13]They say he used a military-style assault rifle [00:47.16] to carry out the shooting spree. [00:50.08]Such weapons can fire ammunition quickly, [00:53.75] without the shooter having to reload. [00:56.83]The attack shocked Americans whose opinions [01:00.94] on gun laws have changed in the past week. [01:05.00]A recent survey found that 52 percent of Americans [01:10.32]questioned said they supported [01:13.24]"major restrictions on guns or making them illegal." [01:17.86]President Obama says he recognizes the need for change. [01:23.39]He has called on Congress to reestablish [01:27.91]an assault weapons ban that ended in 2004. [01:32.95]"We may never know all the reasons why this tragedy happened. [01:36.57] We do know that every day [01:40.18]since more Americans have died of gun violence. [01:43.86]We know such violence has terrible consequences for our society. [01:49.17]And if there is even one thing [01:51.38]that we can do to prevent any of these events, [01:53.64]we have a deep obligation, all of us, to try." [01:57.77]The president has named Vice President Joe Biden [02:01.54]to lead an effort to propose gun law reforms. [02:05.71]He also called for background investigations [02:09.99]for anyone buying weapons from a private dealer. [02:14.67]No matter how hard the president tries, [02:18.57]he will face opposition from gun rights activists. [02:22.89]The second amendment to the Constitution [02:26.58]protects the right of Americans to carry and use arms. [02:32.14]The 4,000,000 member National Rifle Association [02:37.33]is one of the most influential organizations in the United States. [02:42.54] On Friday, the NRA's chief executive, Wayne LaPierre, [02:48.53]told reporters that armed guards [02:51.60]can prevent tragedies like the one in Newtown. [02:55.66]"The only way -- they only way -- [02:58.18]to stop a monster from killing our kids is to be personally involved [03:03.39]and invested in a plan of absolute protection. [03:06.66]The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun." [03:14.40]Mr. LaPierre blamed movies and video games for creating a violent culture for children. [03:22.14]The NRA has protected the rights of gun owners for over 140 years. [03:29.97]The group is widely recognized as a major political force. [03:35.38]Observers say the NRA spends millions of dollars on television advertising [03:43.23]and campaign donations every year to influence members of Congress. [03:50.10]One thing the NRA cannot control is the sale of gun manufacturers. [03:57.54]This week, an American investment company announced plans [04:05.49]to sell the manufacturer of the rifle reportedly used in the school shooting. [04:12.17]Cerberus Capital Management said it was "shocked and deeply saddened" by the attack. [04:20.67]Cerberus said it has no desire to take part in the debate over gun ownership rights. [04:28.75]But the company said it immediately plans to start looking for a buyer for Freedom Group, [04:37.08]the country's biggest manufacturer of guns and ammunition. [04:42.01]Cerberus bought Freedom Group [04:45.18]with the help of the California State Teachers' Retirement System and other investors.

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