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Today`s Objective Coverage Includes The Omicron Variant Of COVID; Unrest In Kazakhstan; Tips For Driving In The Snow; A Color Changing Car.

CARL AZUZ, CNN 10 ANCHOR: Happy New Year everyone. I`m Carl Azuz and it is great to see you as we launch into a new calendar year of objective news

coverage. For more than two years now a leading news story around the world has been COVID-19. It`s still going. In fact, new international records

have been set in recent days for the number of people testing positive for corona virus.

In the United States, the majority of those new infections, 90 percent in some places, have been linked to the newer Omicron variant of the virus

which was first identified in South Africa last Fall. Health officials say it`s extraordinarily contagious, more so than other versions of COVID-19.
 

contagious [kənˋtedʒəs] adj. 接触传染性的

The U.S. government says COVID vaccinations are the best defense against all of the virus variants that are currently spreading, and some hospital

officials have told CNN that most of their COVID patients have been unvaccinated.

But despite the fact that more than 62 percent of the entire U.S. population has been fully vaccinated according to the CDC, the country has

seen more new infections than ever. The record set last Monday was over 1,082,000 positive tests as Omicron has infected both the unvaccinated and

the vaccinated. There is a silver lining though. Experts believe Omicron is less severe than other COVID variants. It has milder symptoms overall, and
 

silver lining 困境中的一丝希望；慰籍

while more people may catch it, it appears to be causing fewer deaths. Still, there`ve been major differences in how communities and governments

have responded to Omicron`s spread.

In some cities for instance, people need to show proof they`ve been vaccinated in order to go to restaurants, gyms, bowling alleys or concerts.
 

bowling alley【美】保龄球馆

alley [ˋælɪ] n.（保龄球等的）球道；保龄球场

In other areas, people are going about their business as usual without requirements or restrictions in place. When it comes to schools, research

has shown that in-person learning is better for students mental health. But concerns about Omicron`s threat to physical health have renewed debate in
 

in-person 亲身; 亲自; 本人

some communities about whether schools should stay open.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Back to school hangs in the balance for the country`s third largest school district, as negotiations between
 

hang in the balance 悬而未决

Chicago Public Schools and the teacher`s union remain deadlocked over returning to in-person learning.
 

deadlocked [ˋdɛd͵lɑkt] adj. 陷入僵局的；僵持的

MELANIE LOPEZ, CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER: I`m not happy that we`re not at work. We want to be at work and we -- we want people to understand that

this -- this idea was to go remote not to stop working.

JIMENEZ: Melanie Lopez is a high school teacher in the school district and a union member. It`s a teacher`s union that has argued that the city of

Chicago hasn`t provided adequate resources to be in-person safely. Did you feel like you had what you needed in the classroom for it to run safely?
 

adequate [ˋædəkwɪt] adj. 能满足需要（量）的，足够的

LOPEZ: I did because I bought it. I don`t know if that makes sense.

JIMENEZ: With your own money.

LOPEZ: With my own money. Right.

JIMENEZ: The city however has argued through masking, vaccinations, testing and more that school is still safer than being at home, even with record

numbers of cases among students, staff and across Chicago in recent weeks.

MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT (D), MAYOR OF CHICAGO: The difference between now and a year ago was obviously we have vaccines for -- for a huge swath of our
 

swath [swɑθ] n.（镰刀或割草机）收割的宽度

school based population. I think that the issues that are on the table as I understand them, we can narrow the divide and get a deal done. Schools are

safe. There`s been no question about that.

JIMENEZ: The union disagrees and one of the major sticking points in their ongoing negotiations with the city is testing. Governor J.B. Pritzker`s
 

sticking point 分歧点；症结

office confirmed Friday, it had been in touch with the White House in recent days asking for more tests. The White House confirmed those

conversations with Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot to assess their needs. All the while, students have been out of class and parents have been

frustrated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: 10 Second Trivia. In terms of land area, which of these nations is the largest? Iran, Kazakhstan, Mongolia or Ukraine. Though it`s not the
 

Kazakhstan [͵kɑzɑkˋstɑn] n. 哈萨克（原苏联共和国之一，1991年12月宣布独立，现为独立国协之一员）

most populated nation on this list, Kazakhstan is by far the largest in area.

Kazakhstan`s been grappling with violent protests over the past week. At least 164 people there have been killed including dozens of demonstrators
 

grapple [ˋgræp!] v. 努力解决（问题等）

and at least 18 law enforcement officers. More than 5,000 people are reportedly being held by the government. It`s declared a state of emergency
 

hold [hold] v. 拘留，扣留

and asked other nations to help protect government buildings.

Some of those have been burned. The unrest started after the price of a type of gasoline suddenly doubled. Afterward, the Kazakh government said it
 

Kazakh [ˋkɑˋzɑk] adj. 哈萨克斯坦的; 哈萨克斯坦人的

would limit what those prices would be but the protests grew to include other complaints over corruption, the standard of living, poverty and

unemployment. Some Kazak leaders have resigned, though the nation`s president remains in place. He`s characterized the protestors as criminals,
 

characterize [ˋkærəktə͵raɪz] v. 描绘

murders and terrorists and he`s ordered government troops to shoot those who don`t surrender.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kazakhstan rarely makes headlines in the west, but that changed when these protests over rising living costs

were met with brutal repression. As so called peacekeepers from Russia and other post-Soviet states hit the streets of the country’s biggest city, Almaty,
 

repression [rɪˋprɛʃən] n. 镇压

there`s deep unease at where the central Asian state is now heading.
 

unease [ʌnˋiz] n. 忧虑; 不安定

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The west is going to be keeping an eye on Russian imperial ambitions and perhaps they could start stationing troops there.

But nonetheless, they could -- they could make several power plays.

DOS SANTOS: Home to 90 million people spread over the 9th largest sovereign land mass, Kazakhstan stands between two increasingly autocratic super
 

sovereign [ˋsɑvrɪn] adj. 具有独立主权的

autocratic [ˌɔtəˈkrætɪk] adj. 独裁的，专制的；专横的

powers, Russia to the north and China in the east. Economically, it still has one foot in the past relying on Russia for most of its trade. Whilst
 

whilst【主英】= while

also hosting the Baikonur Cosmodrone, crucial to the Kremlin`s space program.
 

Baikonur Cosmodrome 拜科努尔太空发射场

Large deposits of coal and natural gas, as well as a three percent chunk of the planet`s oil reserves and 40 percent of its uranium mean that
 

deposit [dɪˋpɑzɪt] n. 矿床

Kazakhstan`s people could be rich. But thanks to a ruling elite in power since the fall of communism, few share in that wealth. For now it`s unclear

what the future holds for Kazakhstan and the country`s stymied potential. What is becoming clearer is the world is watching and it worried. Nina Dos
 

stymie [ˋstaɪmɪ] v. 使陷困境；妨碍

Santos, CNN, in London.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: Up next today, thunderstorms in the American south. Subzero wind chills in the upper Midwest. Treacherous icy conditions in the Northeast.
 

treacherous [ˋtrɛtʃərəs] adj. 危险的；变化莫测的

All of it is because of a cold front that swept across the country over the weekend. Tens of millions were under a winter weather alert Sunday morning
 

alert [əˋlɝt] n.警报；警戒状态

with freezing rain, ice and sleet threatening some parts of the Northeast.
 

sleet [slit] n. 冻雨；雨夹雪；霙；雨淞

It came less than a week after another snowstorm led to a number of accidents and a shutdown of Interstate 95 in Virginia. Hundreds of drivers

were stranded along a 50 mile stretch of the road, and the back-up was too severe for even snowplows to get through. Thankfully no injuries or deaths
 

back-up 拥塞

snowplow [ˋsno͵plaʊ] n. 除雪机

were reported, even though people were stuck in their cars overnight. If you ever get caught driving in a fast descending snowstorm, here`s a tip.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So we`re all used to seeing cars fishtailing on icy and snow packed roads, but the more common and more
 

fishtail [ˋfɪʃ͵tel] v.【口】（飞机等）摇尾行驶

expensive skid is called an understeer.
 

skid [skɪd] n. 打滑；斜滑

understeer [ˋʌndɚstɪr] n.（汽车之）驾驶盘失灵

KURT SPITZNER, DRIVING INSTRUCTOR FOR BRIDGESTONE WINTER DRIVING: We turn in and the car doesn`t want to respond and to make it turn better I have to

take steering out, and notice how the arc came right back and we`re now where we want to be.

VAN DAM: The car almost resurrected itself.
 

resurrect [͵rɛzəˋrɛkt] v. 复活

SPITZNER: Correct. If I -- if I had just kept the steering turned in or added more, which is what`s commonly done because our instinct is to, well,

it isn`t steering enough. I need to go ahead and steer a bunch more. The car is going to respond even worse until you run into a curb or into oncoming traffic.
 

curb [kɝb] n.（人行道旁的）鑲邊石，邊欄

oncoming [ˋɑn͵kʌmɪŋ] adj. 即将到来的；接近的；迎面而来的

Your speeds good. All right. Go ahead and turn in. Notice how it doesn`t want to respond? Straighten the wheel out slightly. So, by

letting go of the steering wheel you almost noticed it straightened out too much.

VAN DAM: Right.

SPITZNER: In the case of just feed the steering wheel back gently, OK, brake, brake. Off the brakes completely and now turn.

VAN DAM: What a marked difference.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: Henry Ford once said customers could have a Model T painted any color they wanted as long as it was black. As far as this BMW concept is

concerned, customers could have black or white or a whole lot in between as this thing can change color. The vehicle`s wrapped in electronic ink, like

the kind found in e-readers. That allows a variety of monochromatic patterns including racing stripes. If and when it`s produced, other color
 

monochromatic [͵mɑnəkrəˋmætɪk] adj. 单色的

options may also be possible. So it`s both color shifting and "monochroautomatic". Would it make a "hue" difference?

It would across the "spectrum" of buyers who are looking to break free from the "prism" of single color options. But while this is something that

hasn`t really been seen "Roy G. Before", critics will say it`s just "throwing shade". I`m Carl Azuz. Elizabeth High School, thank you for

watching from Elizabeth, Colorado. The one place we look for the schools we mention is our You Tube channel. That`s at YouTube.com/CNN10. We hope to
 

Colorado [͵kɑləˋrædo] n. 美国科罗拉多州

see you all tomorrow.

END