大学考试|Shoe attack leads to sole-searching

The Afghan journalists kept their shoes on.

A day after an Iraqi reporter hurled^{1 a pair of shoes at US President George W. Bush, the American leader yesterday again held a news conference before a group of reporters from a country that the US invaded under his watch.}

Afghan reporters had gathered at the presidential palace in the capital, Kabul, at 6 am yesterday for an 8 am news conference by Bush and Afghan President Hamid Karzai. And that left plenty of time for shoe jokes.

Some of the reporters - a collegial bunch that sees one another several times a week - egged on one of their colleagues, jokingly trying to pressure the television reporter into taking off his shoe and hurling^{2 it once the US president arrived.}

The news conference later concluded with no footgear thrown.

On Sunday, Bush ducked a pair of shoes hurled at his head in the middle of a news conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

The assailant, a television correspondent for Al-Baghdadia television, an Iraqi-owned station based in Cairo, Egypt, also shouted: This is a farewell kiss, you dog. This is from the widows, the orphans^{3 and those who were killed in Iraq.}

Both shoes narrowly missed their target and thumped^{4 loudly against the wall behind the leaders.}

Don't worry about it, the president said as the room erupted into chaos^5.

Iraqi reporters started shouting what Bush later explained were apologies for the incident.

So what if the guy threw a shoe at me? Bush said, comparing the action to political protests in the United States.

If you want the facts, it was a size 10, he joked.

The shoe attack came as Bush and al-Maliki were about to shake hands. The assailant - later identified as Muntadar al-Zeidi - leapt from his chair and hurled his footwear at the president, who was about 20 feet away.

The crowd descended^{6 on al-Zeidi and he was wrestled7 to the ground by security officials and then hauled away, moaning as they departed the room. Later, a trail of fresh blood could be seen on the carpet, although the source was not known.}

In Iraqi culture, throwing shoes at someone is a sign of contempt.

When Bush met with reporters later aboard Air Force One, he had a joke prepared: I didn't know what the guy said but I saw his 'sole'. Later, he said: I'm going to be thinking of shoe jokes for a long time. I haven't heard any good ones yet.

Al-Zeidi's act of defiance^{8 on Sunday transformed an obscure reporter from a minor9 TV station into a national hero to many Iraqis fed up with the nearly six-year US occupation.}

Several thousand people demonstrated in Baghdad and other cities to demand his release. The attack was the talk of the town in coffee shops, business offices and even schools - and a subject across much of the Arab world.

Family members expressed bewilderment over al-Zeidi's action and concern about his treatment in custody^{10. But they also expressed pride over his defiance of an American president who many Iraqis believe has destroyed their country.}

He is a hero, said his sister, who goes by the nickname Umm Firas, as she watched a replay of her brother's attack on an Arabic satellite station. May Allah protect him.

Questions:

1. Which two countries did US President George W. Bush visit recently?

2. Reporter Muntadar al-Zeidi threw his shoes at Bush. In Iraqi culture what does that mean?

3. How many years have US troops been stationed in Iraq?

Answers:

1. Iraq and Afghanistan.

2. He is showing his contempt at the United States for invading his country.

3. For almost six years.