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1. Thousands of motorcyclists are converging¹ in Washington, D.C. for the annual Memorial Day weekend Rolling Thunder Rally. Earlier Sunday, members met with President Bush at the White House and gave him his own leather vest. They also discussed concerns relating to veterans' care and rights.

2. There's been more destruction in central China today after a powerful aftershock. The latest temblor destroyed another 71,000 homes. At least one person was killed, more than 400 were injured.

3. A large cargo² plane crashed and broke apart close to a row of houses while trying to abort³ a takeoff Sunday at Brussels Airport. The plane skidded⁵ to a halt in a field at the end of a runway. Four of the five crew members on board the plane were slightly injured and were hospitalized.

4. Triple Crown contender Big Brown has missed two days of training with a slight injury to his left front foot, but a trainer says the colt should be fine for the Belmont Stakes. That race is in less than two weeks. Big Brown could become the first Triple Crown champion since Affirmed in 1978.

WORDS IN THE NEWS
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English Online
Merriam-Webster Online

1. Rolling Thunder:

Rolling Thunder Inc., established in 1987, is a Vietnam Veterans organization that continues to work for the return of MIA and POW United States Service Members from Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. The President of the Organization is Artie Muller and his organization works to lobby the United States Government Officials to further investigate the issue of MIAs and POWs that are possibly held in captivity⁶ since the Vietnam War. Rolling Thunder is noted⁷ for its annual rally of Vietnam Veterans at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia every May since 1988. It always occurs on a weekend and takes place in the Pentagon parking lot.

Tips：MIA means missing in action, is used to describe members of the armed forces who do not return from a military operation but who are not known to have been killed or captured; And POW means prisoner of war.

2. veteran:

A veteran is someone who has served in the armed forces of their country, especially during a war.

3. abort:

to stop an activity because it would be difficult or dangerous to continue it.

4. skid⁴:

If a vehicle skids⁸, it slides sideways or forwards while moving, for example when you are trying to stop it suddenly on a wet road.

5. Triple Crown:

a title for winning all three of a set of important events in various sports. In US horse racing⁹, it is especially for winning the Preakness, the Belmont Stakes, and the Kentucky Derby.

6. colt:

A colt is a young male horse.

7. Affirmed:

the name of a horse. The last sentence could be “ Big Brown could become the first Triple Crown champion since Affirmed (did it) in 1978.”