Let's Get 7 in IELTS

Quick Guide 
Terror Trial - Learn about the trial of five men allegedly tied to the 9/11 terror attacks.
The Golden Cup - Hear the tale of a centuries-old artifact that was recently sold at auction.2007-08 Your Top Stories - Wrap up the school year with a look at our audience's favorite funny videos.

Transcript 
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. 
CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: If I may quote myself, "Fridays are awesome!" Especially this one, as it is our last daily broadcast of CNN Student News for the school year. From the CNN Center, I'm Carl Azuz.

First Up: Terror Trial
AZUZ: First up, a military judge considers the case of five al Qaeda suspects who are accused of taking part in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. These men did not carry out the events of that day, but they allegedly helped plan them. This is their first appearance before the tribunal that's going to hold their trial. If they're convicted, all five could face the death penalty. Nicole Collins explains why at least one of the suspects is actually hoping for that outcome. 

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) 
NICOLE COLLINS, CNN REPORTER: Accused of killing nearly 3,000 people six-and-a-half years ago, alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed told a military judge he also wants to die as a martyr. In a white jumpsuit with a long gray beard, Mohammed appeared thinner than when he was captured in 2003. He rejected his legal team, saying he will abide by Islamic religious law. Mohammed sat at a table in front of four other suspected al Qaeda conspirators, accused of planning and financing the plot and training those who carried it out. The Pentagon wants the men executed, but has promised an objective trial.

BRIG. GENERAL THOMAS HARTMANN, COMMISSIONS LEGAL ADVISER: This is an amazingly fair process. It is unprecedented in the history of warfare, the kinds of protections we are providing in these cases.

COLLINS: But defense attorneys argue the process has not been fair, and they're fighting to keep hearsay and coerced statements from being used as evidence.

MAJ. JON JACKSON, MUSTAFA AL HAWSAWI'S ATTORNEY: We will object to it and do our best to keep it out, because it is not reliable evidence.

COLLINS: The men are classified as enemy combatants, leading the defense to believe they will not be released from prison even if they are acquitted. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed told the judge he plans to plead guilty. In 2007, he said in a written statement that he is responsible for the September 11 attacks. In Washington, Nicole Collins for CNN Student News.

(END VIDEO CLIP) 

Shoutout 
GEORGE RAMSAY, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Today's Shoutout goes out to Mrs. Weeks' seventh grade social studies classes at Williams Middle School in Bridgewater, Massachusetts! What's the chemical symbol for gold? If you think you know it, shout it out! Is it: A) Au, B) Fe, C) Gl or D) Zr? You've got three seconds -- GO! On the periodic table, you'll find this expensive element listed as Au, as in aurum, which is Latin for gold. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout! 

The Golden Cup 
AZUZ: Gold has been highly valued and in high demand for centuries, and it's used in a lot more than just jewelry. When John Webber was a kid, his grandfather gave him a cup made from this precious metal. Webber thought it was just junk and stashed it away! Lucky for him, the item, which traveled all the way from ancient Iran to modern-day England, eventually came out of hiding. Phil Black discovers the details. 

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) 
PHIL BLACK, CNN REPORTER: Ancient, beautiful and valuable. It's like something out of an Indiana Jones movie: two outward-facing female faces decorated with snakes. This gold cup was given to John Webber when he was a boy by his grandfather, who was in the scrap metal business. He initially used it as a target for his slingshot.

JOHN WEBBER, OWNER: I didn't mean to be disrespectful to the country where she came from. But it seemed to be a good thing to aim at, at the time.

BLACK: Then it was stored in a shoe box under a bed for 60 years. When John Webber found it again, he had a gut feeling, and scientific tests proved he was right. Analysis shows the cup was crafted from a single piece of gold around two-and-a-half thousand years ago, probably in the Achaemenid Empire, an ancient civilization that grew out of Iran. Not all archaeologists are convinced that's where it came from, but the cup still caused a lot of fuss at a small auction house in the English town of Dorchester.

PERSON ON THE STREET: It should fetch quite a good price, should it not.

BLACK: That's your prediction?

PERSON ON THE STREET: I would imagine so, yes.

PERSON ON THE STREET: As for the quality of the workmanship, I don't know. It looks very good, doesn't it?

PERSON ON THE STREET: It's absolutely beautiful. It's just what we want on the mantelpiece at home.

BLACK: On this auction day, the cup was clearly the oldest and potentially most valuable item for sale. There were predictions it could go for as much as a million dollars. But the auctioneers weren't so cocky. The feeling in this room is tense, because despite all the public interest in this item, there are fears there may not be many serious buyers. The origins are disputed, and items like this don't come on the open market very often. So, will it sell? And if so, for how much?

AUCTIONEER: And now we come to the cup, lot 378.
BLACK: The bidding climbed quickly.
AUCTIONEER: 48 thousand. 50 thousand.
BLACK: Then stalled.
AUCTIONEER: At 50 thousand, it is at the back of the room; the gent's bid at 50 thousand. All done then at 50 thousand pounds? Quite sure? (bang)
BLACK: 50 thousand pounds, or one hundred thousand dollars. John Webber wasn't complaining.
BLACK: John, I saw you smiling then.
WEBBER: Yes, that's right. It's not an object that we bought, so whatever it makes is going to go back into the family coffers anyway. We've had quite a good day, really.
BLACK: And his grandchildren were smiling too.
WEBBER: Oh yeah. I think we both know why that is.
BLACK: The buyers were private English collectors keen to maintain their privacy. They now join the list of its owners, which have included wealthy people in an ancient land and the grandson of a scrap metal collector. Phil Black, CNN, Dorchester, England.

(END VIDEO CLIP) 

Shoutout Extra Credit
RAMSAY: Today's Shoutout Extra Credit goes out to Mr. Koczot's 6th grade social studies class at Broad Creek Middle School in Newport, North Carolina! Which of the following is NOT a real animal? You know what to do! Is it a: A) Hoodle, B) Liger, C) Mule or D) Zorse? Rewind that clock to three seconds -- GO! They might sound fake, but believe it or not, you can find all of these creatures in nature except for the hoodle. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout Extra Credit!

2007-08 Your Top Stories 
AZUZ: There's only one place to find that creature, and it ain't Narnia! It's on CNN Student News! The mythical mash-up must have made quite an impression when we featured it last fall. You guys picked it as one of your favorite funny moments of the school year! 

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) 

AZUZ: Check it out: cross-species identity crisis. For Halloween last year, a woman dressed up her horse as a poodle; what we called a hoodle, and what you called one of your favorite videos of the year! A real dog, dressed as a cow, wanted no part of this. But there's no reason why different species can't get along, according to this guy. He ambles around with a rat riding a cat riding a dog, riding a wave of your blog comments asking to see it again. Appealing to your artistic inclinations, or maybe just your stomachs: Ramen noodle art. Feast your eyes once again on a sculpture inspired by Native American architectural ruins and built out of noodles. Now, for some video that just plain hurts. Walking while texting can be dangerous, so a lot of you responded when a British town padded stuff like light poles to prevent injury. Nothing could prevent this, though: a cheerleader who took one from the team! Yes, she was more or less okay; wouldn't have been nearly as funny otherwise. And of course, an event where everyone gets hurt: running for a roll of cheese. This got praise, not to mention medical attention. And finally, something that's just painful to look at. What happens when you think the cameras aren't rolling and your producers slap it on a bloopers reel?! All I could say when I saw this was, "Make it stop!" But you guys kept writing, "Make it happen again," so there you go.

(END VIDEO CLIP) 

Before We Go 
AZUZ: Oh, man. And finally, in order to keep that from being the last image we leave you with before the summer, let's take a look at some of the other crazy creatures we've caught on camera. 

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: Welcome to CNN Student News. I am your host, Carl Azuz. All right, that's enough. That's sweet! That does look kind of cool. Oh, that doesn't look half as cool. A story of that scale seems like a good place to fin-ish today's show... That's just plane sweet; ooh!... That's where we're gonna quit yakkin'... So, buy that if you want, or just call it a bunch of hot air... And that's where we creep away on little cat feet... That is a smack down... And that's where we dance out the door... And that will sound the final note in today's show... And that singing spud is where we're gonna sign off... That's where today's show crosses home plate... And on that note, we're out!... And that is where we put the brakes on for today... That is the last shot in today's show... That is the last drop in today's cup... Here's a thought: bye!... (singing) And they called it puppy love. Jordan wanted me to sing that, I just. No way I was gonna do it... Ok, I gotta stop this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Goodbye 
AZUZ: Producers: 2; Carl: 0. This is the 2nd time this school year they have told me we were going to do something other than what we did, and I have paid the price. That is going to close us out this year. I apologize on behalf of all of us at CNN Student News. Now, we are not going away entirely over the summer, though right now I really want to. We're gonna be doing special shows online, and of course posting on our blog. You can check out all of that at CNNStudentNews.com. And send us your iReports showing us how you're spending your vacation. Thank you so much for an awesome school year. Hope you have a wonderful summer. For CNN Student News, I'm Carl Azuz.