新东方网雅思频道全新推出“每日雅思阅读精选”栏目，我们将为大家精心挑选国外网站上的优秀文章供考生们进行阅读练习，帮助大家提高雅思阅读水平，每天读几篇文章，每天有一点提高，相信不久之后，雅思阅读考试将不再是困扰考生们的难题。

　　推荐阅读方法：首先快速阅读全文，掌握文章大意，提高阅读速度;再进行精读训练，学习其中的词汇和语言的用法。

　　2013年1月17日雅思阅读精选：给奥巴马的信：美国儿童恳求控制枪支

　　From：TIME, Jan. 16, 2013

　　Letters to Obama: Children Plead for Gun Control

　　Those were the words of Grant, an 8-year-old from Maryland who wrote to the White House three days after 20 first-graders and four adults were gunned down at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

　　On Wednesday, Obama announced broad proposals to stem gun violence, joined by Grant and a handful of other children who have written him after last month’s massacre.

　　Julia, an 11-year-old from Washington, D.C., told Obama that she “may not [be] that into politics but my opinion is that it should be very hard for people to buy guns…I know that laws have to be passed by Congress but I beg you to try very hard to make guns not allowed.” She shared with Obama that she has four brothers and sisters. “…I know I would not be able to bear the thought of losing any of them,” she wrote.

　　Obama appears to have paid attention to the kids’ letters, urging Congress to support him in requiring universal background checks and bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines like those that alleged gunman Adam Lanza used to turn an elementary school into a war zone.

　　The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) expressed support for Obama’s proposals, saying in a statement, “The Academy agrees with the President that to prevent future incidence like the shooting in Newtown there must be stronger gun laws, comprehensive access to mental health care, and no restrictions on federal gun violence research and prevention efforts…Congress must show similar leadership and act promptly to develop and ensure passage of effective legislation an regulatory measures that will significantly reduce the senseless loss of young lives…Pediatricians stand ready to assist.”

　　The White House may be hoping that the kids’ candid sentiments