CNN Student News Transcript: May 28, 2008

(CNN Student News) -- May 28, 2008

Quick Guide

Quake Lake Threat - Hear how a so-called "quake lake" is threatening China's Sichuan province.

Unlucky 8 - Consider whether the number eight is connected to recent events in China.

Name that Anthem - Meet a group of U.S. soldiers who are in tune with international melodies.

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: Welcome to a new broadcast of CNN Student News. Thank you for spending part of your Wednesday with us. I'm Carl Azuz.

First Up: Quake Lake Threat

AZUZ: We're starting things off in China, where so-called "quake lakes" are forcing evacuations in Sichuan province. That's the region where this month's deadly earthquake occurred. We told you yesterday how the tremors caused landslides that dammed up a river, creating one of these lakes. Well, the water's rising about six feet a day, and officials are worried that the dam could give way and cause major flooding. Hugh Riminton looks at the impact on the area's residents.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HUGH RIMINTON, CNN REPORTER: Once again, in the earthquake zone, there are people setting up tents, anything they can find; camping out in the open. These, in many cases are the new homeless. It's all down to this new threat: the "quake lakes," and particularly one of them, the largest. The water has backed up to the depth of nearly half a mile, more than 725 meters deep. That is the water now that has amassed behind a fundamentally unstable rock wall.

The big fear by the Chinese authorities is that the dam will burst and send a catastrophic wall of water sweeping downstream. They made a precautionary order a few hours ago telling 158,000 people to evacuate to higher ground by midnight. That deadline has now passed. People are crowding to any spare space they can find along the side of waterways, under trees, anywhere that takes them away from the river. The further addition to the fears and the anxieties in the area: two further strong aftershocks that took place in the last few hours; one 5.4 magnitude, the other 5.7.

Meanwhile, the attempts to reduce the dangers on this rock wall continue. There are soldiers with explosives; they've also brought in bulldozers to try to clear a slipway. They've had some success with that already, draining away some of the water, relieving some of the pressure behind this wall. But they certainly do not believe it is safe yet. There are plans potentially for the evacuation of well over 1 million people. Hugh Riminton, CNN, Chengdu, China.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Unlucky 8

AZUZ: Many of the numbers associated with this earthquake are huge: more than 67,000 people killed; 21,000 missing; 45 million residents affected in Sichuan province. But there's also a focus on a smaller number: eight. In Chinese culture, eight traditionally has a positive meaning. But some people are looking at how the number's connected to a few events that have taken place this year. As Alina Cho tells us, for them it's adding up to bad news.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALINA CHO, CNN REPORTER: It may be the worst-kept ancient Chinese secret: 8 is a lucky number. That's why the Beijing Olympics will begin on August 8, 2008, or 8-8-08. In Chinese, the word for eight is similar to the word for wealth, so the Chinese people believe eight and prosperity are connected. The number 8 is everywhere: People try to get married on the 8th, and a Chinese airline paid more than a quarter million dollars to get this phone number: eight 8s. So, if that's the case, why are the blogs on fire with this: eight is a "curse for China"?

Three recent events: all negative, all linked to the number 8. First, a massive snowstorm blankets China on January 25th; 1 plus 2 plus 5 equals 8. Second, widespread protests against Chinese rule in Tibet. Date: March 14th; 3 plus 1 plus 4 equals 8. Third, a devastating earthquake hits Sichuan province, killing tens of thousands on May 12th; 5 plus 1 plus 2 equals 8. And the quake hits 88 days before the start of the Olympics.

CHO: Is this a lucky number? Is it an unlucky number? So, which is it?

ROSE WELSH, NUMEROLOGIST: Well, it's both.

CHO: Rose Welsh is a numerologist. She says eight on its side is a chain, like a chain of events.

WELSH: It was waiting to happen, that.

CHO: You're saying they should have known?

WELSH: They did know.

CHO: But on the streets of Beijing, many believe it's just a bad coincidence. Says this man: "It's nonsense. It's just superstition." And in New York's Chinatown...

RANDY FUNG: My old house was 404. 4 is a bad number in Chinese, but nothing happened to me.

CHO: But maybe that's because 4 plus 4 equals 8. Now, a lot of people we talked to in China believe all of this eight business is just a coincidence; many still believe eight is a lucky number. And there is currently no talk about changing the start date for the Olympic Games. Alina Cho, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Word to the Wise

JOHN LORINC, CNN STUDENT NEWS: A Word to the Wise...

numerology (noun) the study of numbers and their supposed influence on life

source: www.dictionary.com

Name that Anthem

AZUZ: Changing tunes now, learning songs is nothing for you chorus members, even if the words are in another language. But for many of us, it's hard to understand lyrics in English, let alone Croatian or Swahili. But that's all part of the job for the U.S. Army Chorus. Jill Dougherty sounds off on this group that works out of an international songbook.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

U.S. SERGEANT SINGING.

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN REPORTER: It's Pakistan's most popular patriotic song; a hit in the Urdu language: just part of this rehearsal repertoire for the U.S. Army Chorus. They sing in more than 30 languages; folk songs, hymns, even a Croatian wedding song or two. Since it was founded more than 50 years ago, the chorus has performed for presidents, visiting dignitaries, high-level international delegations.

SERGEANT FIRST CLASS BOB MCDONALD, U.S. ARMY CHORUS: When we start to sing in their language, you see that they stand up straighter and they walk tall and they smile! Which is really, you know, special.

DOUGHERTY: These chorus members are soldiers, but they're also musicians, most with advanced degrees from some of the best conservatories in the United States. Here in their rehearsal hall at Fort Myer, Virginia, is where the long process of selecting the right international music begins.

STAFF SGT. JASON GOTTSHALL, U.S. ARMY CHORUS: For a lot of countries that we encounter, we don't even have music from that country to begin with. So, part of the research is, what do we sing?

DOUGHERTY: The chorus can turn to the U.S. Army Band library, with its national anthem database; anthems from the world's approximately 200 countries. Sergeant First Class Michael Brown is one of three full-time musical arrangers.

SERGEANT FIRST CLASS MICHAEL BROWN, U.S. ARMY CHORUS: From time to time, countries will change their anthem.

DOUGHERTY: So, what do you do? Do you play it on the phone?

BROWN: Right.

DOUGHERTY: The chorus often checks with foreign embassies in Washington or the U.S. State Department. Each anthem must be verified before it's performed. Singing the wrong one could create an international incident. The library has the sheet music for more than 60,000 songs, in almost every language on Earth; enough to keep the U.S. Army Chorus singing for years to come. Jill Dougherty, CNN, Ft. Myer, Virginia.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Shoutout

LORINC: Time for the Shoutout! Which of these phrases does NOT appear in "The Star-Spangled Banner"? If you think you know it, shout it out! Is it: A) The mists of the deep, B) Foul footstep's pollution, C) In triumph doth wave or D) United States of America? You've got three seconds -- GO! The national anthem makes no mention of the USA. The other phrases appear in the poem's lesser-known verses. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!

Promo

AZUZ: Summer's almost here, and we want to know what you think were the most memorable stories of this school year. The presidential race, natural disasters, steroid use in sports: What did you find the most interesting or important? Head to our blog at CNNStudentNews.com and tell us your picks for the top stories of the year!

Before We Go

AZUZ: Before we go, one family's tradition of being prepared.

TOM BOGGESS, EAGLE SCOUT: We believe we are the only living, four-generation Eagle Scouts in the country.

AZUZ: This is Thomas Shelton Boggess II through V, and each one has achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. Normally, this honor is awarded to scouts who are 15 and 16, but Thomas V earned it at just 13 years old. The 8th grader wanted to accomplish the goal for his great-grandfather, Thomas Jr., who's 96. Now that he has, there's one more thing the four family members share: an incredible sense of pride.

Goodbye

AZUZ: Those superlative and eagle-eyed scouts wrap up today's show. We'll see you right back here tomorrow. I'm Carl Azuz.