1. There are marching bands, children dressed as Santa Claus and clergymen in magenta skullcaps gathered in the center of Bethlehem to celebrate Christmas Eve. They are all doing their best to dispel the gloom hovering over Jesus' traditional birthplace as fighting in the region continues.

2. Pope Benedict is telling all that Christmas is the time to overcome prejudices. He delivered his weekly remarks to thousands of people gathered in Saint Peter's Square as he prepared for midnight Mass.

3. Planes leaving Denver's jammed airport teemed with passengers, many of whom have been stranded when a 2-day blizzard shut down the runways last week. But travelers in the Washington D.C. area are having an easier time. "I'm so glad I'm not flying out of Denver today.".

4. A Chicago company is working on a virtual dinner system that will allow friends and family to share a meal, even though they may be miles apart. The idea is to use web cameras, broadband Internet and video monitors to bring loved ones together.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. magenta : COLOUR
Magenta is used to describe things that are dark reddish-purple in colour

2. skullcap : N-COUNT 室内便帽：一种轻便的、紧身的无沿帽子，经常在室内戴
A skull cap is a small close-fitting cap.

3. teem with : PHR
If you say that a place is teeming with people or animals, you mean that it is crowded and the people and animals are moving around a lot.