CHILE'S 33 rescued miners, posing with the president and poked by doctors, itched yesterday to reunite with families and sleep in their own beds for the first time since a cave-in nearly killed them on August 5.

Relatives were organizing welcome-home parties and trying to hold off an onslaught of demands by those seeking to share in the glory of the amazingrescue that entranced people around the world and set off horn-blowing celebrations across their South American nation.

President Sebastian Pinera posed with the miners, most of whom were wearing bathrobes and slippers, for a group photo, and then celebrated the rescue as an achievement that will bring Chile a new level of respect around the world.

The miners and the country will never be the same, Pinera said.

"They have experienced a new life, a rebirth," he said, and so has Chile: "We aren't the same that we were before the collapse on August 5. Today Chile is a country much more unified, stronger and much more respected and loved in the entire world."

The billionaire businessman-turned-politician promised "radical" changes and tougher safety laws to improve how businesses treat their workers.

"Never again in our country will we permit people to work in conditions so unsafe and inhuman as they worked in the San Jose mine, and in many other places in our country," said Pinera, who took office in March as Chile's first elected right-wing president in a half-century.

Dr Jorge Montes, deputydirector of the Copiapo Regional Hospital, said some miners would be able to leave the hospital later yesterdaydespite the physical and emotionalimpact of 69 days trapped underground.

"Not a single miner has been in a state of shock," he said, and all should be able to leave soon once they go through a battery of medical and psychological exams.

After weeks of fear, desperation and finally hope, the miners were pulled out one by one in a capsule that carried them through a narrow tube of solid rock - a dizzying 23-hour marathon of rescues.

The men, their eyes hidden behind sunglasses as protection against the sun and glare of lights, emerged to tears and embraces from relatives, and cheers and patriotic chants, as tens of millions watched on television around the world to see a joyful end to the longest known ordeal of men trapped underground.

They were restless to begin their new life, but for many, that life may be incomprehensible at first.

Honors and offers of jobs and even vacations poured in from around the world for men who walked into a mine on August 5 as workers doing a dirty job to support their children or buy a house. They were lifted out weeks later to find themselves international symbols of perseverance - as well as icons of patriotism at home.

Spain's Real Madrid football team invited the 33 to attend a game in their stadium.

Chile's football federation said it would offer a job with its youth teams to Franklin Lobos, a former national team player who later drove a taxi to make ends meet before he was caught in the mine collapse.

The internationally popular Spanish language variety show "Sabado Gigante" announced it would dedicate a show to "The 33" and invited fans to suggest questions for them.

And a Greek mining company offered to fly each one, with a companion, for a week's vacation in the Mediterranean.

The August 5 collapse brought the 125-year-old San Jose mine's checkered safety record into focus and put Chile's top industry under close scrutiny. Many believe the collapse occurred because the mine was overworked and violated safety codes.

The families of 27 of the 33 rescued miners have sued its owners for negligence and compensatory damages.

• yesterday [´jestədi] n.&ad.昨天；前不久 (初中英语单词)
• amazing [ə´meiziŋ] a.惊人的；惊奇的 (初中英语单词)
• rescue [´reskju:] vt.&n.救援；挽救 (初中英语单词)
• celebrated [´selibreitid] a.著名的 (初中英语单词)
• achievement [ə´tʃi:vmənt] n.完成；成就，成绩 (初中英语单词)
• director [di´rektə] n.指导者；....长；导演 (初中英语单词)
• despite [di´spait] prep.尽管 (初中英语单词)
• physical [´fizikəl] a.物质的；有形的 (初中英语单词)
• emotional [i´məuʃənəl] a.易动感情的；情感的 (初中英语单词)
• medical [´medikəl] a.医学的；医疗的 (初中英语单词)
• hidden [´hid(ə)n] hide 的过去分词 (初中英语单词)
• protection [prə´tekʃən] n.警戒；护照；通行证 (初中英语单词)
• restless [´restləs] a.没有休息的 (初中英语单词)
• international [,intə´næʃənəl] a.国际的，世界的 (初中英语单词)
• player [´pleiə] n.游戏的人；选手 (初中英语单词)
• variety [və´raiəti] n.变化；多样(性)；种类 (初中英语单词)
• companion [kəm´pæniən] n.同伴；同事；伴侣 (初中英语单词)
• vacation [və´keiʃən, vei´keiʃən] n.假期；休庭期；腾空 (初中英语单词)
• collapse [kə´læps] vi.&n.崩溃；病倒；衰败 (高中英语单词)
• deputy [´depjuti] n.代理人；代表 (高中英语单词)
• underground [,ʌndə´graund] ad.&a.地下(的) (高中英语单词)
• battery [´bætəri] n.炮兵连；炮台；电池 (高中英语单词)
• patriotic [,pætri´ɔtik] a.爱国的 (高中英语单词)
• joyful [´dʒɔifəl] a.高兴的，充满快乐的 (高中英语单词)
• federation [,fedə´reiʃən] n.联邦，联盟，同盟 (高中英语单词)
• dedicate [´dedikeit] vt.献给；献身于 (高中英语单词)
• mining [´mainiŋ] n.采矿；矿业 (高中英语单词)
• mediterranean [,meditə´reiniən] n.地中海 a.地中海的 (高中英语单词)
• trying [´traiiŋ] a.难堪的；费劲的 (英语四级单词)
• experienced [ik´spiəriənst] a.有经验的；熟练的 (英语四级单词)
• psychological [,saikə´lɔdʒikəl] a.心理学(上)的 (英语四级单词)
• desperation [,despə´reiʃən] n.铤而走险，拼命 (英语四级单词)
• august [ɔ:´gʌst] a.尊严的；威严的 (英语六级单词)
• impact [´impækt] n.影响，作用；冲击 (英语六级单词)
• ordeal [ɔ:´di:l] n.严峻考验；折磨 (英语六级单词)
• perseverance [,pə:si´viərəns] n.毅力；坚持 (英语六级单词)
• madrid [mə´drid] n.马德里(西班牙首都) (英语六级单词)