365个英语简短小故事-306. US Border Patrol

The US Border Patrol is encountering more problems with drug dealers² from Mexico. A few weeks ago, a dealer¹ ran over a border patrol agent. The agent, standing³ in the middle of a two-lane road, had motioned the dealer’s vehicle to stop. Instead, the dealer ran over the agent, killing⁴ him, and then drove back across the border into Mexico. He has not been caught yet. Such incidents are on the rise, said one agent. The dealers are getting braver, because they rarely get caught. “Any agent who tries to stop us deserves to die,” said one convicted drug dealer.

The dealers are always devising new tricks to get their drugs into the US. They start dangerous fires near the border to distract agents. They shoot cattle on border ranches⁵ so that American ranchers will not call agents about suspicious activity. They use dynamite⁶ to blow up bridges so agents cannot follow them. They dig tunnels that start in Mexico and connect with buildings on US soil.

Their newest trick is to try to behead agents who ride on ATVs (all-terrain vehicles). When an agent drives into a concealed⁷ trap, he activates⁸ a "clothes line" wire. This wire stretches tightly across the agent's path, at neck level. It could slice right through his neck. The Department of Homeland Security quickly issued a new protective device for its ATV riders--a plastic neck guard. Using computer simulation, the department determined⁹ that the neck guard should prevent beheading; however, critical injuries—including a broken neck—are still possible.

“These 'clothes lines' are not a big deal,” said a department official. He criticized the media for making a mountain out of a molehill. “Wait until an agent is actually beheaded—then you’ll have a story,” he said to a group of reporters.

 

1 dealer   

n.商人，贩子

参考例句：

• The dealer spent hours bargaining for the painting.那个商人为购买那幅画花了几个小时讨价还价。
• The dealer reduced the price for cash down.这家商店对付现金的人减价优惠。

2 dealers   

n.商人( dealer的名词复数 )；贩毒者；毒品贩子；发牌者

参考例句：

• There was fast bidding between private collectors and dealers. 私人收藏家和交易商急速竞相喊价。
• The police were corrupt and were operating in collusion with the drug dealers. 警察腐败，与那伙毒品贩子内外勾结。

3 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

4 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

5 ranches   

大农场， （兼种果树，养鸡等的）大牧场( ranch的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They hauled feedlot manure from the ranches to fertilize their fields. 他们从牧场的饲养场拖走肥料去肥田。
• Many abandoned ranches are purchased or leased by other poultrymen. 许多被放弃的牧场会由其他家禽监主收买或租用。

6 dynamite   

n./vt.(用)炸药(爆破)

参考例句：

• The workmen detonated the dynamite.工人们把炸药引爆了。
• The philosopher was still political dynamite.那位哲学家仍旧是政治上的爆炸性人物。

7 concealed   

a.隐藏的，隐蔽的

参考例句：

• The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。
• I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。

8 activates   

使活动，起动，触发( activate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Activates the window and displays it in its current size and position. 激活窗口，保持当前的大小及位置不变。
• Pulling out the alarm switch activates alarm and pushing it deactivates it. 闹钟的开和关是通过拔出和按入闹铃开关实现的。

9 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。