|
Section B
Should I Have a Gun?
I own a black gun with a brown handle. It holds five bullets and stays loaded by my bed.
I've always advocated gun control; the odd thing is I still do. It wasn't ignorance of crime statistics that previously kept me from owning a gun nor thinking I was immune to violence.
1. What is the purpose for the writer to have a loaded gun since she is in favor of gun control?
I assumed because I didn't believe in violence, because I wasn't violent, I wouldn't be affected by violence. I believed my belief in the best of human nature could make it real.
I should transport the gun from my residence to my vehicle, but I don't. What the gun is capable of, what it is intended for, still frightens me more than what it may prevent. If I carry my gun and I am attacked, I must use it to kill, not just injure.
2. Why did the writer choose not to take her gun along with her since she has her gun loaded?
I have confronted an attacker in my imagination, not in reality. A man is walking down the street. I lock my car and walk to my apartment with my key ready. Before I reach the door, I think I hear a voice say, money. Before I open the door I hear a voice and turn to see the man with a gun.
He is frightened. I am frightened I will scare him and he will shoot, or I will give him my money and he will still shoot. I am also angry because a gun is pointed at me by someone I've never met and never hurt.
Something makes me uncomfortable about this imagined robbery, something I don't want to admit, something I almost intentionally omitted because I am ashamed.
3. What, do you think, is the something that makes the writer feel uncomfortable?
I understand why I imagined being robbed by a man: They're physically more dominating and I've never heard of anyone being robbed by a female.
But why is he a black man? Why is he a Negro male with a worn T-shirt and shining eyes? Why is he not a white man?
4. Why is it that the writer's imagined robber is always a man and especially a black man?
I imagine standing in a gas station on Claiborne and Jackson waiting to pay the cashier when a black man walks up behind me. I do not turn around. I stare ahead waiting to pay. I try not to reveal I feel anxiety just because a black man has walked up behind me in a gas station in a bad neighborhood and he does not have a car.
5. What does a bad neighborhood mean here?
I imagine another possibility. I am walking with my gun in my hand when I hear the voice. The man mustn't have seen my gun. I get angry because I am threatened, because someone is endangering my life for the money in my pocket.
I turn and without really thinking, angry and frightened, I shoot. I kill a man for $50 or perhaps $100. It doesn't matter that he was trying to rob me. A man has died for money, not my money or his money, just money. Who put that price on his life?
6. What is the writer's level of comfort with killing a robber in self-defense?
I remember driving one night with my friend in her parents' automobile. We stopped at a red light at Carlton and Tulane where a black man was crossing the street in front of us. My friend automatically locked the doors.
I am disgusted she saw the man as a reminder to lock her doors. I wonder if he noticed us doing so. I wonder how it feels when people lock their doors at the sight of you.
7. What does the writer intend to say when she finds her friend locking the doors at the sight of a black man?
I imagine another confrontation in front of my apartment. I have my gun when a man asks for money. I am angry and scared, but I do not use the gun. I fear what may happen if I don't use it, but am more afraid of killing another human being, more afraid of trying to live with the guilt of murdering another person. I bet my life that he will take my money and leave. I hope I win.
8. What does "I hope I win" mean?
Now I enter a gasoline station near my house. A black man is already waiting in line. He jumps and turns around. Seeing me, he relaxes and says I scared him because of the way things have become in this neighborhood.
Sorry, I say and smile. I realize I'm not the only one who is frightened.
Words: 700
NEW WORDS
handle
n. a part of something that is used for holding or opening it 柄，把手
vt. deal with or control 处理，处置，操纵
bullet
n. a small rounded piece of metal with a pointed end that is fired from a gun 枪弹，子弹
advocate
vt. advise or say that you support a particular plan or action 主张，拥护，提倡
n. a person who supports a particular plan or action, especially in public 拥护者，提倡者
odd
a. strange; unusual; peculiar 奇怪的；奇特的
ignorance
n. lack of information or knowledge 无知，不知
crime
n. wrong moral behavior in general; something which is against the law 罪，罪行
statistics
n. 1. collected information shown in numbers 统计资料；统计
2. (with singular v.) the science of collecting and examining these numbers for patterns 统计学
previous
a. coming or happening before or earlier 以前的，先前的
previously
ad. before the present time 以前，先前（地）
violence
n. great roughness and force, especially that destroys, injures or damages 暴力（行为），强暴（行为），猛烈
violent
a. having, using, or showing great force 暴力的，强暴的，猛烈的
affect
vt. 1. influence or cause sb./ sth. to change in a particular way 影响
2. cause sb. to feel very sad, angry, etc.（在感情方面）打动，震动
transport
vt. move sb./ sth. from one place to another (in a vehicle) 运送，搬运
residence
n. a person's home; the grand house of someone important 住处，住宅，大宅
capable
a. 1. having the ability of or quality for doing sth. 能……的，有……能力的
2. having (especially practical) ability; able 有能力的；有才能的
intend
v. 1. plan, mean or make sth. for a particular person or purpose （为……而）准备，打算使……成为
2. plan or mean to do sth. 想要，打算，计划
injure
vt. harm or hurt a person, an animal or part of the body 伤害，损害
confront
vt. 1. face or meet an enemy, difficulty, etc. 与……相对，面临，遭遇
2. make sb. face or consider someone or something unpleasant, difficult, etc. 使面对，使面临，使当面作证
imagination
n. something only existing or happening in the mind, not in physical life 想像力，想像的事物
reality
n. that which is actual or physical and not imagined 现实，实际
apartment
n. 1. a room 房间
2. a flat; a set of rooms for living in 一套公寓房间
intention
n. what someone intends or means to do; a plan or purpose 意图，打算，目的
intentionally
ad. on purpose; not by chance 故意地，有意地
omit
vt. not include something 排除，省略
dominate
vt. have control over (a place or a person), or be the most important person or thing 支配，统治，在……中占首要地位
female
n. & a. a woman or a girl; an animal that can produce babies from its own body 女性（的）; 雌性动物
Negro
n. (offensive) a person belonging to, or born from, the black-skinned races of Africa （含岐视意味）黑人，具有黑人血统的人
male
n. & a. a man or a boy; an animal that cannot have babies 男性（的）；雄性动物
gas
n. 1. (=gasoline) the liquid that is used as fuel for motor vehicles such as cars and airplanes 汽油
2. a form of matter that is like air 气，气体
cashier
n. the person in a bank, shop, gas station, etc. that customers pay money to or get money from 出纳员，收银员
reveal
vt. make sth. known; show; allow to be seen 揭示，展现，使显露
anxiety
n. a feeling of worry or fear 焦虑，担忧
neighborhood (英neighbourhood)
n. a particular part of a town and the people who live there 地段，地区，居民点
possibility
n. something that might happen or be true; something that is possible; the state of being possible 可能的事，可能的情况；可能（性）
automobile (缩auto)
n. a car 汽车
automatic
a. 1. (used about a machine) that can work by itself without direct human control 自动的，以自动装置完成的
2. (used about actions) done without thinking or like a machine 不经思索的，机械的
automatically
ad. 1. without thinking about what is being done 不加思索地，无意识地
2. by the action of a machine, without a person making it work 自动地
guilt
n. 1. the feeling of haveing done sth. wrong 内疚
2. the fact of having broken a law 罪，犯罪
guilty
a. 1. having broken a law; being responsible for doing sth. wrong 有罪的；证明（或判决）有罪的
2. showing or having the feeling of having done sth. wrong 自知有过失的，内疚的
bet
v. 1. risk money on the result of a race, game, match, or a future event 以（钱、物等）打赌
2. be very certain 确信，敢说
gasoline
n. the liquid that is used as fuel for motor vehicles such as cars and airplanes 汽油
PHRASES AND EXPRESSIONS
be immune to
not be affected by 不受……影响的，对……有免疫力的
believe in
consider (sth.) to be of worth or to be true; have faith or trust in 相信……可行，相信……的真实性，信任，信仰
be capable of
be able to do 有能力做，能做
hear of
learn about; gain information about 听说
in front of
in a position further forward than but close to sb./ sth.; in the company of sb. 在……前面；在……面前
at the sight of
when seeing 一看见
PROPER NAMES
Claiborne
克莱尔本街（地名）
Jackson
杰克逊街（地名）
Carlton
卡尔顿街（地名）
Tulane
图兰街（地名）
|