VOA标准英语2013--US Tragedies Make Gun Control Likely Target in State of the Union Address

 

US Tragedies Make Gun Control Likely Target in State of the Union Address

 

In a country where the tradition of gun ownership goes back to the founding of the nation, any talk of taking guns away triggers an emotional reaction on both sides.

The push for new gun control measures stems from a series of recent shootings, including the massacre¹ of 20 school children in Newtown, Connecticut and the July movie theater shooting in Colorado that left 12 dead.

President Obama has made clear, something has to change. 

“Weapons designed for the theater of war have no place in a movie theater. The majority of Americans agree with us on this," he said. 

That has not gone over well with gun rights advocacy groups like the National Rifle Association, which has gone after the president with targeted ads.

NRA Executive Vice² President Wayne LaPierre said, “Proposing more gun laws while failing to enforce the thousands we already have is not a serious solution for reducing crime. Nor do we believe that government should dictate³ what we can lawfully⁴ own and use to protect our families.”

Still, gun dealer⁵ Andrew Raymond thinks change is inevitable⁶.

"When you got 20 dead kids who are massacred it doesn't matter how much power the NRA has. It is almost a foregone conclusion that we are going to see some sort of legislation that will severely⁷ restrict these guns," he said. 

All sides are now positioned for what looks to be a political firefight.

1 massacre   

n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀

参考例句：

• There was a terrible massacre of villagers here during the war.在战争中，这里的村民惨遭屠杀。
• If we forget the massacre,the massacre will happen again!忘记了大屠杀，大屠杀就有可能再次发生！

2 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

3 dictate   

v.口授；(使)听写；指令，指示，命令

参考例句：

• It took him a long time to dictate this letter.口述这封信花了他很长时间。
• What right have you to dictate to others?你有什么资格向别人发号施令？

4 lawfully   

adv.守法地，合法地；合理地

参考例句：

• Lawfully established contracts shall be protected by law. 依法成立的合同应受法律保护。 来自口语例句
• As my lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health, till death parts us. 当成是我的合法丈夫，无论疾病灾难，直到死亡把我们分开。 来自电影对白

5 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。

6 inevitable   

adj.不可避免的，必然发生的

参考例句：

• Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
• The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

7 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。