常春藤解析英語 30 To Own Or Not To Own?　槍枝管制

To Own Or Not To Own?　槍枝管制

by Kevin Lustig

In light of the recent shootings at Virginia Tech, a lot of attention has been paid to the issue of gun laws. Could stronger gun laws _(1)_ this tragedy? Nobody can say for sure. Looking at the results of the various approaches to gun control in countries around the world, one can see that the evidence is mixed.

In the United States, gun ownership is considered a basic right that _(2)_ appears in the Constitution. While laws vary, Americans in most states can own a variety of guns, including handguns and rifles. Taiwan, on the other hand, is the exact _(3)_ of the US. Using, owning, selling, and making almost all types of firearms is illegal in Taiwan.

_(4)_ the results of these different systems, Taiwan and the US are similar in some ways. In 2005, the US had 5.6 homicides for every 100,000 people to Taiwan's 3.97. Both Taiwan and the US are well below the top nations in the world _(5)_ murders. However, America experienced almost 7.5 times as many violent crimes per 100,000 people as Taiwan did.

The United States and Taiwan are very different places and gun laws alone can't possibly explain all the variations in crime _(6)_ the two. However, as we see in this case, there is some evidence that violence and gun ownership are _(7)_. The debate will surely continue. Hopefully, as more data is analyzed, the conclusions that are reached will help prevent future tragedies.

1. (A) prevent (B) have prevented (C) be preventing (D) have been prevented

2. (A) yet (B) hardly (C) even (D) somewhat

3. (A) oppose (B) opposition (C) opponent (D) opposite

4. (A) As for (B) As with (C) As if (D) As though

5. (A) on account of (B) in place of (C) in terms of (D) on behalf of

6. (A) within (B) over (C) between (D) among

7. (A) accompanied (B) connected (C) affected (D) concerned

原來如此

1. Could stronger gun laws have prevented this tragedy?

理由:

a. 作者在本句中提出假設(shè)性問題：

更嚴(yán)格的槍枝管制法能否防止這場悲劇發(fā)生?

然而事實上，槍擊案已經(jīng)發(fā)生，因此本空格旨在測試與過去事實相反的假設(shè)語氣，故主要子句中須用助動詞的過去式，再加『have + 過去分詞』。

例: If he had taken your advice, he might have avoided the mistake.

(要是他當(dāng)時聽了你的建議，也許就能避免這個錯誤了。)

b. 根據(jù)上述，可知應(yīng)選 (B)。

2. In the United States, gun ownership is considered a basic right that even appears in the Constitution.

理由:

a. (A) yet adv. 尚(與 not 并用)

例: It's already three days late and I still haven't finished my report yet.

(已經(jīng)晚了三天，但我還沒完成我的報告。)

(B) hardly adv. 幾乎不

例: I hardly ever eat raw fish.

(我?guī)缀醪怀陨~。)

(C) even adv. 甚至

(D) somewhat adv. 有一點

注意:

somewhat 為一般副詞，使用時通常置于形容詞或副詞之前修飾。

例: A toad is somewhat like a frog.

(蟾蜍和青蛙有點相似。)

b. 根據(jù)語意及用法，可知應(yīng)選 (C)，表在美國，擁有槍枝被視為基本權(quán)利，『甚至』在憲法中都有明文規(guī)定之意。

3. Taiwan, on the other hand, is the exact opposite of the US.

理由:

a. (A) oppose vt. 反對

= be opposed to...

= object to...

例: The National Pet Association is opposed to the abuse of all living things.

(全國寵物協(xié)會反對虐待任何生物。)

(B) opposition n. 反對

opposition party　　反對黨

(C) opponent n. 對手

(D) opposite n. 相反 & a. 相反的

opposite sex　　異性

例: You go this way, and I'll go in the opposite direction.

(你往這邊走，而我跟你反方向。)

b. 空格前有形容詞 exact，故根據(jù)語意與詞性，可知應(yīng)選 (D)。

4. As for the results of these different systems, Taiwan and the US are similar in some ways.

理由:

a. (A) As for sb/sth, S + V　　就某人∕某物而言，……

例: As for Sheila, she wants to go hiking in the mountains this weekend.

(就席拉來說，她這個周末想到山區(qū)健行。)

(B) As with sb/sth, S + V　　如同某人∕某物一樣，……

例: As with all new employees, you'll have to go through two weeks of training.

(和所有新員工一樣，你得經(jīng)過兩周的訓(xùn)練。)

(C) as if + S + V　　彷佛∕好像……

= as though + S + V

例: Dave walked in and started to tell people what to do as if he were the boss.

(戴維走進來開始告訴大家怎么做，彷佛他是老板。)

b. 根據(jù)語意，可知應(yīng)選 (A)。

5. Both Taiwan and the US are...in the world in terms of murders.

理由:

a. (A) on account of...　　因為∕由于……

= as a result of...

= because of...

= due to...

例: Julia was late on account of the traffic jam.

(茱莉亞因塞車而遲到。)

(B) in place of...　　取代……

例: My teacher said that we were going to the movies today in place of having class.

(老師說我們今天要去看電影來取代上課。)

(C) in terms of...　　在……方面，就……來說

例: In terms of pets, my favorites are cats and small dogs.

(就寵物來說，我最喜歡的是貓和小狗。)

(D) on behalf of...　　代表……

例: Wallace attended the meeting on behalf of the boss.

(華勒斯代表老板參加會議。)

b. 根據(jù)語意，可知應(yīng)選 (C)。

6. ...gun laws alone can't possibly explain all the variations in crime between the two.

理由:

a. (A) within prep. 在……之內(nèi)

(B) over prep. 超過……

(C) between prep. 在……(兩者)之間

例: The US president pushed for a quick peace agreement between the two sides.

(美國總統(tǒng)督促雙方盡快達成和平協(xié)議。)

(D) among prep. 在……(三者或三者以上)之間

b. 由空格后的 the two 可知，本空格應(yīng)選 (C)。

7. ...there is some evidence that violence and gun ownership are connected.

理由:

a. (A) accompany vt. 陪伴

accompany sb to...　　陪伴某人到……

例: Danny accompanied his daughter to school on her first day.

(丹尼的女兒第一天上學(xué)時，他陪她一塊兒去。)

(B) connect vt. 使相關(guān)

be connected with...　　和……有關(guān)

例: The police are digging into all the old files connected with this case.

(警方正仔細查閱有關(guān)這案件的所有舊檔案。)

(C) affect vt. 影響

(D) concern vt. 關(guān)注

be concerned about...　　關(guān)心……

例: The father is concerned about his son's future.

(那名父親很關(guān)心自己兒子的未來。)

b. 根據(jù)語意，可知應(yīng)選 (B)。

精解字詞詞組

1. in light of...　　鑒于……

例: The judge decided that the trial couldn't continue in light of the new evidence.

(鑒于新的證據(jù)，法官決定不再繼續(xù)審判。)

2. approach n. 方法;步驟(其后常與介詞 to 并用)

例: The new teacher's approach to teaching English was very interesting.

(那位新老師教英文的方法很有趣。)

3. vary vi. 變化

例: The price of flights varies with different airlines.

(飛機票價隨不同航空公司而有所不同。)

4. a variety of...　　各式各樣的……

例: The gym offers a variety of classes, including yoga and martial arts.

(這座健身房提供瑜珈和武術(shù)等各式各樣的課程。)

5. well adv. 相當(dāng)?shù)?/p>

例: John said the store was a block down the street, but it was well beyond that.

(約翰說那家店只有一街之遙，但其實遠遠超過那距離。)

6. alone a. 僅僅，單單(置于名詞后作后位修飾)

例: In July alone, the computer company made 10 million dollars.

(單就七月而言，那家計算機公司就賺了一千萬元。)

7. analyze vt. 分析

例: I'm sure if we take some time to analyze the problem, we'll find a solution.

(我確定如果花點時間分析這個問題，我們就會找出解決之道。)

8. reach a conclusion　　達成結(jié)論

= come to a conclusion

例: We have to go through all of the information, so it will take a few days to reach a conclusion.

(我們必須先看完所有的數(shù)據(jù)，所以還要幾天才能得到結(jié)論。)

單字小鋪

1. issue n. 議題

2. various a. 各種的

3. mixed a. 摻雜的，混合的

4. ownership n. 所有權(quán)

5. constitution n. 憲法;(大寫)美國憲法

6. handgun n. 手槍

7. rifle n. 來復(fù)槍

8. firearm n. 槍枝

9. homicide n. 兇殺

10. variation n. 差異，變化

11. debate n. 爭辯

12. data n. 數(shù)據(jù)，數(shù)據(jù)

注意: data 本為 datum 的復(fù)數(shù)形，但現(xiàn)今常作不可數(shù)名詞用。

詞組小鋪

1. pay attention to...　　注意……

2. on the other hand　　另一方面

3. 倍數(shù)詞 + as...as...　　是……的幾倍……

中文翻譯&標(biāo)準(zhǔn)答案

鑒于維吉尼亞理工學(xué)院最近的槍殺事件，槍枝管制法的議題引起許多人的關(guān)注。更嚴(yán)格的槍枝管制法能否防止這場悲劇發(fā)生?沒有人可以確定?？纯词澜绺鲊鞣N不同槍枝管制的結(jié)果，就可以知道證據(jù)是分歧的。

在美國，擁有槍枝被視為基本權(quán)利，甚至在美國憲法中都有明文規(guī)定。雖然法律各異，大多數(shù)州的美國人可以擁有各式各樣的槍枝，包括手槍和來復(fù)槍。反觀臺灣則和美國完全相反。使用、擁有、販賣和制造任何型態(tài)的槍枝都是違法的。

就不同制度的結(jié)果來看，臺灣和美國在某些方面很相似。2005 年，美國每十萬人有 5.6 起兇殺案，而臺灣有 3.97起。在謀殺案方面，臺灣和美國都遠低于世界上高謀殺率的國家。但美國每十萬人所犯下的暴力案件卻幾乎是臺灣的 7.5 倍。

美國和臺灣兩地大不相同，光是槍枝法規(guī)可能無法解釋兩者之間所有犯罪的差異。然而，從這個案例，我們可以看到暴力和擁有槍枝是有某些關(guān)連的。爭論必定還會繼續(xù)。希望透過更多數(shù)據(jù)分析所得的結(jié)論，有助于防范未來可能的悲劇。

標(biāo)準(zhǔn)答案: 1. (B)　2. (C)　3. (D)　4. (A)　5. (C)　6. (C)　7. (B)