Unit 16

War

Word Bank

ambush：a sudden attack made from a concealed position伏击；埋伏

assault：to attack攻击；袭击

bankruptcy：financial ruin破产

barrel：the metal, cylindrical part of a firearm through which the bullet travels枪管

bayou：a creek or small river that is a tributary of a larger body of water支流；河口

blast：a violent explosion爆炸

cavity：a hole; a hollow area within the body洞；腔

discharge：to release, as from confinement, care, or duty释放；使退伍

droop：to bend or hang downward低垂；弯曲；下垂

flashback：(psychology) recurring, intensely vivid mental image of a past traumatic experience[心理学]重现：过去受伤的经历在脑海中生动重现

grenade：a missile containing priming and bursting charges榴弹；季榴弹

hallucinate：to have illusion产生幻觉

highlight：to make prominent; to emphasize使......显得重要；强调

icon：an image; a representation; a symbol; an idol肖像；代表；象征；偶像

loot：to pillage; to spoil打劫；掠夺

maim：to disable or disfigure使残疾

offshore：away from the shore近海

paranoia：a psychotic disorder characterized by delusions of persecution or grandeur妄想狂；偏执狂

pin：to hold fast; immobilize使......困住；牵制

post-traumatic：following an injury or resulting from it受伤后的

shell-shock：a kind of mental disorder弹震症(士兵因战争而得的一种精神疾病)

shutter：a mechanical device of a camera (照相机上的)快门

slump：to fall or sink heavily; collapse消沉；陷入；倒塌

snap：a sudden, sharp cracking sound劈啪声

sniper：a skilled military shooter to shoot enemy soldiers from a concealed place狙击手；射击手

steely：resembling steel, as in color or hardness钢铁般的

streak：to mark with lines, smears, or bands with different colors使带条纹；使带污点

undertaking：n. a task or an assignment undertaken; a venture承担的任务；事业

victor：winner胜利者

wan：pale; distressed; weary and melancholy苍白的；惨淡的；郁郁寡欢的

wisp：thin smoke or clouds一缕烟、云等

Phrases and Expressions

drag on：to delay拖延

in the face of：confronting with面对；面临

in the wake of：following directly on; in the aftermath of; as a consequence of跟随，作为…的余波

teamed up with：to coordinate与……合作；配合

Reading Comprehension

Choose the best for each of the following.

1. What changed Miller's life in a second? ( C )

A. The snap of a sniper's bullet.

B. The blast of a bomb.

C. The sudden shutter click of a photographer.

D. The maimed wreck of a healthy body.

2. Why does the author use Marlboro man to refer to Miller? ( A )

A. Because the image symbolizes a popular American hero.

B. Because Miller is having a cigarette.

C. Because Miller is a cowboy from the west.

D. Because Americans don't like smoking.

3. What are Not symptoms of post-traumatic disorder? ( A )

A. Loss of sleep, having images.

B. Flashbacks, panic attacks and paranoia.

C. Possibility of being violent to loved ones.

D. Being silent all the time.

4. Why did Miller attack another marine when waiting offshore in a troop transport of New Orleans? ( C )

A. Because he hated the man.

B. Because the man attacked him first.

C. Because he had the illusion of Iraq war when hearing the man's whistling.

D. Because he felt guilty for having the life.

5. What is the main idea of this article? ( D )

A. A picture changed the fate of Miller.

B. Miller became the Marlboro Man of America.

C. Most Americans were against Iraqi War

D. A picture made Miller a hero, but couldn't save him from post-traumatic stress disorder.

II. Complete the following summary of the text by filling in the blanks with words. The initial letter of each word has been given to you.

A sudden (1) shutter click of a war photographer's camera changed the life of a US marine James Blake Miller. Miller's image in the picture became a symbol of (2) steely resolve, of weary-yet-determined struggle, of the (3) toughness of the American fighting man having a cigarette break before finishing the job. Now Miller is a different (4) symbol in a different time. As the war has (5) dragged on, his life has collapsed in the face of post-traumatic stress (6) disorder. He