2. Introductory Remarks
---Everybody wants to be safe. What may threaten people's security? Street crime ranks high in the Western countries. In this text, the author, an American novelist and artist, tells about a street crime she encountered and describes the reactions of her neighbors and the policemen to it. Let's see what happened to the author and why she felt "there is only luck".
四. Language Points and Questions for Discussion
(一) Lines 1--5
1. Language Points
My mind went numb when I… = I lost all my senses or the power to think when I…
2. Questions for Discussion
(1) What happened to the author?
---She was held up or being robbed by gunmen.
(2) Where did it take place? How do you know ?
---In front of her house. It is very common for Americans to have a garage beside their house.
(3) Why did she think "This can't be happening to me"?
---She was just in front of hr house and it was then early in the evening, not deep at night. At such a place and time, being robbed was a very uncommon and unbelievable thing.
(4) Why did her mind go numb?
---She was very frightened and shocked.
(二) Lines 6--16
1. Language Points
I remember being vaguely annoyed when… = I remember that I was slightly angry for no definite reason when…
I didn't crouch behind it but screamed instead,… = Instead of crouching behind it, I screamed.
2. Questions for Discussion
(1) What were they forced to do?
---To get out of the car and walk to the house.
(2) Why was Jeremy being slow?
---He was trying to prevent the gunmen from forcing them into the house. He had thrown the keys into the shrubbery.
(3) Why did she scream?
---She was frightened and shouted for help.
(三)Lines 17--26
1. Language Points
There was something absurdly melodramatic about screaming, "help, help!" = it seamed
