2016.7.10

2016.7.10

news from BBC

David Brown: Dallas police chief with past marked by tragedy

When five Dallas police officers were shot dead by a sniper on Thursday, it fell to David Brown, the city's police chief, to sum up the shock and grief of the force and the community.

　　sum up　　　

1. to give a summary of something
   - Summing up the discussion. he said that parties would consider how best to resolve the problem.
2. to make a statement that shows what something or someone is like
   - her reply seemed to sum up the attitude of all the refugees.
3. to make a judgment about what someone or something is like
   - i'd already summed him up, and i knew he'd be difficult to work with.

1.　　A black police chief who had worked diligently to improve community relations, and reduce the use of force, now had to confront a racially motivated attack by a young black man against his officers.

　　　confront　【kənˈfrʌnt】　

1. if a problem, difficulty etc confronts you, it appears and need to be dealt with
   - the problems confronting the new government were enormous.
   - be confronted with something
   - customers are confronted with a bewildering amount of choice.
2. to deal with something very difficult or unpleasant in a brave and determined way
   - we try to help people confront their problems.
3. to face someone in a threatening way, as though you are going to attack them.
   - troops were confronted by an angry mob.
4. to accuse someone of doing something, especially by showing them the proof
   - confront somebody with/about something
   - i confronted him with my suspicions, and he admitted everything.

2.　　"My family has not only lost a son, but a fellow police officer and a private citizen lost their lives at the hands of our son," he said.

　　　a private citizen　普通公民　　

3.　　"In my opinion, how can you argue with aggressive community policing if it has yielded the safest the city has been over 86 years?" he said in an interview with the Observer in February.

　　　aggressive　【əˈɡrɛsɪv】　

1. behaving in an angry threatening way, as if you want to fight or attack someone
   - techers apparently expect a certain amount of aggressive behaviour from boys.
2. very determined to succeed or get what you want
   - the publisher has been very aggressive in promoting the book.

4.　　In the aftermath of the attack, several reporters who cover the Dallas Police Department pointed out the irony that the gunman targeted a force which had made strides to break the cycle of violence between its officers and community.

　　　aftermath　【ˈæftərmæθ】　

• the period of time after something such as a war, storm, or accident when people are still dealing with the results
  - the country is rebuilding its economy in the aftermath of the war.
  - in the aftermath of the fire, many people were in need of shelter.

　　　stride　【straɪd】　

1. a long step you make while you are walking
   - paco reached the door in only three strides.
2. an improvement in a situation or in the development of something
   - make great/major/gaint etc strides
   - the government has made great strides in reducing poverty.
3. take something in stride: to deal with something difficult or upsetting in a calm way
   - i thought she'd be upset, but she has take the news in stride.