2008-09-10

An Icy Island Warms Up 暖化的格陵蘭冰原

 
每週 四 出刊.2008.09.11
 
本 期 目 錄 簡介/舊報明細
An Icy Island Warms Up 暖化的格陵蘭冰原
原來如此
精解字詞片語
單字小舖
在地的大阪漢堡「華円」
風行全球的美國漢堡,到了日本人的手上會變成什麼樣子呢?
文意選填 

An Icy Island Warms Up 暖化的格陵蘭冰原



by Kevin Lustig
Cold Greenland is experiencing global warming.
寒冷的格陵蘭島正歷經全球暖化。

  Greenland has always maintained a unique culture with its own language, music, and social customs. This is because explorers from Norway were the first Europeans to _(1)_ Native Americans, and they did so on the island that they later named Greenland. Since _(2)_, Greenland has been home to an interesting mixture of Europeans and natives.

  Greenland is also a unique location for natural reasons; it is covered with ice all year, _(3)_ regions on the coastline. In fact, the Greenland ice sheet is the second largest area of ice on land in the world. Due to global warming, however, the ice sheet is beginning to _(4)_. Since living conditions in Greenland are made difficult by the icy countryside, it might seem that a temperature increase would be a positive thing. Is global warming really good for Greenland?

  Actually, it _(5)_ whom you ask. For Greenland's native majority, life revolves around hunting. The country's Northern European immigrants, on the other hand, are farmers and businesspeople. Global warming is proving to be very positive for the _(6)_ group. The smaller ice sheet means that there is more _(7)_ for crops. Furthermore, Greenland has valuable natural resources like oil and gas that are becoming easier to access. However, warmer ocean waters and a changing landscape are causing the animals the natives hunt to become scarcer. This is harming not only the Greenlanders' diet _(8)_ their culture.

  In the end, global warming's _(9)_ may prove to be more important for Greenland. With increased wealth from natural resources, Greenland might even become a self-sufficient, independent nation. Yet, Greenlanders will have to work to _(10)_ their native way of life. If they don't, global warming might make it disappear along with the ice sheet.

(A) room (B) preserve (C) melt (D) benefits (E) except for (F) latter (G) encounter (H) then (I) but also (J) depends on
原來如此 


1. This is because explorers from Norway were the first Europeans to encounter Native Americans, and they did so on the island that they later named Greenland.
理由:
a. 空格前有不定詞 to,之後有名詞詞組 Native Americans(美洲原住民),可知空格內應置入原形及物動詞。
b. 選項中為原形及物動詞的有 (B) preserve(保存)、(C) melt(使融化)和 (G) encounter(遇到),但僅 encounter 置入後符合語意,表挪威的探險家是最早『遇到』美洲原住民的歐洲人,故選 (G)。
c. encounter vt. 遇到;偶遇
例: I encountered an old friend at the coffee shop.
= I bumped into an old friend at the coffee shop.
(我在咖啡店遇到一位老朋友。)

2. Since then, Greenland has been home to an interesting mixture of Europeans and natives.
理由:
a. since 作介詞時,表『自從……、自……之後』,之後接明確的時間、名詞、動名詞或 then(since then 即等於 since that time),形成副詞片語,修飾完成式或完成進行式的主要子句。
例: I wrote to Jane a month ago, but I haven't written her since then.
(我一個月前寫信給珍,但從那之後就沒再寫過了。)
b. 空格前有 Since,而主要子句為現在完成式 has been home to(一直是……的所在地),故根據上述,可知空格應置入 (H) then。

3. Greenland is also a unique location for natural reasons; it is covered with ice all year, except for regions on the coastline.
理由:
a. 空格前有 all(整個的),可知空格可置入 except for(除了……以外)與其搭配使用。
except for...  除了……以外
注意:
except for 常與表完全概念的詞類 all, every, any, no 等並用。
例: The poor man had nothing except for a dog.
(除了一隻狗外,那個窮光蛋一無所有。)
b. 根據上述,可知應選 (E)。

4. Due to global warming, however, the ice sheet is beginning to melt.
理由:
a. 空格前有不定詞 to,且其後無受詞,可知空格應置入原形不及物動詞。
b. 選項中為原形不及物動詞的僅有 (C) melt(融化),置入後亦符合語意,表大冰原由於全球暖化而開始『融化』,故選之。

5. Actually, it depends on whom you ask.
理由:
a. 空格前有主詞 it,後有疑問代名詞 whom 引導的名詞子句,可知空格內應置入第三人稱單數及物動詞或片語動詞。
b. 符合上述條件的選項有 (D) benefits(有益於) 和 (J) depends on(視……而定),惟 (J) 置入後符合語意,表這問題的答案其實要看你問什麼人而定,故為正選。
c. depend on...  視……而定
例: His decision depends on the costs involved.
(他的決定視所需的花費而定。)

6. Global warming is proving to be very positive for the latter group.
理由:
a. 空格前有定冠詞 the,後有名詞 group(團體;群),可知空格內應置入形容詞。
b. 選項中為形容詞的僅剩 (F) latter(後者的),置入後亦符合語意,表全球暖化證明對『後者』是件好事,故選之。
c. latter n. & a.(兩者間)後者(的)
例: Lily and Lucy are sisters. The former is a nurse, and the latter is a dentist.
(莉莉和露西是姐妹。前者是護士,而後者是牙醫。)

7. The smaller ice sheet means that there is more room for crops.
理由:
a. 空格前有 there is(有)和形容詞 more(比較多的),可知空格應置入不可數名詞。
b. 符合上述條件的選項僅有 (A) room(空間),置入後亦符合語意,表有更多耕種作物的『空間』,故選之。
c. room n. 空間(不可數)
make room for...  為……騰出空間
例: I am trying to make room for this big table.
(我正設法騰出空間放置這張大桌子。)

8. This is harming not only the Greenlanders' diet but also their culture.
理由:
a. 空格前有 not only,可知本空格測試下列固定用法:
not only...but also...  不僅……而且……
例: The fire destroyed not only the house where it started but also the store next door.
(那場火災不只燒毀起火的房子,還燒掉了隔壁的店舖。)
b. 根據上述,可知應選 (I)。

9. In the end, global warming's benefits may prove to be more important for Greenland.
理由:
a. 空格前有所有格 global warming's(全球暖化的),可知空格內應置入名詞。
b. 選項中為名詞的僅剩 (D) benefits(益處),置入後亦符合語意,故選之。
c. benefit n. 好處,利益 & vt. 有益於
for the benefit of...    為了……的利益
= for the good of...
= in the interest of...
例: The fund-raising concert was held for the benefit of the new orphanage.
(募款音樂會是為了那家新孤兒院而舉辦的。)
例: The new tax law doesn't benefit workers.
(這項新稅法對勞工並無益處。)

10. Yet, Greenlanders will have to work to preserve their native way of life.
理由:
a. 空格前有不定詞 to,後有名詞詞組 their native way of life(他們的原始生活方式),可知空格內應置入原形及物動詞。
b. 選項中為原形及物動詞的僅剩 (B) preserve(保存),置入後亦符合語意,表努力『保存』他們的原始生活方式,故選之。
c. preserve vt. 保存,維護;保護
例: We should try to preserve endangered species.
(我們應該設法保護瀕臨絕種的動物。)
比較:
conserve vt. 保護(自然資源);節約使用(能源)
例: Countries the world over are trying to conserve energy due to oil shortages.
(由於石油短缺,世界各地的國家正設法節約能源。)
精解字詞片語 


1. warm up  暖和起來;做暖身運動
例: You should warm up before jogging.
(慢跑前應該先做暖身運動。)

2. be home to...  是……的所在地/棲息地
例: The waters off Australia are home to the feared great white shark.
(澳洲外海的水域是恐怖大白鯊的棲息地。)

3. be covered with...  被……覆蓋
例: Jeff was covered with whipped cream after the pie-throwing contest.
(砸派比賽後,傑夫全身都是奶油。)

4. revolve vi. 以……為中心;旋轉
revolve around...  環繞著……
例: Mary's life revolves around her children.
(瑪麗的生活以孩子為中心。)

5. on the other hand  另一方面
注意:
on the other hand 可單獨使用,亦可與 on the one hand 並用,形成 "on (the) one hand...on the other (hand)..."(一方面……另一方面……)的用法,其中括弧內的 the 和 hand 均可省略。on the one hand 則不可單獨使用。
例: On one hand, I want to go to the beach this weekend. On the other, maybe I should go to the mountains.
(一方面,我這個週末想去海邊。另一方面說來,也許我該到山上走走才對。)

6. access vt. & n. 接近,使用
have access to...  接觸到……;利用……
例: Students have access to the library only during the daytime.
(學生只有在白天才能使用圖書館。)

7. independent a. 獨立的,自主的
be independent of...  從……獨立;不依賴……
例: He has been independent of his parents since he was eighteen.
(他從 18 歲起就不再依賴父母。)

8. along with...  連同……一起
= together with...
例: The new president has decided to tax tobacco along with alcohol.
(新總統決定課煙酒稅。)
單字小舖 


1. mixture n. 混合
2. location n. 地點;位置
3. coastline n. 海岸線
4. ice sheet n. 大冰原,冰蓋
5. living condition  生活條件
6. positive a. 正面的;積極的
negative a. 負面的;消極的
7. immigrant n. 移民(由外移入者)
8. businesspeople n. 商人
9. crop n. 作物
10. valuable a. 珍貴的;有價值的
11. resource n. 資源
natural resources  自然資源
12. landscape n. 風景,景色
13. scarce a. 不足的,缺乏的
14. self-sufficient a. 自給自足的

格陵蘭一直以來都維持著自己的獨特文化,有屬於自己的語言、音樂和社會習俗。這是因為挪威的探險家是最早遇到美洲原住民的歐洲人,而他們就是在這塊他們後來命名為格陵蘭的島嶼上進行這項第一次的接觸。自那時起,格陵蘭這塊土地上便有著混合歐洲與當地原住民文化的有趣特色。

島上的自然景觀也是格陵蘭與眾不同的原因。島上除了海岸線附近的區域外,其他地區常年被冰所覆蓋。事實上,格陵蘭的冰原是世界上第二大的陸地冰域。但由於全球暖化,導致冰原開始融化。既然冰天雪地的環境使得格陵蘭的生活條件欠佳,氣溫上升似乎是件好事。但全球暖化真對格陵蘭有利嗎?

這問題的答案其實要看你問什麼人而定。格陵蘭多數原住民的生活主要依賴狩獵。另一方面,格陵蘭北部的歐洲移民則多為農夫和商人。全球暖化證明對後者而言是件好事。冰原面積愈小就代表有更多耕種作物的空間。此外,格陵蘭珍貴的天然資源,像是石油和天然氣,將更容易取得。然而溫暖的海水和地貌的改變造成當地原住民狩獵的動物日益稀少,這不僅危及格陵蘭島民的飲食,同樣也破壞了他們的文化。

全球暖化的益處最後對格陵蘭來說或許是更加重要。隨著開採自然資源而增加的財富,格陵蘭甚至可能成為一個自給自足的獨立國家。但格陵蘭島民將必須努力保存其原始的生活方式。如果不這麼做的話,全球暖化也許不只是造成冰原消失,也會使他們的原始生活方式隨之消失殆盡。

標準答案: 1. (G) 2. (H) 3. (E) 4. (C) 5. (J) 6. (F) 7. (A) 8. (I) 9. (D) 10. (B)
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