Fun Facts-1 活用知识搜查线-1
- 详细资料
- 创建于 2013年1月14日
- 最后更新于 2023年12月18日
- 发布于 2013年1月14日
- 作者：Mike Lee
- 点击数：330
课文朗读
课文讲解
Q: Chocolate was enjoyed for the first time 2000 years ago. Do you know how it was consumed during that period long ago? 人类第一次享受巧克力是在两千年前。你知道在那么久以前它是如何被食用的吗？
(A) It was eaten in puddings. 作成布丁吃
(B) It was drunk as a beverage. 当饮料喝
(C) It was enjoyed as a candy. 当糖果吃
A: If you guessed B, you deserve a big mug of hot chocolate. In southern Mexico, Mayan Indians started to drink the brewed cacao beans. Interestingly, before they figured out how to make the very bitter bean enjoyable, they had used cacao beans as a kind of currency.
如果你猜B，那你可以得到一大杯热巧克力。在南墨西哥，马雅印地安人首先开始饮用煮过的可可豆。有趣的是：在他们了解如何将这种非常苦的豆子变得可让人享受之前，他们是将可可豆当作一种货币使用。
Q: The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France is one of the world’s most recognized structures. But can you guess what the tower was first used for? 法国巴黎的艾菲尔铁塔是世界最广为人知的建筑之一，但是你能猜出这座铁塔一开始是用来做什么的吗？
(A) A communications tower. 通讯塔
(B) A national landmark. 国家的地标
(C) An entrance arch. 入口拱门
A: You deserve to be on top if you chose C. Alexandre Gustave Eiffel designed the tower as an entrance arch for the 1889 World’s Fair. However, most French despised it and called it an “eyesore.” It was to be taken apart in 1909, but a telecommunications company saved it and turned it into a broadcast tower.
如果你选C，你应当高高在上。亚历山大．古斯塔夫．艾菲尔为1889年的世界博览会设计这座塔作为一个入口拱门。然而，多数法国人嫌弃它，甚至称它为「眼中钉」。此座铁塔本要在1909年被拆除。但是一家通讯公司挽救了它，并将其变为一座广播讯号塔。
单词发音
Vocabulary
consume [kənˋsjum] v. 吃完，喝光
(consume-consumed-consumed)
Pandas consume a lot of bamboo and hardly any other food.
enjoyable [ɪnˋdʒɔɪəb!] adj. 有乐趣的
Our nice, enjoyable day at the park was ruined when it started to rain.
recognized [ˋrɛkəg͵naɪzd] adj.公认的
recognize v. 認出
Hollywood is recognized as the capital of the movie world.
structure [ˋstrʌktʃɚ] n. 建筑物
When Taipei 101 was built, it was the tallest structure in the world.
landmark [ˋlænd͵mɑrk] n. 地标，陆标
The flashing lights on this building make it a good landmark if you get lost.
arch [ɑrtʃ] n. 拱门
The McDonald's sign is also known as the "Golden Arches" for the two yellow arches that make the restaurant's famous M.
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beverage [ˋbɛvərɪdʒ] n. 饮料
deserve [dɪˋzɝv] v. 应受，该得
brew [bru] v. 酿造
cacao [kəˋkeo] bean 可可豆
figure out【口】想出, 理解, 明白
currency [ˋkɝənsɪ] n. 货币
despise [dɪˋspaɪz] v. 鄙视；看不起
telecommunication [͵tɛlɪkə͵mjunəˋkeʃən] n. 电信〔指用电话﹑无线电﹑电视等发送和接收信息〕
课文朗读
课文讲解
Q: Waving a white flag is internationally understood as an act of surrender. Do you know where this action started? 挥舞白旗是一个在国际间能被理解的投降举动。你知道这个动作是从哪里来的吗？
(A) In Italy. 意大利
(B) In China. 中国
(C) Both A & B. 以上皆对
A: Hopefully you didn’t give up and wave a white flag－the answer is C. The white flag surrender developed in both countries independently. Historians believe the Chinese first did it during the Han dynasty, and a Roman writer recorded its first use in Italy in A.D. 109. As for the same color selection, one saying is that it was likely just a matter of convenience. White clothes without artificial dyes were always the handiest in the ancient world.
希望你不要放弃而高举白旗，正确答案是C。白旗投降在两个国家各有渊源。历史学家相信中国人第一次挥白旗是在汉朝，而一位罗马作家则记载白旗的使用是在109年的意大利。至于为何都是选择白色的原因，一种说法是这很可能只是为了方便。未经人工染色的白色布料在古代总是最容易取得的。
Q: As we all know, many cacti have spines. But do you know what these prickly spines are used for? 仙人掌有刺是众所皆知的，但你知道这些刺的作用是什么吗？
(A) They improve flavor. 增添美味
(B) They provide protection. 提供保护
(C) They help the plants communicate. 帮助仙人掌与彼此沟通
A: If you guessed B, you deserve a big hug from a cactus. The pointy of the cacti are actually its leaves slightly modified. One of the main functions of the spines is obvious, which is to protect it from humans and animals. The other reason is to protect it from the sun. In fact, the thousands of spines provide shade to protect the plants skin and help prevent water loss.
如果你选B，你可以得到仙人掌的一个大拥抱。仙人掌上尖锐的刺其实是稍微变化过的叶子。这些刺的其中一个主要功能非常明显，就是保护仙人掌以防人类和动物的伤害；另一个原因则是保护它不被阳光曝晒。事实上，这成千上万的刺可以提供遮蔽，以保护仙人掌的表皮并防止水分流失。
－by Kristopher Snyder
单词发音
Vocabulary
surrender [səˋrɛndɚ] n. 投降
The soldiers laid down their guns to show their surrender to the enemy.
historian [hɪsˋtorɪən] n. 历史学家
Historians help us understand the important events of the past.
convenience [kənˋvinjəns] n. 方便；合宜
Cellphones that take pictures and send emails are a great convenience.
artificial [͵ɑrtəˋfɪʃəl] adj. 人工的，人造的
The jacket, although made from artificial leather, looks very real.
slightly [ˋslaɪtlɪ] adv. 轻微地；稍微地
Although the twins look almost exactly the same, Robert is slightly taller than his brother.
shade [ʃed] n. 荫；阴凉处
Stay in the shade, or you may get burned by the sun.
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give up 放弃
cactus [ˋkæktəs] n. 仙人掌 pl: cactuses, cacti
spine [spaɪn] n.（动、植物的）刺，针
prickly [ˋprɪk!ɪ] adj. 多刺的
modify [ˋmɑdə͵faɪ] v. 修改﹐ 更改; 改进﹐ 改造