Veni, Vidi, Vici, Vending Machines什麼都賣,什麼都不奇怪



by Jeremy Beacock
Vending machines have conquered the world.
販賣機已遍佈全球各地。

  Today, you can find vending machines in every city in the world. _(1)_ However, their familiarity hides a long history and a fascinating diversity.
  Interestingly, the earliest vending machine dates back nearly 2,000 years. Hero of Alexandria, one of Egypt's most respected inventors, made plans for a simple vending machine to give out Holy Water. _(2)_ However, it was not until the beginning of the industrial age that vending machines became common.
  The first modern vending machines were introduced to London in the early 1880s, selling postcards. _(3)_ More and more products were introduced, giving rise to the familiar drink and snack machines of today. Particular countries have added their own innovations. In the US, vending machines sell death insurance to worried travelers in airports. _(4)_ Some vending machines can even make fresh French fries on demand.
  However, with more than five million machines—one for every 23 people—the undisputed king of vending machines is Japan. The machines themselves sell an amazing range of goods, from fresh flowers to live stag beetles. _(5)_ Japan is also moving more towards an automated society by replacing entire convenience stores with banks of vending machines.
  Vending machines have become such an important part of life that they are sure to stay with us. Wherever you go, a few coins will get you anything from a soft drink to new underwear, but for a friendly smile, you will still have to go into a store.

(A) What's more, the Japanese are introducing new ways to pay, such as using mobile phones and credit cards.
(B) These machines sell a wide range of food, drinks, and daily necessities.
(C) The idea quickly developed, and the first US machines began selling gum at train stations in 1888.
(D) Once a coin was inserted, a small amount of Holy Water was dispensed.
(E) In Australia, vending machines sell local gems as souvenirs for tourists.
原來如此 


1. 第一題空格應選 (B)
理由:
a. 空格前提到,現今在世界各個城市裡,你都可以看到自動販賣機(vending machines)。
b. (B) 選項中表示,這些機器(machines)販售各式各樣的食物、飲料和日用品,選項中的 machines 指的就是前一句的 vending machines,語意連貫,故選之。
大補丸:
a. a wide range of...  各式各樣的……
例: Our school offers a wide range of courses in your field.
(我們的學校提供和你領域相關的各式課程。)
b. necessity n. 必需品
daily necessities  生活必需品

2. 第二題空格應選 (D)
理由:
a. 空格前提到,出身亞歷山卓的希羅,也就是埃及最受尊崇的發明家之一,規劃出分發聖水(give out Holy Water)的簡易販賣機。
b. (D) 選項接著說,只要投入一枚硬幣,就會有少量的聖水流出來(Holy Water was dispensed),前後語意連貫,且皆有關鍵字 Holy Water,故選之。
大補丸:
a. insert vt. 投入;插入
insert a coin  投入硬幣
例: Insert coins into the machine and press the button.
(將錢幣投入機器,再按下按鈕。)
b. a small/large amount of + 不可數名詞  少量的∕大量的……
a small/large number of + 複數名詞  少數的∕許多的……
例: The police spent a large amount of time searching for the suspect.
(警方花了很多時間搜查該嫌犯。)
例: Only a small number of students passed the test.
(只有少數學生考及格。)
c. Holy Water  (天主教)聖水
d. dispense vt. 分配,分發
例: The charity dispensed food and clothes to the victims of the earthquake.
(那家慈善機構將食物和衣服分發給地震災民。)

3. 第三題空格應選 (C)
理由:
a. 空格前提到,1880 年代初期,倫敦引進第一批現代版自動販賣機(The first modern vending machines),用來販售明信片。
b. (C) 選項接著又提到,這個概念迅速地發展開來,到了 1888 年,美國最初的自動販賣機(the first US machines)開始在火車站販售口香糖,前後兩句都是在描述 1880 年代時,在英國和美國各自的第一批自動販賣機所販售的商品為何,具有關聯性,故選之。

4. 第四題空格應選 (E)
理由:
a. 空格前的兩個句子提到,有些國家也加入了自己的創新改革(innovations)。在美國的機場,就有自動販賣機販售死亡保險(death insurance)給那些對安全感到憂慮的旅客。
b. (E) 選項接著說到,在澳洲,就有賣觀光客當地寶石(local gems)做為紀念品的自動販賣機,前後的句子都在描述兩個國家所販賣的特殊物品,分別是美國的 death insurance 和澳洲的 local gems,呼應了之前各國加入創新改革的說法,故選之。
大補丸:
a. vending machine n. 自動販賣機
b. gem n. 寶石
c. souvenir n. 紀念品
例: Al bought his mother a souvenir when he was at the airport in Hong Kong.
(艾爾在香港機場時,買了個紀念品給他媽媽。)

5. 第五題空格應選 (A)
理由:
a. 空格前的句子提到,日本境內擁有超過 5 百萬台的販賣機(平均每 23 人就有一台),是無庸置疑的自動販賣機王國。這些販賣機販售各式驚奇的物品,從鮮花到活生生的鍬形甲蟲都有。
b. (A) 選項接著說到,尤有甚者,日本人更推出了付費的新花招(new ways to pay),像是使用手機和信用卡等付費,前後兩句都說明了日本販賣機的情形,語意連貫,故選之。
精解字詞片語 


1. familiarity n. 熟悉,親切
例: Kate's familiarity with the city helped us get around.
(凱特對這個城市很熟悉,有助於我們來去自如。)

2. diversity n. 多樣性,不同
a diversity of...  各式各樣的……
例: The United States is known for its diversity of cultures.
(美國因其多元文化而著名。)
例: The writer has a diversity of books which could make up a small library.
(那名作家有各式各樣的書籍,足以構成一座小圖書館。)

3. date back + 一段時間  追溯至……(一段時間)前
date back to + 時間  追溯至……(時間)
例: Those paintings date back 500 years.
(這些畫作可追溯至 500 年前。)
例: This porcelain plate dates back to the Ching Dynasty.
(這只瓷盤可追溯至清朝。)

4. it is not until + 時間 + that 子句  直到……時才……
例: It was not until 1999 that East Timor gained its independence.
(東帝汶一直到 1999 年才得以獨立。)

5. give rise to...  導致……
例: The bus driver's carelessness gave rise to the accident.
(那位公車司機的粗心導致了這場意外。)

6. on demand  應要求(即提供);備索
例: The restaurant prepares vegetarian dishes on demand.
(那家餐廳會應顧客要求提供素食。)
例: We have lots of booklets on demand.
(我們有許多小冊子備索。)

7. replace A with B  以 B 替換 A
例: The factory replaced its workers with robots.
(這家工廠用機器人取代工人。)

8. banks of...  一排排的……
例: There are only a few banks of seats in this theater.
(這個劇場裡只有幾排座位。)
單字小舖 


1. interestingly adv. 有趣地
2. industrial a. 工業的
3. postcard n. 明信片
4. familiar a. 熟悉的
5. particular a. 特殊的
6. innovation n. 改革,創新
7. insurance n. 保險
death/life insurance  平安∕人壽保險
health insurance  健康保險
8. undisputed a. 無異議的,毫無疑問的
9. goods n. 商品,貨物(恆用複數)
10. stag beetle n. 鍬形甲蟲
11. automated a. 自動化的
12. underwear n. 內衣(集合名詞,不可數)
13. friendly a. 親切的,友善的
中文翻譯&標準答案 


現今,在世界各個城市裡,你都可以看到自動販賣機。這些機器販售各式各樣的食物、飲料和日用品。不過,這種人們再熟悉不過的東西,其實背後有一段很長的歷史和吸引人的多樣變化。
  
有趣的是,最早的自動販賣機要追溯到將近兩千年前。出身亞歷山卓的希羅,也就是埃及最受尊崇的發明家之一,規劃出分發聖水的簡易販賣機。只要投入一枚硬幣,就會有少量的聖水流出來。然而,一直要到工業時代初期,自動販賣機才變得普遍起來。
  
1880 年代初期,倫敦引進第一批現代版自動販賣機,用來販售明信片。這個概念迅速發展開來,到 1888 年,美國最初的自動販賣機開始在火車站販售口香糖。越來越多商品推陳出新,造就了今日我們所熟悉的飲料和零食販賣機。有些國家也加入了自己的創新改革。在 美國的機場,就有自動販賣機販售平安保險給那些對安全感到憂慮的旅客。在澳洲,就有賣觀光客當地寶石做為紀念品的自動販賣機。有些販賣機甚至還能接受要求 現做新鮮薯條。
  
不過,日本境內擁有超過 5 百萬台的自動販賣機(平均每 23 人就有一台),是無庸置疑的自動販賣機王國。這些販賣機販售各式驚奇的商品,從鮮花到活生生的鍬形甲蟲都有。尤有甚者,日本人更推出了付費的新花招,像是 使用手機和信用卡付費等。日本甚至用一排排的販賣機取代整間便利商店,朝自動化的社會更邁進一步。
  
販賣機已成為生活中重要的一部分,勢必會繼續出現在我們身邊。不管你走到哪裡,幾個硬幣就可以讓你買到不管像是汽水或是內衣等任何東西。不過要是想看到親切的笑容,你還是得走進商店裡才行。

標準答案: 1. (B) 2. (D) 3. (C) 4. (E) 5. (A)



from 常春藤解析英語 ( HTML 圖文版 )
arrow
arrow
    全站熱搜

    luishsu 發表在 痞客邦 留言(0) 人氣()