The End of Finning 搶救鯊魚大作戰






by Leigh Goldberg
Taiwan is the first place in Asia to ban the inhumane practice of shark finning.
  Long revered as a symbol of wealth, status, and prestige in Chinese society, shark fin soup sells for up to US$100 a bowl and is often served at wedding banquets and corporate celebrations. Its supposed benefits of improving one's skin, preventing heart disease, lowering cholesterol, and boosting sexual vitality have made it a hot commodity. _(1)_
  Sharks are near the top of the marine ecosystem, so they help keep everything in balance. Even so, they grow slowly, taking nearly 15 years to reach maturity. _(2)_ This means that the shark fin industry's killing of 1.5 million sharks per week is throwing the ecosystem out of whack, not to mention threatening 30 percent of shark species with extinction. The biggest complaint about the shark fin industry is the inhumane practice of finning. _(3)_
  The plight of sharks might just be getting a reprieve. Taiwan, which has the fourth largest shark fin industry in the world, recently passed a ban on shark finning. _(4)_ The new law doesn't restrict fishermen from catching sharks, though. Instead, the ban makes it illegal to return to port with the sharks already cut up into pieces. Taiwan has joined the US, Australia, and the European Union in making shark finning illegal. _(5)_ Sharks that are alive are a lot more valuable to the world than those that are dead.

(A) Sharks also produce very few offspring.
(B) This makes it the first place in Asia to do so.
(C) Now is the time for Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the rest of the world to ban the possession, use, and consumption of shark fins altogether.
(D) However, this taste of luxury comes at an extremely high cost to the environment.
(E) This involves catching sharks, cutting off their fins, and then savagely dumping the rest of the animals back into the ocean alive.
原來如此 


1. 第一題空格應選 (D)
理由:
a. 空格前 2 句提到,1 碗魚翅湯要價高達 100 美元,其傳聞中的功效包括改善膚質、預防心臟病、降低膽固醇和提高性能力,這些在在使它成為暢銷商品。
b. (D) 選項的句子說,然而,這類奢華(luxury)的味蕾享受卻讓環境付出極高的代價,其中 luxury 呼應前面提到的 1 碗湯所費不貲,且前後語意連貫,故選之。
大補丸:
at a/an + adj. + cost to...
讓……付出……的代價
Martin worked non-stop for two months at a considerable cost to his health.
馬汀連續 2 個月不停地工作,讓他的健康付出相當大的代價。
比較:
at a/the cost of...  以……的代價;犧牲……
The fire fighter saved the boy from the fire at the cost of his own life.
這名消防隊員犧牲自己的生命把那個男孩救出火場。

2. 第二題空格應選 (A)
理由:
a. 空格前一句提到,鯊魚的生長速度緩慢,將近 15 年才能到達成熟期。而空格後一句提到,這意味著魚翅產業每星期殺害 150 萬頭鯊魚,使得生態系統大為紊亂,更不用說讓百分之三十的鯊魚種類面臨滅絕的威脅,推測空格內應為鯊魚容易因為魚翅產業的發展而面臨絕種的自然特徵。
b. (A) 選項的句子說,再者,鯊魚繁衍的後代為數稀少,符合推測,且前後語意連貫,故選之。
大補丸:
offspring n. 後代;子孫;子女(單複數同形)
The young couple haven't had any offspring yet.
這對年輕夫婦還沒有任何子女。

3. 第三題空格應選 (E)
理由:
a. 空格前一句提到,針對魚翅產業最大的不滿是獵取魚鰭的不人道行徑,推測空格內應為不人道的行徑為何。
b. (E) 選項的句子說,這包含了獵捕鯊魚、割下魚鰭,並殘忍地將剩下的魚體活生生丟回海洋,符合推測,且前後語意連貫,故選之。
大補丸:
a. cut off.../cut...off  把……割掉∕切掉
One of the mechanic's fingers was accidentally cut off by the turbine.
這名技師的其中 1 根手指不小心被渦輪切掉。
b. savagely adv. 殘忍地,兇殘地
c. dump vt. 丟棄,扔掉;傾倒
At present, most of the garbage people create is dumped in landfills.
目前大部分人們製造的垃圾都傾倒在掩埋場中。

4. 第四題空格應選 (B)
理由:
a. 空格前一句說,名列全世界魚翅產業規模第 4 位的台灣,最近通過獵取鯊魚鰭的禁令。
b. (B) 選項的句子說,這讓台灣成為亞洲首先實行此舉的國家,前後語意連貫,故選之。

5. 第五題空格應選 (C)
理由:
a. 空格前一句提到,台灣已和美國、澳洲和歐盟共同加入禁止獵取鯊魚鰭的行列。
b. (C) 選項的句子接著說,現在正是台灣、香港和全世界其他國家齊力禁止擁有、使用以及食用魚翅的時候,前後語意連貫,故選之。
大補丸:
a. ban vt. 禁止 & n. 禁令
pass a ban on...  通過……的禁令
The committee passed a ban on the use of cell phones at school.
該委員會通過校內使用手機的禁令。
b. possession n. 擁有(不可數)
c. consumption n. 食用;消耗
This kind of fruit was declared unfit for human consumption.
這種水果被宣布不適合人體食用。
d. altogether adv. 全部;完全
精解字詞片語 


1. symbol n. 象徵
The type of car a person drives is often seen as a symbol of their status and wealth.
一個人所開的車常被視為地位和財富的象徵。

2. supposed a. 傳聞的;假定的
Everyone at the office was talking about Vivian's supposed affair with the boss.
辦公室每個人都在談論薇薇安和老闆之間傳聞中的戀情。

3. boost vt. 提高,增加
Getting the proper amount of nutrition and sleep will help boost your body's resistance to colds.
適量的營養補充和睡眠有助提高身體對感冒的抵抗力。

4. Even so, S + V  即使如此,……
There are quite a few spelling mistakes in this essay. Even so, it's very good.
這篇文章有不少拼字錯誤。即使如此,它還是很棒。

5. out of whack  (系統、機器等)不正常
whack n.(良好)情況∕狀況
The long flight threw Jim's sleep cycle out of whack.
長途飛行把吉姆的睡眠週期給打亂了。

6. not to mention + N/V-ing  更不用說……
The child is not capable of saying the word, not to mention spelling it.
這小孩還不會說這個字,更別說是拼出來了。

7. complaint n. 抱怨
make a complaint (to sb) about...
(向某人)抱怨……
Diane made a complaint to the manager about the waiter's lousy service.
黛安向店經理抱怨該服務生服務品質不佳。

8. reprieve n. 暫緩,延緩
The special incentive will give shoppers a reprieve from having to pay sales tax.
這項特別優惠讓顧客暫時不用支付銷售稅。

9. restrict sb from + V-ing
限制某人做……
restrict vt. 限制,約束
Mary's parents restrict her from staying out past 11:00 PM.
瑪莉的父母限制她晚上 11 點後就不得在外遊蕩。
單字小舖 


1. fin vi. 取得魚鰭 & n. 魚鰭
shark fin n. 魚翅;鯊魚鰭
2. revere vt. 尊敬,崇敬(= respect)
3. prestige n. 名望,聲譽
4. banquet n. 宴會
5. corporate a. 公司的
6. cholesterol n. 膽固醇
7. vitality n. 精力,活力
8. commodity n. 商品;日用品(常用複數)
9. marine a. 海洋的
10. ecosystem n. 生態系統
11. maturity n. 成熟(期)
12. extinction n. 滅絕,絕種
13. inhumane a. 不人道的
14. plight n. 困境
15. valuable a. 有價值的;有用的
中文翻譯&標準答案 


搶救鯊魚大作戰
台灣是亞洲第 1 個禁止獵取鯊魚鰭這種不人道行徑的國家。
  在華人社會,魚翅湯長久以來就被尊為財富、地位和名望的象徵,1 碗湯要價高達 100 美元,是婚宴和公司行號慶祝活動上常見的菜餚。它傳聞中的功效包括改善膚質、預防心臟病、降低膽固醇和提高性能力,這些在在使魚翅湯成為暢銷商品。然而, 這類奢華的味蕾享受卻讓環境付出極高的代價。
  鯊魚位居海洋生態系統的頂端附近,因而有助於生態系統的平衡。即使如此,牠們的生長速度緩慢,將近 15 年才能到達成熟期。再者,鯊魚繁衍的後代為數稀少。這意味著魚翅產業每星期殺害 150 萬頭鯊魚,使得生態系統大為紊亂,更不用說讓百分之三十的鯊魚種類面臨滅絕的威脅。針對魚翅產業最大的不滿是獵取魚鰭的不人道行徑。這包含了獵捕鯊魚、割 下魚鰭,並殘忍地將剩下的魚體活生生丟回海洋。
  如今,鯊魚面對的困境可能得到緩解。名列全世界魚翅產業規模第 4 位的台灣,最近通過獵取鯊魚鰭的禁令。這讓台灣成為亞洲首先實行此舉的國家。不過新的法令不限制漁業人士捕鯊,但回港的漁船上載有被肢解的鯊魚則屬違法。 台灣已和美國、澳洲和歐盟共同加入禁止獵取鯊魚鰭的行列。現在正是台灣、香港和全世界其他國家完全禁止擁有、使用以及食用魚翅的時候。比起死掉的鯊魚,活 著的鯊魚對世界來得更有價值。
答案:1. (D) 2. (A) 3. (E) 4. (B) 5. (C)




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