The Tall and Short of It 高人一等的秘密
Amazingly, we start off as tiny creatures of 40-50 centimeters in height. Throughout childhood and puberty we continue to grow and by adulthood, the _(1)_ of us are between 120 to 170 centimeters tall. What are the factors involved in producing such a dramatic change in such a short period of time?
Genetics _(2)_ a key role in determining a person's potential height. But a number of environmental factors can also have a hand in _(3)_ tall we actually become. Nutrition, sleep, and exercise are also major factors. These three have a strong influence on the amount of growth hormone secreted, which in turn has an effect on our future height.
During adolescence, people experience a growth spurt. This is when an individual can grow _(4)_ practically overnight. During this time, they should maintain a high protein, high calorie diet to maximize their height potential. Apart from a _(5)_ diet, it is wise to get 8-10 hours of sleep each night. Lastly, one should get involved in sports, especially basketball, cycling, and swimming, which are all good for helping _(6)_ the body during the growth period.
In today's image-conscious society, not being as tall as everyone _(7)_ can be a blow to one's confidence. But remember that confidence comes from within. If you stand tall and think tall, then most likely you will also feel tall!
──by Jenny Chou
(A) how / (B) majority
(C) else / (D) a great deal
(E) strengthen / (F) balanced
(G) plays
令人稱奇的是，人一開始是身長僅四、五十公分的小生物。經過兒童和青春時期的持續成長，到了成人期，大多數人身高會長到一百二十至一百七十公分之間。到底是哪些因素造成在短短時間內，有如此戲劇性的改變呢？
基因對於決定人的身高潛能具有關鍵性的作用。但是也有一些環境因素能影響我們最後的身高。營養、睡眠和運動也是主要的因素。這三者對成長激素的分泌有重大影響，而分泌量進而會左右我們日後的身高。
在青春期人體的成長突飛猛進，這時個體幾乎一個晚上就會突然抽高。在這期間，應該維持高蛋白質、高卡路里的飲食來使自己盡可能地長高。除了均衡的飲食外，最好能每晚睡八到十個小時。最後，應多作運動，尤其是打籃球、騎腳踏車和游泳，這些都在成長期間有強健體魄之效。
在今日重視形象的社會，身高若矮人一截可能會對自信造成打擊。然而，要記得自信源於內心。若站得挺直，對自己有信心，自然也會覺得高人一等！
標準答案: 1. (B) 2. (G) 3. (A) 4. (D) 5. (F) 6. (E) 7. (C)
單字:
1. puberty n. 青春期
2. factor n. 因素
3. dramatic a. 戲劇性的
4. genetics n. 基因/遺傳學
5. potential a. 潛在的 & n. 潛能
6. nutrition n. 營養
7. hormone n. 荷爾蒙, 激素
8. secrete vt. 分泌
9. adolescence n. 青少年時期
10. spurt n. 迸發; 衝刺
11. practically adv. 幾乎
12. image-conscious a. 注重形象的
13. confidence n. 信心
片語:
1. be/get involved in... 牽涉/參與……
例:Joe got involved in politics because he wanted to make a difference.
（喬從政的原因是他想要帶來改變。）
2. determine vt. 決定, 確定
例:The developer has determined where to build the outlet mall.
（開發業者已決定要在何處興建大型購物中心。）
3. have a hand in... 影響/參予……
例:The detectives were uncertain about who had a hand in the theft of the painting.
（探員們不確定誰在竊畫案中參一腳。）
4. have a...influence on...
對……有……的影響力
例:Listening to Mozart has a calming influence on children.
（聽莫札特的音樂對小孩有定心安神的作用。）
5. in turn 轉而, 然後
例:I will help you with your math and in turn, you should help me with my science.
（我會教你數學，然後你要教我自然。）
6. maximize vt. 使達最大限度
例:The student studied all night to maximize his chance of doing well on the exam.
（那名學生挑燈夜戰以盡量提高他考得好的機會。）
7. Apart from N/Ving, S + V 除了……, ……
=Aside from N/Ving, S + V
例:Apart from a large green chair, the room is empty.
（除了一張綠色的大椅子外，房間裡空蕩蕩的。）
8. be a blow to... 對……是一個打擊
例:It was a blow to her ego when her boss yelled at her in front of her colleagues.
（老闆在同事面前對她大吼大叫，對她的自尊造成了打擊。）
解題:
1.第一題空格應選 (B) majority
理由:
a. 空格前後分別為定冠詞the和介詞of, 得知本題應選填一名詞, 選項中僅(B) majority (大多數) 為名詞, 且置入後形成下列固定用法:
a/the majority of... 大多數的……
a/the minority of... 少數的……
例:In my opinion, a majority of people voted for the wrong candidate.
（依我看，大多數的人都選錯候選人。）
b. 根據上述, 故選(B)。
2.第二題空格應選 (G) plays
理由:
空格前有不可數名詞Genetics (遺傳學), 且本句尚缺動詞, 得知空格內應置入單數動詞, 故選(G) plays, 且形成下列固定用法:
play a...role in... 在……(方面) 扮演……的角色
=play a...part in...
例:My grandfather played an important role in developing this computer chip.
（我的祖父在發展這型電腦晶片上扮演了重要的角色。）
3.第三題空格應選 (A) how
理由:
a. 空格前有片語及物動詞have a hand in (影響), 故其後應置入名詞 (含可作名詞用的詞類)。然而空格後有形容詞tall, 主詞we和不完全不及物動詞become, 因此空格內應選填一可修飾形容詞的疑問副詞, 以引導名詞子句, 作介詞in的受詞。
b. 選項(A) how為疑問副詞, 置入空格後, 符合語意、用法, 故(A)為正選。
4.第四題空格應選 (D) a great deal
理由:
空格前有不及物動詞grow, 故空格內應置入副詞。選項(D) a great deal表『大大地』, 可作副詞用, 修飾動詞grow, 且合乎語意, 故為正選。
a great deal 大大地
例:In order to meet the consumers' needs, we'll have to work a great deal faster.
（為了迎合消費者的需求，我們得要大為加緊工作才行。）
5.第五題空格應選 (F) balanced
理由:
空格後有名詞diet (日常飲食), 故空格內應置入形容詞。選項(F) balanced (均衡的) 為過去分詞作形容詞用, 語意用法皆適當, 故選之。
6.第六題空格應選 (E) strengthen
理由:
a. 空格前有動名詞helping, 和原動詞help一樣, 其後可接不定詞作受詞, 而此句構中的to可省略。
help (to) V 幫忙 (做)……
例:On Mother's Day, my sister and I helped clean the entire house.
（母親節那天，我姊和我幫忙大掃除。）
b. 空格後為名詞片語the body, 得知空格內應置入原形及物動詞, 使the body作其受詞。選項中僅(E) strengthen (加強, 強化) 為原形及物動詞, 且置入後符合語意, 故為正選。
7.第七題空格應選 (C) else
理由:
空格前有everyone (每個人), 得知空格內應置入(C) else (別的), 因為everyone, everything, no one, nothing, anyone, anything, someone, something等字後均可置else來修飾。
例:Would you like anything else? We have a special on cheeseburgers today.
（您還要點其他的嗎？我們吉士漢堡今天特價。）
Mark is busy today, so I'll ask someone else to go to the movies with me.
（馬克今天很忙，所以我會找別人陪我去看電影。）
from 常春藤解析英語雜誌
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