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The Sweetest Song 鳥語天籟

Walking through a forest or even a city park, you cannot help but feel a wave of tranquility wash over you as you hear the music of nature. _(1)_ Each bird species has its own songs, with some mimicking those of other birds. Just as we speak to communicate, birds sing as a means of conversing. Not all songs are created equal, though; the length of a song varies from species to species. _(2)_ Nearly half of the 9,600 species of birds have a song to sing, with most of the musically-inclined birds performing early in the morning or in the late afternoon. Males tend to vocalize more often and the reason why they are so vocal comes as no surprise. _(3)_

  Though birds are not born with an inherent ability to sing, they develop their musical repertoire as they mature. A young bird starts out by singing what is called a "subsong." _(4)_ While some birds have just one song to sing, others have scores of them. The mockingbird, for example, can sing a few hundred songs. It seems as if they produce music non-stop without taking a breath. _(5)_ During your next visit to the park, close your eyes, open your ears, and listen to the relaxing sounds of birds chatting, singing, and trying to a get a date.

──by Nana Chen




(A) After a year, this junior song develops into a main melody.
(B) Often it is part of their effort to attract females during the mating season.
(C) This music comes courtesy of a multitude of birds.
(D) Due to the unique physiology of having a double voice box at the bottom of their windpipe, mockingbirds can sing and breathe at the same time.
(E) The songs range from short "chats" that can last for minutes to long drawn-out "conversations."

 

單字:

 

1. tranquility n. 平靜,安寧

2.
converse vi. 交談,對話

3.
musically-inclined a. 有音樂天賦的

4.
vocalize vi. 唱;發聲

5.
vocal a. 能說能唱的

6.
inherent a. 固有的,與生俱來的

7.
repertoire n. 曲目

8.
subsong n. 副歌,幼鳴

9.
mockingbird n. 反舌鳥(一種會模仿他種鳥類叫聲的鳥)

 

片語:

1.cannot help but V  不禁∕忍不住(做)……
=cannot help V-ing
:Whenever I think of him, I cannot help but shed a tear.
每當我一想到他,都會忍不住落淚。

2.
mimic vt. 模仿
:The child mimicked her father and pretended to smoke a pencil.
那小孩模仿她爸爸,拿鉛筆裝成菸來抽。

3.
communicate vi. 溝通,交流
communicate with...  與……溝通
:The well-known scientist believes that he can communicate with life in outer space.
那知名的科學家相信他能與外太空生物溝通。

4.
means n. 手段,方法(單複數同形)
by means of...  藉由……
=
by virtue of...
=
by way of...
:She became the head of the company by means of hard work and determination.
她憑藉努力及毅力當上了公司的領導。

5.
vary from A to B  從AB而有所不同
:The weather varies from very hot to very cold.
天氣變化從很熱到很冷不一。

6.
come as no surprise  一點也不意外
:It came as no surprise who committed the murder. I knew the nanny did it all along.
不用驚訝誰犯下這宗謀殺案,我自始至終都知道是那保母幹的。

7.
start out  開始,著手進行
:We started out small, but in less than a year, our company grew by 50 percent.
我們剛開業時規模雖小,但不到一年,公司就成長了50%。

 

解題:

1.第一題空格應選 (C)
理由:
空格前提及聽到大自然的音樂(hear the music of nature),選項(C)則說這種音樂是由一大群鳥兒免

費提供(This music comes courtesy of a multitude of birds.),置入後前後語意連貫,且music

兩句之關鍵字,故選之。
大補丸:
a.
(by) courtesy of...  由……免費提供
:These presents come courtesy of several interested investors.
這些禮品由數名有心的投資人免費提供。

b.
a multitude of...  大量的……
:The singer received a multitude of requests to perform live.
那歌手接獲大量要他現場演出的要求。


2.
第二題空格應選 (E)
理由:
空格前句提到並非所有鳥類的鳴囀都一樣(Not all songs are created equal),每首曲子的長度因鳥

種而異(the length of each song varies from species to species),選項(E)提供另一方面佐證,

說明鳥鳴也會從簡短交談到冗長對話而互異(The songs range from short "chats"...to long drawn-

out "conversations."
),且兩句中都有共同關鍵字songs,故(E)應為正選。
大補丸:
a.
range from A to B  範圍從AB(都有)
:The prices for shoes in that store range from $1,000 to $7,000.
那家店鞋子的價格從1,000元到7,000元都有。

b.
drawn-out a. 持續很久的


3.
第三題空格應選 (B)
理由:
空格前句說雄鳥往往較常鳴唱(Males tend to vocalize more often),選項(B)則表示這通常是在交配

季節為吸引雌鳥的一環(Often it is part of their effort to attract females during the mating

season.
),語意前後呼應,故選之。
大補丸:
mating n.(動物)交配
mate vi.(動物)交配


4.
第四題空格應選 (A)
理由:
空格前說雛鳥先會唱所謂的副歌(A young bird starts out by singing what is called a "subsong."

),選項(A)則說明副歌在一年後會發展成主旋律(After a year, this junior song develops into a

main melody.
),兩句語意連貫,且junior song為關鍵字,指的就是前句中的subsong,故選之。
大補丸:
a.
junior a. 等級較低的;較年幼的

b.
develop into...  發展成……
:Her small cough soon developed into a horrible asthma attack.
她的小咳嗽很快演變成嚴重的氣喘發作。


5.
第五題空格應選 (D)
理由:
前句以反舌鳥(mockingbird)為例,提到牠們似乎能不換氣地不停唱歌,而選項(D)補充說明由於獨特的

生理構造,使牠們能同時唱歌和呼吸(Due to the unique physiology..., mockingbirds can sing and

breathe at the same time.
),語意前後連貫,且mockingbird為兩句之關鍵字,故(D)應為正選。
大補丸:
a.
physiology n. 生理機能;生理學

b.
voice box n. 喉頭

c.
at the bottom of...  在……末端∕底部
:There is believed to be millions of dollars worth of gold at the bottom of the sea.
據信有筆價值數百萬的黃金沉在海底。

d.
windpipe n. 氣管




  步行穿越森林亦或都會公園,聽到那陣天籟時,不由得會感到一股寧靜湧入心頭。這天籟之音由一大

群鳥兒免費提供。每一種鳥都有自己的鳴囀,有些則會模仿其他鳥類。就如同我們為了溝通而說話,鳥類

也利用鳴唱來當作一種交談的工具。然而,並非所有鳥類的鳴囀都一樣,每首曲子的長度會因種類而有所

不同。鳥鳴也會從幾分鐘簡短的交談到冗長的對話而互異。9,600種鳥類中,幾乎有一半懂得鳴唱,而這

些天生的音樂家大部分於早晨或傍晚演出。雄鳥往往較常鳴唱,至於為什麼雄鳥這麼愛啾啾叫,理由一點

也不讓人驚訝。這通常也是在交配季節中,為吸引雌鳥的一環。

  雖然唱歌是與生俱來的,但鳥類並非天生就有鳴唱的能力,而是隨著羽翼漸豐,逐漸發展出自己的曲

目。雛鳥先會唱所謂的『副歌』來初試啼聲。一年之後,副歌會發展成主旋律。有些鳥只會唱一首歌,而

有些鳥的曲目卻有一大堆。例如反舌鳥就會唱幾百首歌。牠們唱歌的時候,彷彿不用換氣就可以一直不停

地唱下去。因為牠們氣管的末端有兩個喉頭,這獨特的生理構造使反舌鳥能同時鳴唱和呼吸。下次你去公

園時,閉上眼睛,豎起耳朵,傾聽小鳥交談、鳴唱、求愛時輕鬆悅耳的啼聲吧!




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

 

from 常春藤解析英語雜誌

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