Luis國際資訊事務所

 

by Jeremy Beacock and Matthew Brown

Brazil is famous for its natural beauty, culture, and Carnival.

巴西以其自然美景、多元文化和嘉年華聞名於世。

　　The place now known as Brazil used to be the home of scattered indigenous tribes speaking more than 2,000 different languages. In the early 1500s, the Portuguese invaded the country and controlled it for hundreds of years. After the Portuguese took over, it wasn't until 1822 that Brazil became an independent country. Brazil is now the fourth largest democracy in the world and the largest Portuguese-speaking country in the world. This big country has a lot to offer.
　　Brazil contains a particularly modern spectacle—a megalopolis. The city of S姛 Paulo is the third largest city in the world, and has interesting architecture and a vibrant culture. It is considered to be more cosmopolitan than Brazil's second largest city, Rio de Janeiro, and houses some of the world's most admired museums. With its sizeable Italian, Japanese, Arab, and Lebanese neighborhoods, S姛 Paulo's multiculturalism is a big part of its appeal. One of the advantages of this multi-ethnic environment, of course, is the wide variety of delicious foods that can be enjoyed at its restaurants.
　　On the other end of the spectrum, Brazil has one of the world's most important natural treasures: the magnificent Amazon Rainforest. The Rainforest is no mere forest; with the greatest biodiversity in the world, it is a place of magic. Scientists estimate that there could be almost four million species of plants and animals in Brazil. Not surprisingly, the Amazon Rainforest is seriously threatened by human development, and there is a great deal of concern about its destruction and the impact this would have on the world. But Brazil's natural wonders are some of its most popular tourist attractions, and perhaps this will give the country enough of a financial incentive to protect its precious natural beauty.

1. scattered a. 散佈的
2. democracy n. 民主國家
3. spectacle n. 景象；奇觀
4. megalopolis n. 大都會；都會區
5. architecture n. 建築；建築物
6. vibrant a. 充滿生氣的
7. cosmopolitan a. 國際性的
8. sizeable a. 相當大的
9. multiculturalism n. 多元文化
10. multi-ethnic a. 多種族的
11. magnificent a. 宏偉的；壯麗的
12. biodiversity n. 生物多樣性
13. threaten vt. 威脅
14. destruction n. 破壞；毀滅
15. financial a. 財政（上）的；財務的
16. incentive n. 動機；誘因

1. indigenous a. 本地的；土產的
be indigenous to + 地方　　原產於……（某地）
= be native to + 地方
例:This lizard is indigenous to Mexico.
（這種蜥蜴原產於墨西哥。）

2. take over (...)　　接管（……）
例: Chris is planning to take over his father's company.
（克里斯計劃接管父親的公司。）

3. independent a. 獨立的
be independent of...　　從……獨立；不依賴……
be dependent on...　　依賴……
例: Al has been independent of his parents ever since he finished college.
（艾爾自從念完大學後，就不再依賴父母了。）
例: In my opinion, Mary is too dependent on her boyfriend.
（依我之見，瑪麗太依賴她男朋友了。）

4. particularly adv. 特別地，尤其
例: This medicine has a particularly bitter aftertaste.
（這種藥吃下去後感覺特別苦。）

5. be considered (to be) + N/adj.　　
= be thought (to be) + N/adj.　　被視為……
例: This is considered to be the director's best movie.
（這部電影被視為是該導演最棒的作品。）

6. appeal n. 吸引力 & vi. 吸引
appeal to...　　吸引……
例: I hope the new shirt I designed will appeal to teenagers.
（我希望我設計的新襯衫能吸引青少年。）

7. the/a wide variety of...　　各式各樣的……
例: My grandmother knows how to cook a wide variety of dishes.
（我祖母會做各式各樣的菜餚。）

8. spectrum n. 範圍；幅度
on the other end of the spectrum　　另一個極端是；另一方面
a broad spectrum of...　　範圍廣泛的……
例: That school offers a broad spectrum of courses for international students.
（該校提供各國學生種類繁多的課程。）

9. estimate vt. 估計
It is estimated + that 子句　　據估計……
例: It is estimated that there will be six new coffee shops here by next month.
（據估計，到下個月這裡會多開 6 家咖啡廳。）

10. impact n. 影響
have an impact on...　　對……有影響
= have an influence on...
= have an effect on...
例: This book had a big impact on my life.
（這本書對我的人生影響甚鉅。）

現在被稱為巴西的地方，境內曾經有許多散居各處的土著部落，他們使用的語言多達兩 千多種。16 世紀初葡萄牙人入侵，統治該地長達數百年之久。直到 1822 年脫離葡萄牙統治，巴西才獨立建國。現在她是世界排名第四大的民主國家，也是世界上使用葡萄牙語人口最多的國家。這個地大物博的國家有許多值得一遊之處。
　　
巴西的都會區是個特別的現代奇觀。聖保羅是世界第三大的城市，其建築物富饒趣味，文化也生氣盎然。一般認為她比巴西的第二大城里約．熱內盧來得國際化，一 些世界級的博物館就座落於此。聖保羅有著規模頗大的義大利、日本、阿拉伯和黎巴嫩社區，造就該城的文化多元發展，成為吸引遊客的重要原因之一。當然，種族 多元的好處之一就是當地的餐廳提供顧客各式各樣的美食。
　　
巴西另一個截然不同的景觀，就是世界的重要自然資產之一：壯麗的亞馬遜雨林。亞馬遜雨林不僅僅是森林而已，其不可思議之處在於她孕育出世上最多樣的生物種 類。科學家估計巴西境內動植物的種類多達近 4 百萬種。想當然爾，亞馬遜雨林因為人類的開墾而面臨嚴重的威脅。雨林遭到破壞和其對世界所產生的影響也備受世人關注。然而巴西的自然奇景是最能吸引遊客的 特色之一，或許觀光的收入能給該國足夠的動機來保育其珍貴的自然之美。