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The Troubled Times of Julius Caesar凱撒大帝



"I came, I saw, I conquered."
『我來,我見,我征服。』

Julius Caesar was the most famous leader of Rome when it was the world's only superpower. As a consul, the highest political official in the Roman Republic, he _(1)_ power with two men, Pompeius Magnus (Pompey) and Marcus Licinius Crassus.
  Caesar spent a lot of his time in wars _(2)_ the Roman Republic across France, Belgium, and Britain. Though publicly friends, both Caesar and Pompey knew their differences would drive them _(3)_. Fearing Caesar's wealth and loyal armies, Pompey and the Senate denied his attempt to renew his _(4)_ as consul. Without his consulship, Caesar knew he would eventually be pushed aside politically. In 49 BC, Caesar led his army across the Rubicon River and started a civil war.
  Caesar took the city of Rome without _(5)_, and chased the armies of the Senate and Pompey across Italy and into Greece. There, Caesar's army was _(6)_ and fought with only one man for every two of Pompey's. After this victory, Caesar rendered the Senate powerless and named himself dictator _(7)_. His decisions for Rome were generally considered both wise and far-sighted, but he began to act more like a king. After _(8)_ for more than four years, he was assassinated by members of the Senate, who hoped his death would return the rule to them.
  Their act failed, and after another civil war, Caesar's heir, Gaius Octavianus, declared himself Emperor and changed the Roman Republic _(9)_ the Roman Empire. In 42 BC, two years after his assassination, the Senate officially declared Caesar one of the Roman gods. The month of July was named after Julius Caesar _(10)_ his changes to the calendar. To this day, Caesar remains remembered as one of the greatest leaders the world has ever known.

(A) ruling (B) shared (C) into (D) because of (E) position (F) to expand (G) opposition (H) apart (I) for life (J) outnumbered
原來如此 


1. As a consul, the highest political official in the Roman Republic, he shared power with two men, Pompeius Magnus (Pompey) and Marcus Licinius Crassus.
理由:
a. 空格前有主詞 he(= Caesar),空格後有名詞 power(權力),且根據上一句的時態,可知空格應置入及物動詞的過去式。
b. 符合上述的選項有 (B) shared(分享)和 (J) outnumbered(數量上超過),然僅 shared 置入後符合語意,表身為一名執政官(羅馬共和國政治上最高權位的官員),凱撒和龐培及克拉蘇兩人『共享』權力,故選 (B)。
c. share sth with sb  與某人分享某物
例: Peter shared his sandwich with his best friend.
(彼得與他最好的朋友一起分享三明治。)

2. Caesar spent a lot of his time in wars to expand the Roman Republic across France, Belgium, and Britain.
理由:
a. 空格前為完整的句構,空格後是名詞詞組 the Roman Republic across France, Belgium, and Britain(範圍橫跨法國、比利時和不列顛的羅馬共和國),可知空格應置入不定詞或現在分詞,以形成不定詞片語或分詞片語,作形容詞用,修飾其前的名 詞 wars(戰爭)。
例: There are many sights to see here.
(這裡有許多風景可看。)
例: Do you know the beautiful woman standing there?
(你認識站在那裡的美女嗎?)
b. 符合上述的選項有 (A) ruling(統治)和 (F) to expand(為了擴展),然僅 to expand 置入後符合語意,表凱撒的人生大多在征戰,『以擴張』羅馬共和國的領土,故選 (F)。
c. expand vt. 擴展,擴充
例: The company is trying to expand its factory's production capacity.
(這家公司正設法擴充其工廠的生產量。)

3. Though publicly friends, both Caesar and Pompey knew their differences would drive them apart.
理由:
a. 本空格在測試以下固定用法:
drive...apart  迫使……分開
例: The election drove the two friends apart because they supported different candidates.
(那場選舉使這兩個朋友分道揚鑣,因為他們支持不同的候選人。)
b. 根據上述,故選 (H) apart。

4. Fearing Caesar's wealth and loyal armies, Pompey and the Senate denied his attempt to renew his position as consul.
理由:
a. 空格之前有所有格 his(他的),空格後則有介詞 as(以……的身分),可知空格應置入名詞或動名詞。
b. 選項中為名詞或動名詞的有 (A) ruling(統治)、(E) position(地位)和 (G) opposition(反抗),然僅 position 置入後符合語意,表執政官的『職位』,故選 (E)。

5. Caesar took the city of Rome without opposition, and chased the armies of the Senate and Pompey across Italy and into Greece.
理由:
a. 空格前有介詞 without(沒有),可知空格應置入名詞或動名詞。
b. 符合上述的選項有 (A) ruling(統治)和 (G) opposition(反抗),然僅 opposition 置入後符合語意,表凱撒在沒有遇到『反抗』的情況下拿下羅馬城,故選 (G)。
c. opposition n. 反抗;反對
the opposition party  反對黨
例: Ed's ideas were met with a lot of opposition.
(艾德的點子遭到許多反對。)

6. There, Caesar's army was outnumbered and fought with only one man for every two of Pompey's.
理由:
a. 空格前有過去式 be 動詞 was,可知空格應置入分詞。
b. 選項中為分詞的有現在分詞 (A) ruling(統治)以及過去分詞 (J) outnumbered(數量上被超過),然僅 outnumbered 置入後符合語意,表凱撒的軍隊『人數遠不及』龐培的軍隊,故選 (J)。
c. outnumber vt. 數量上超過
例: The girls in our school outnumber the boys.
(本校的女孩子多過男孩子。)

7. After this victory, Caesar rendered the Senate powerless and named himself dictator for life.
理由:
a. 空格前為完整的句構,可知空格應置入副詞,修飾其前的動詞 named(任命)。
b. 符合上述的選項僅有 (I) for life(終生),為介詞片語作副詞用,置入後亦符合語意,故選之。
c. for life  終生
例: The accident crippled Nick for life.
(那場意外使尼克終身殘廢。)

8. After ruling for more than four years, he was assassinated by members of the Senate, who hoped his death would return the rule to them.
理由:
a. 空格前有介詞 After(在……之後),空格後有時間副詞片語 for more than four years(4 年多的時間),可知空格應置入不及物動詞的動名詞。
b. 符合上述的選項僅有 (A) ruling(統治),置入後亦符合語意,表『統治』了 4 年多後,凱撒被元老院的成員暗殺,他們希望凱撒的死可以讓自己再度掌權,故選之。

9. ...Caesar's heir, Gaius Octavianus, declared himself Emperor and changed the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire.
理由:
a. 本空格在測試以下固定用法:
change A into B  將 A 變成 B
= turn A into B
例: They changed the old building into a hotel.
(他們將這棟舊建築改成一家旅館。)
b. 根據上述,故選 (C) into。

10. The month of July was named after Julius Caesar because of his changes to the calendar.
理由:
a. 空格前為完整的句構,空格後為名詞詞組,可知空格內應置入介詞片語。
b. (D) because of(因為)為介詞片語,置入後符合語意及用法,故選之。
c. because of...  因為∕由於……
例: Many people have taken second jobs because of the rising cost of living.
(由於物價上漲,許多人都另外兼差。)
精解字詞片語 


1. troubled a. 動亂的;煩惱的
troublesome a. 棘手的;惹麻煩的
a troublesome problem  棘手的問題
例: Lily looked troubled upon hearing the news.
(莉莉聽到這消息時看起來很煩惱。)
例: The new teacher is having a hard time dealing with the troublesome students.
(新老師對這群愛惹麻煩的學生感到窮於應付。)

2. publicly adv. 公開地
privately adv. 私下地
例: The businessman announced publicly his decision to run for mayor.
(那名商人公開宣佈他要競選市長的決定。)

3. attempt n. 企圖
in an attempt to V  企圖∕意欲(做)……
例: Vincent worked day and night in an attempt to finish the project on time.
(文森日夜工作,試圖準時完成那項企劃案。)

4. renew vt. 繼續;更新
例: Larry has to renew his driver's license next month.
(賴瑞下個月必須更換汽車駕照。)

5. push aside sb  排除某人,排擠某人
例: Sally pushed aside Cindy when she started dating her ex-boyfriend.
(莎莉因辛蒂和自己的前男友展開約會而排擠她。)

6. render vt. 使成為;翻譯
注意:
render 表『使成為』時,為不完全及物動詞,有以下用法:
render sb/sth + adj.(作受詞補語)  使某人∕某物變得……
render A into B  將 A 翻譯成 B
= translate A into B
例: The accident rendered his plan useless.
(這起意外使他的計畫毫無用武之地。)
例: He is well-trained in rendering Chinese into English.
(他在中翻英方面受過良好訓練。)

7. far-sighted a. 有遠見的
short-sighted a. 短視近利的
例: A good leader should be far-sighted.
(一名好領袖應該要有遠見。)

8. be named after...  以……的名字命名
例: My dog is named after my favorite singer.
(我的狗是以我最喜歡的歌手命名的。)
單字小舖 


1. superpower n. 超級強國
2. consul n.(古羅馬的)執政官
3. republic n. 共和國;共和政體
4. loyal a. 忠心的
5. Senate n.(古羅馬的)元老院
6. consulship n. 執政官的職位或任期
7. civil a. 國內的
a civil war  內戰
8. chase vt. 追逐,追趕
9. victory n. 勝利
10. dictator n. 獨裁者
11. assassinate vt. 暗殺
12. heir n. 繼承人
13. assassination n. 暗殺
14. calendar n. 曆法
Grammar Tips 


Though publicly friends, both Caesar and Pompey knew their differences would drive them apart.
= Though Caesar and Pompey were publicly friends, they both knew their differences would drive them apart.
(雖然表面上是朋友,但凱撒和龐培都心知肚明彼此的差異終會使兩人分道揚鑣。)
注意:
if, once, unless, though (although) 等四個副詞連接詞引導副詞子句時,若此副詞子句中的主詞與主要子句中的主詞相同,且主詞後為『be 動詞 + N/adj./p.p.』時,則此副詞子句可化簡為副詞片語。其化簡原則為:刪除副詞子句的主詞後,其後 be 動詞在化為現在分詞 being 後一律予以省略。
例: Though he was handicapped, John managed to lead an independent life.
→ Though handicapped, John managed to lead an independent life.
(雖然身有殘疾,約翰仍設法過著獨立的生活。)
中文翻譯&標準答案 


凱撒是羅馬最著名的領導人,當時的羅馬是世界上唯一的超級強國。身為一名執政官(羅馬共和國政治上最高權位的官員),他和龐培及克拉蘇兩人共享權力。
  
凱撒的人生大多在征戰,以擴張羅馬共和國的領土,範圍橫跨法國、比利時及不列顛。雖然表面上是朋友,但凱撒和龐培都心知肚明彼此的差異終會使兩人分道揚 鑣。龐培忌憚凱撒的財富和忠心耿耿的軍隊,於是和元老院一同否決了凱撒的企圖,不准他重新登上執政官的職位。失去執政官的身分,凱撒知道自己在政治上最終 會被排擠。西元前 49 年,凱撒率領自己的軍隊渡過盧比孔河,內戰隨即展開。
  
凱撒在兵不血刃的情況下拿下羅馬城,並從義大利追擊元老院和龐培的軍隊到希臘。在那裡,凱撒的軍隊人數遠不及龐培的軍隊,一名士兵必須抵擋兩名敵人。戰爭 勝利後,凱撒讓元老院沒有實權,並任命自己為終生的獨裁官。他為羅馬所做的決定普遍被認為既聰明又有遠見,但他的舉動卻開始像個國王。統治 4 年多後,凱撒被元老院的成員暗殺,他們希望凱撒的死可以讓自己再度掌權。
  
他們的行動失敗了,在另一場內戰後,凱撒的繼承人屋大維宣布自己為皇帝,並將羅馬共和國改制為羅馬帝國。西元前 42 年,也就是凱撒遇刺後兩年,元老院正式宣布凱撒為羅馬眾神之一。在凱撒更改曆法後,7 月(July)這個月份就以凱撒的名字 Julius 來命名。時至今日,凱撒在人們心中仍是最偉大的領袖之一。

標準答案: 1. (B) 2. (F) 3. (H)4. (E)5. (G) 6. (J) 7. (I) 8. (A) 9. (C) 10. (D)
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