Luis國際資訊事務所

Since the world's economy started having trouble, everyone has been looking for different ways to make money. For example, in the hills of California, people are seeking treasure. To be exact, they are searching for gold.

　　In 1848, gold was first found in California. By 1850, people from every part of the world were traveling to California to make their fortune. Although the California Gold Rush1 came to an end by the mid-21850s, gold can still be found in mountain rivers and streams there today.

　　Gold deposits3 are originally found inside mountains. As snow on the mountains melts, gold is washed down into local rivers and streams. It can then be found in the river beds4. The simplest way to look for gold is called panning5. A device which is called a gold pan is used to scoop mud up from the river bed. It is then swirled6 around at the surface of the water. Gold and other heavier objects will be left at the bottom of the gold pan, while mud and such will be washed out.

　　Panning for gold is simple, and you don't need a permit to do it. Today, many men, women, and even children can be seen panning for gold in the rivers of California. Although it is not difficult to find small bits of gold, getting enough to become rich is not very likely.

1. economy　n. 經濟；經濟情況
The global economy is slowly improving.
全球的經濟狀況正逐漸改善。
2. seek　vt. 尋找，尋求（三態為：seek, sought, sought。）
Barry is seeking a job in marketing.
貝瑞正在找行銷方面的工作。
3. melt　vi. 融化；熔化
This chocolate won't melt in your hands.
這種巧克力不會在你的手中融化。
4. scoop　vt. 舀出；鏟出
Ian scooped some soil out of the flower pot.
伊恩從花盆裡鏟出了一些土。
5. permit　n. 許可證
Rachel forgot to renew her work permit.
瑞秋忘了去換發她的工作證。

1. to be exact　　確切地說
A: I owe you $90.　B: To be exact, it's $95.
甲：我欠你九十元。　乙：確切來說應該是九十五元。
2. make + 所有格∕a + fortune　　（某人）發財
Emily made a fortune by selling socks.
艾蜜莉靠著賣襪子賺了一大筆錢。
3. come to an end　　結束，完結
All good things must come to an end.
人無千日好，花無百日紅。－－諺語

1. gold rush　n. 淘金潮，淘金熱
rush　n.（人們的）蜂擁而至，湧入
2. mid-　prefix 中間；中部
3. deposit　n. 礦床，礦體
4. river bed　n. 河床（亦常寫為riverbed）
5. pan　vi. 淘金 & n. 淘金盤
6. swirl　vt. 使打轉，使旋轉

...is used to scoop mud up from the river bed.
（……被用來挖起河床上的泥巴。）
　　本句中的"scoop...up"（把……挖起來）亦可寫為"scoop up..."，其中的 up 即為介副詞。所謂介副詞，就是由表示場所的介詞（如 in, out, down, up, off）變成的副詞。這些字之後沒有受詞時就是介副詞（由介詞變成的副詞），有受詞時就稱介詞。受詞為普通名詞或專有名詞時，可置於動詞與介副詞之間或介 副詞之後；但受詞為代名詞時，只可置於動詞和介副詞之間。例：
Don't wake up the baby. (○)
= Don't wake the baby up.
（別把小寶寶吵醒了。）
Can you take out me to dinner? (×)
→ Can you take me out to dinner? (○)
（你能不能帶我出去吃晚餐？）

由於全球經濟已經開始陷入危機，人人都不斷在另闢蹊徑來賺錢。舉例來說，在加州的眾多山丘上，人們正在尋找寶藏。確切來說，他們正在找黃金。

　　西元1848年，人們首度於加州發現黃金。到了1850年，世人紛紛自全球各地趕來此地好大撈一筆。雖然加州淘金潮於1850年代中期便告一段落，不過如今當地山中的河流及小溪裡仍能找到黃金的蹤影。

　　金礦原本只有在山裡頭才能找得到。不過當山上的積雪融化時，黃金便會被沖刷到當地的河流及溪水裡。接著在河床上便可發現金子。尋找黃金最簡單的方法叫 做淘金。一種稱為淘金盤的器具會被用來挖起河床上的泥巴。接著人們便會在水面處旋轉它。黃金和其它較重的物體會留在淘金盤的底部，而泥巴及諸如此類的東西 則會被沖走。

　　淘金相當簡單，您也不需要許可證就可以這麼做。如今在加州的河流中都能看見許多男女甚至是小孩在淘金。雖然發現黃金碎粒並非難事，但要找到足以致富的數量卻是不大可能。