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The Bloody Tower  倫敦塔血淚史


by Sebastian Bitticks
England's greatest historical landmark has a violent history.
英格蘭最宏偉的歷史性地標有著血淚斑斑的過去。

  Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress is the official name, but most people call the massive castle complex that sits along the Thames River the Tower of London. _(1)_, the Tower is not a single structure but a collection of over 15 separate towers connected by high castle walls. Here, the British Empire is said to have started in the late 11th century, _(2)_ William the Conqueror began building the central castle called the White Tower to protect his royal forces from the conquered English and foreign forces alike.
  Around this _(3)_ castle, many English kings added new walls and defenses. As the British Empire grew, _(4)_ did the Tower of London. The Tower had royal residences, great halls, an armory, and even a treasury that housed the mint that made English pounds. But it was the Tower's other _(5)_ as a jail to royal prisoners that it's mainly remembered for today.
  While common criminals were publicly executed in England, royal executions _(6)_ within the castle walls. This has given the Tower of London the reputation as the most haunted place in England. The ghost of Anne Boleyn, wife of King Henry VIII, and the "Princes of the Tower," murdered here by their uncle King Richard III, are said to still _(7)_ the place of their deaths. This haunted history has led to the White Tower's nickname—The Bloody Tower.

1. (A) Instead (B) Thus(C) For example(D) In fact
2. (A) when (B) where(C) which(D) what
3. (A) current (B) original(C) similar(D) commercial
4. (A) as (B) so(C) and    (D) yet
5. (A) instruction(B) occupation(C) description(D) function
6. (A) came true (B) made sense(C) took place(D) gave way
7. (A) wander (B) invade(C) escape(D) survive
原來如此 


1. In fact, the Tower is not a single structure but a collection of over 15 separate towers...
理由:
a. (A) instead adv.(反)而;代替地
(B) thus adv. 因此
(C) For example, S + V  例如,……
(D) In fact, S + V  事實上,……
= As a matter of fact, S + V
例: Kevin loves France. In fact, he's planning on moving there soon.
(凱文很喜歡法國。事實上,他打算不久後搬去那裡。)
b. 根據語意,可知應選 (D)。

2. Here, the British Empire is said to have started in the late 11th century, when William the Conqueror began building the central castle...
理由:
a. 由於空格前的先行詞 the late 11th century(11 世紀末)為表『時間』的名詞,且空格後為一完整的子句,故空格內應置入能修飾時間的關係副詞 when(= in which)來引導形容詞子句,修飾其前的 the late 11th century。
b. 根據上述,可知應選 (A)。
3. Around this original castle, many English kings added new walls and defenses.
理由:
a. (A) current a. 現今的
(B) original a. 最初的;原本的
例: The original painting was stolen, but there are many copies.
(原畫被偷了,但是有許多複製品。)
(C) similar a. 相似的
be similar to...  和……相似,類似於……
例: That car is similar to the one I used to drive.
(這輛車和我以前開的那輛很像。)
(D) commercial a. 商業的
b. 根據語意,可知應選 (B)。

4. As the British Empire grew, so did the Tower of London.
理由:
a. 本句在測試 so 引導的肯定簡應句,用法如下:
1) 肯定簡應句中,用 so 或 too,使用 so 時其後須採倒裝句構。
例: Henry is a doctor, and so is his father.
= Henry is a doctor, and his father is, too.
(亨利是個醫生,他父親也是。)
2) 否定簡應句中用 neither, nor 或 either。用 neither 或 nor 之後必須接倒裝句;而 either 使用時其前要有否定副詞 not,置逗點後,再接 either。
例: Bob can't speak Japanese, and neither can Sam.
= Bob can't speak Japanese, nor can Sam.
= Bob can't speak Japanese, and Sam can't, either.
(鮑伯不會講日語,山姆也不會。)
b. 空格前為肯定句,根據上述,可知應選 (B)。

5. But it was the Tower's other function as a jail to royal prisoners...
理由:
a. (A) instruction n. 教導(不可數)
(B) occupation n. 工作,職業
(C) description n. 描述;形容
beyond description  無法形容,難以描述
例: The horror of the plane crash was beyond description.
(那次空難事件之可怕非言語所能形容。)
(D) function n. 功能
例: This sofa, which can also serve the function of a bed, sells very well.
(這種可充當床的沙發很暢銷。)
b. 根據語意,可知應選 (D)。

6. ..., royal executions took place within the castle walls.
理由:
a. (A) come true  (夢想、希望等)成真
(B) make sense   有意義;有道理
例: When Toby drinks beer, nothing he says makes sense.
(托比一喝啤酒就胡說八道。)
(C) take place  發生;舉行
例: A terrible car accident took place early this morning.
(今天清晨發生了一起嚴重車禍。)
例: The meeting took place at 9:00 AM.
(會議在早上 9 點鐘舉行。)
(D) give way  讓步,屈服
例: The union went on strike after management refused to give way.
(資方拒絕讓步後,工會於是罷工。)
b. 根據語意,可知應選 (C)。

7. The ghost of Anne Boleyn...are said to still wander the place of their deaths.
理由:
a. (A) wander vt. & vi. 漫遊(於);徘徊(於)
例: The hiker wandered the forest for two days before being found.
(那名健行者在森林裡徘徊了兩天才被找到。)
例: We wandered around the shopping center to kill time.
(我們在購物中心四處閒逛消磨時間。)
(B) invade vt. 入侵,侵略
(C) escape t. 逃避
(D) survive vt. 由……中生還
b. 根據語意,可知應選 (A)。
精解字詞片語 


1. separate a. 個別的,分開的
例: My son and daughter sleep in two separate rooms.
(我兒子和女兒睡不同房間。)

2. connect vt. 連接
be connected to...  與……連在一起
例: My stereo is connected to the television.
(我的音響和電視接在一起。)

3. protect A from B  保護 A 免於∕遠離 B
例: William protected his daughter from being hit by the ball.
(威廉保護女兒不被球砸到。)

4. house vt. 收藏;存放
例: The famous statue is now housed at the museum.
(這座著名的雕像現在被收藏在該博物館中。)

5. publicly adv. 公開地
例: The businessman publicly announced his decision to run for mayor.
(那位商人公開宣佈他要競選市長的決定。)

6. haunted a. 鬧鬼的
haunt vt. 出沒(於);縈繞於心
a haunted house  鬼屋
例: It is said that the house is haunted by ghosts.
(聽說那棟房子鬧鬼。)
例: Rose is haunted by the memory of her husband's death.
(蘿絲一直無法擺脫丈夫死去的陰影。)
單字小舖 


1. bloody a. 血腥的
2. Majesty n. 陛下(其前與 His、Her、Your 等所有格並用)
3. fortress n. 要塞;堡壘
4. massive a. 巨大的
5. complex n. 綜合樓群
an apartment complex  公寓式大廈
6. structure n. 建築物;結構
7. conqueror n. 征服者
8. conquered a. 被征服的
9. defense n. 防禦工事
10. residence n. 住所
11. armory n. 軍械庫
12. treasury n. 國庫
13. mint n. 鑄幣廠
14. execute vt. 將……處死
15. execution n. 處決
16. reputation n. 名聲
17. nickname n. 外號,綽號
中文翻譯&標準答案 


『女王陛下的宮殿與城堡』是它的正式名稱,但大部分人稱這座位於泰晤士河畔的宏偉 城堡建築為『倫敦塔』。事實上,倫敦塔不是單一的建築物,而是由超過 15 座塔所組合成的,塔與塔之間以高大的城牆連接在一起。相傳大英帝國就是從這裡於 11 世紀末開始,當時征服者威廉修築中央的城堡『白塔』來保衛他的皇家軍隊,以防被戰敗的英國人以及敵國所攻擊。
  從最初的中央城堡外圍,許多任英國國王都築上新牆及防禦工事。隨著大英帝國的強盛,倫敦塔也日益茁壯。該塔設有皇家住所、大廳、一座軍械庫,甚至國庫也包括在內,裡頭有一座鑄造英鎊的鑄幣廠。但該塔今日主要為人熟知的,卻是她另外一項功能──監禁皇室成員的監獄。
  一般罪犯在英格蘭會被公開處以死刑,而皇室成員則在城堡的高牆內被行刑,這使得倫敦塔成為全英格蘭鬧鬼鬧得最兇的地方。亨利八世的皇后安.寶林的鬼 魂,以及在塔內被叔叔理查三世謀害的王子,據說仍在他們遇害的地方徘徊不去。鬼魂出沒的歷史使得人們給白塔起了一個外號──血腥之塔。
標準答案: 1. (D) 2. (A) 3. (B) 4. (B) 5. (D) 6. (C) 7. (A)

For Your Information
據說在許多夜晚,倫敦塔的守衛報告曾在城堡西南方的『血塔』附近,看到過兩個身著睡衣的小孩子身影,更奇怪的是他們還手牽著手!這正好印証了 500 多年前發生在這裡的離奇命案。
當時的英王愛德華四世於 1483 年去世,他的兩個兒子──愛德華五世和弟弟約克公爵被送到塔裡等待繼承王位。最後兩人卻在塔內神秘失蹤,於是他們的叔父理查三世便登基為王。一般咸認兩位小王子當時遭到理查三世殺害。
1674 年,有工人在整修倫敦塔內的階梯時,從磚石中發現兩具小孩的遺骸,大家認為應該就是失蹤的兩位王子。(資料來源:http://tw.group.knowledge.yahoo.com/e122-373356/article/view?aid=408)




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