Luis國際資訊事務所

　
　Taller, faster, and with more exciting twists and turns, modern roller coasters have come a long way from their simple beginnings. Most historians trace the origins of the roller coaster back to the ice slides in 17th-century Russia. These structures were long, steep wooden slides covered in ice, with some as high as 20 meters and having a 50 degree drop. Then in 1817, the French improved on the ice slide to create the first roller coaster with wheels and tracks.
　　By the mid-1800s, the first American roller coaster came into being. The Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway was built in the mountains of Pennsylvania. Originally used to send coal to another railway, the track was converted to give tourists a scenic tour to the top of the mountain before sending them back down on a wild, bumpy ride. By the 1920s, some 2,000 roller coasters were thrilling people around the US. The most famous and historic is the wooden roller coaster called the Cyclone at Coney Island, New York. It opened on June 26, 1927 and is still making riders scream to this day.

　

和其最初簡易的雛形相比，現代雲霄飛車已有了全然不同的樣貌，它們衝得更高更快，而且還有更多刺激的翻轉和急彎。大部分歷史學家將雲霄飛車的起源追溯至十 七世紀俄國的冰滑梯。這些冰滑梯是一座座上頭覆滿了冰、又長又陡的木製滑梯，當中有些冰滑梯的高度高達二十公尺，而且落下的俯角更達五十度。接著在 1817年，法國人將冰滑梯加以改良，建造出第一座有輪子及軌道的雲霄飛車。

　　美國的第一座雲霄飛車則是到了十九世紀中期才問世。Mauch Chunk Switchback鐵路建於賓夕法尼亞州的山區。這條鐵軌原先是用來將煤炭運送至另一條鐵路，後來則進行了改建，用來將觀光客載到山上，讓他們欣賞沿途 美麗的景色，然後再將他們送下山，體驗一段瘋狂顛簸的車程。到了1920年代，全美各地約有兩千座令人大呼刺激的雲霄飛車。其中最著名且最具歷史意義的就 是一座位於紐約康尼島、名叫『龍捲風』的木製雲霄飛車。此座雲霄飛車於1927年六月二十六日開始啟用，而且至今仍讓乘客驚叫連連。

1. steep　a. 陡峭的
It is a steep climb to the top of that hill.
爬到那個山丘頂的路很陡。
2. convert　vt. 轉變，轉換
The sofa can be converted into a bed.
這張沙發可以變成一張床。
3. bumpy　a. 顛簸的，不平穩的
John felt nervous during the bumpy flight.
約翰在這趟顛簸的航程中感到很緊張。
4. thrill　vt. 使興奮 & n. 刺激，興奮
Arnold gets a thrill by driving quickly.
阿諾藉著開快車來得到刺激感。

1. have come a long way　　變化∕進步很大
Cellphones have come a long way since they were invented.
手機自發明以來已經有了重大的改變。
2. trace + 事∕物 + back to...　　追溯某事物的歷史 至……
Historians traced the city's history back to the Chin Dynasty.
歷史學家將這個城市的歷史追溯至清朝的時候。
3. come into being　　出現；形成
The club first came into being just last year.
這個社團去年剛成立。
4. to this day　　至今
Lena hasn't told me the truth to this day.
莉娜至今還沒有把實情告訴我。

1. historian　n. 歷史學家
2. roller coaster　n. 雲霄飛車
3. slide　n. 滑梯；滑坡
4. track　n. 軌道，鐵軌
5. railway　n. 鐵路
6. scenic　a. 景色優美的
7. cyclone　n. 龍捲風

Originally used to send..., the track was converted to...（這條鐵軌原先是用來……，後來則進行了改建……）
　上述句子原為"The track was originally used to..., the track was converted to..."，但如此一來會造成兩句接在一起卻無連接詞連接的錯誤句構。補救之道為將第一個子句依照分詞句構化簡法變成分詞片語，其法則如下：將第一個子 句中相同的主詞刪除，之後的動詞要變成現在分詞，若該動詞為 be 動詞時，變成現在分詞 being 之後可省略。因此刪除第一個子句的主詞"The track"後，將 be 動詞 was 改成現在分詞 being 並予以省略，即成本句。但須注意的是，在使用本化簡法來連接兩句之前，務必先確認前後句子的主詞是一致的。
Tina was lying comfortably on her bed, Tina fell asleep. (×)
→Lying comfortably on her bed, Tina fell asleep. (○)
（蒂娜舒服地躺在她的床上睡著了。）


動詞 was 改成現在分詞 being 並予以省略，即成本句。但須注意的是，在使用本化簡法來連接兩句
之前，務必先確認前後句子的主詞是一致的。
Tina was lying comfortably on her bed, Tina fell asleep. (×)
→Lying comfortably on her bed, Tina fell asleep. (○)
（蒂娜舒服地躺在她的床上睡著了。）