Luis國際資訊事務所

by Jeremy Beacock

The Uros of South America live on man-made islands on Lake Titicaca.
南美洲的烏羅族生活在的的喀喀湖的人造島嶼上。


The unique homeland of the Uro people lies on a lake between Peru and Bolivia. While most tribes live on areas of land, the Uros lay _(1)_ to a lake as their home. How is this possible? For thousands of years, they _(2)_ and lived on their own group of man-made islands.
　　The Uros use a kind of reed called totora to make their special floating homes. The reeds have a dense root structure, which floats very well and can _(3)_ another layer of reeds on top of them. Traditionally, the Uros build reed houses on this top layer, and some even live their entire lives without touching land. The smallest islands are home to only two or three families, but the biggest have _(4)_ 40 people.
　　Life on the islands is very difficult, though. These islands need constant _(5)_ since the reeds rot away every few months. As they do, the Uros have to cut more reeds and add them to the islands. What's more, Lake Titicaca is very high up, so the weather and the lake water can be extremely cold. _(6)_ these difficulties, more and more Uros have abandoned their traditional lifestyle to live ashore.
　　Even so, the islands that are left attract many tourists. It is a fascinating way of life, and the experience of walking across one of the islands is _(7)_ description. The Uros show humanity's amazing ability to adapt and discover new ways to survive.

1. While most tribes live on areas of land, the Uros lay claim to a

lake as their home.
理由:
a. (A)claim n. 宣稱；要求
lay claim to...　　聲稱……為己有
例: Bill and Tom laid claim to the two desks at the back of the classroom.
（比爾和湯姆聲稱教室後面那兩張桌子是他們的。）
(B) owner n. 物主
(C) title n. 標題
(D) belief n. 信念；信仰
b. "lay claim to..." 為固定用法，且置入後符合語意，故選 (A)。

2. For thousands of years, they have built and lived on their own group of man-made islands.
理由:
a. 英文句中若含時間副詞片詞 "for + 一段時間"（有若干時間之久），被修飾的動詞多採完成式或完成進行式。
例: Laura has been living in Kobe, Japan for many years.
（蘿拉已經在日本神戶住了許多年。）
例: Gary had been waiting for an hour before his girlfriend finally showed up.
（蓋瑞一直等了一個小時他女友才終於出現。）
b. 根據上述，可知 (A)、(B) 不可選。(C) 為現在完成式，(D) 為過去完成進行式，均可被空格前的時間副詞片詞 "For thousands of years"（有數千年之久）修飾，惟過去完成進行式須與另一過去式子句（如上列第 2 個例句）或表過去之副詞片語並用，故 (D) 不可選。而現在完成式或現在完成進行式均可單獨存在，因此 (C) 為正選。

3. The reeds have a dense root structure, which floats very well and can
993399>support another layer of reeds on top of them.
理由:
a. (A) sponsor vt. 贊助
例: The car show was sponsored exclusively by Honda.
（這個汽車展由本田汽車獨家贊助。）
(B) support vt. 支撐
例: The building was supported by six huge iron beams.
（這棟建築物是由 6 根巨大的鐵樑支撐。）
(C) target vt. 把……作為對象
例: These toys were designed to target children under the age of three.
（這些玩具是專為 3 歲以下孩童設計的。）
(D) transfer vt. 轉移
例: I will transfer the money to your account this afternoon.
（我今天下午會把錢轉到你的帳戶。）
b. 根據語意，可知應選 (B)。

4. The smallest islands are home to only two or three families, but the biggest have as many as 40 people.
理由:
a. (A) as long as...　　和……一樣長
(B) as far as...　　和……和一樣遠
(C) as much as...　　數量多達……（用於表不可數名詞的涵義中）
例: The price of gasoline rose as much as five percent in two days.
（汽油的價格兩天內就漲了高達百分之五。）
(D) as many as + 數字 + 複數名詞　　多達……（數目）的……
例: As many as 250 people escaped the burning building.
（有多達 250 人從那棟著火的建築物中脫困。）
b. 空格後有數字 40 及複數名詞 people，故根據語意及用法，可知應選 (D)。

5. These islands need constant maintenance since the reeds rot away every few months.
理由:
a. (A)acceptance n. 接受
(B) guidance n. 指導
under one's guidance　　在某人指導之下
例: Under the new coach's guidance, I'm sure we'll have a winning season.
（在新教練的指導下，我有把握這一季我們一定會大獲全勝。）
(C) disturbancen. 干擾；騷動
例: There have been some political disturbances in that country.
（那個國家的政治局勢一直很不安定。）
(D) maintenance [ `mentJnJns ] n. 維持；保養
例: Proper maintenance is necessary to keep vehicles in working order.
（要保持車子的正常運作，適當的保養是必要的。）
b. 根據語意，可知應選 (D)。

6. On account of these difficulties, more and more Uros have
abandoned their traditional lifestyle to live ashore.
理由:
a. (A)prior to...　　（時間上）在……之前
例: You must not eat anything 12 hours prior to your surgery.
（在進行手術前 12 個小時，你都不可以吃東西。）
(B) on account of...　　由於……，因為……
= as a result of...
= because of...
= owing to...
= due to...
例: On account of his pleasant personality, Mark gets along with everyone.
（馬克因為個性開朗而與每個人相處愉快。）
(C) in spite of + N/V-ing　　儘管……
= despite + N/V-ing
例: In spite of all the money he makes, John isn't very happy with his job.
（儘管賺很多錢，約翰卻不滿意他的工作。）
(D) with a view to V-ing　　為了要……
= with an eye to V-ing
= for the purpose of V-ing
= in order to V
= so as to V
注意:
在 with a view to 和 with an eye to 的用法中，to 為介詞。
例: With a view to finding a new job, Julia revised her resume.
（為了找新工作，茱莉亞更新她的履歷。）
b. 根據語意，可知應選 (B)。

7. It is a fascinating way of life, and the experience of walking across one of the islands is beyond description.
理由:
a. 本空格在測試以下固定用法：
beyond description　　無法形容，難以描述
description n. 描述，形容
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。）
b. 根據上述，可知應選 (A)。

1. floating a. 漂浮的
float vi. 漂浮
例: This bar of soap is so light that it floats on the water.
（這塊肥皂很輕，因此能浮在水中。）

2. dense a. 密度高的；密集的，稠密的
sparse a. 稀疏的，稀少的
例: Iron weighs more than rock because it is denser.
（鐵比石頭重是因為它的密度較高。）
例: Taipei and Hong Kong have very dense populations.
（台北和香港的人口都很稠密。）
例: Houses became sparse as we traveled higher up the mountain.
（我們行至山上較高處時，房舍變得稀疏起來。）

3. be home to...　　是……的所在地∕棲息地
例: The waters off Australia are home to great white sharks.
（澳洲外海的水域是大白鯊的棲息地。）

4. rot vi. 腐爛
rot away　　徹底腐爛
例: The roof of the old house rotted away.
（這間老房子的屋頂徹底腐爛了。）

5. Even so, S + V　　縱然如此，……
例: The weather was bad. Even so, we enjoyed our trip.
（那次旅程中天氣很不好。縱然如此，我們還是玩得很開心。）

6. adapt vi. 適應 & vt. 使適應
adapt (oneself) to + N/V-ing　　適應於……
= adjust (oneself) to + N/V-ing
例: Refugees have no choice but to adapt to their temporary shelters.
（難民別無選擇，只能適應他們的臨時避難所。）

難句分析
＊ As they do, the Uros have to cut more reeds and add them to the islands.
= As they (= the reeds) rot away, the Uros have to cut more reeds and add them to the islands.
（當它們爛掉時，烏羅族就得割更多的蘆葦草，把它們加到島上。）

1. homeland n. 家鄉
2. man-made a. 人造的
a man-made island　　人造島嶼
a man-made lake　　人造湖
3. reed n. 蘆葦
4. root n. 根部
5. layer n. 層
a layer of...　　一層……
6. traditionally adv. 傳統上
7. constant a. 經常的，不斷的
8. abandon vt. 遺棄；放棄
9. lifestyle n. 生活方式
10. ashore adv. 在岸上
11. fascinating a. 極好的；迷人的
12. humanity n. 人類
13. survive vi. 生存

　　烏羅族獨特的家園座落在祕魯和玻利維亞之間的一座湖上。雖然大部分的部落居住在陸地上，但烏羅族卻把一座湖當作家園。這是如何辦到的？數千年來他們建造自己的人造島嶼，並在島上生活。
　　烏羅族使用一種叫做 totora 的蘆葦草來建造他們獨具特色的漂流家園。這種蘆葦根部的構造非常緊密，可輕易地浮在水上，也可以支撐上面層層堆疊的蘆葦草。傳統上，烏羅族會在最上層建造 蘆葦屋，有些烏羅族甚至終身未曾踏上陸地生活。最小的蘆葦島可容納 2 到 3 個家庭，但最大的則可容納多達 40 個人。
　　不過在這些島上生活是很辛苦的一件事。這些島嶼需要不斷的保養，因為蘆葦草每幾個月就會爛掉。當它們爛掉時，烏羅族就得割更多的蘆葦草，把它們加到島 上。而且，的的喀喀湖海拔很高，所以天氣和湖水有時會非常寒冷。有鑒於這些艱苦的環境，有越來越多的烏羅族放棄傳統的生活方式，來到岸上討生活。
　　即使如此，這些被留下來的島嶼吸引眾多觀光客的目光。這種生活方式很吸引人，而走過其中一座島嶼更是一種筆墨難以形容的經驗。烏羅族證明人類的適應力和發掘新生存方式的能力的確非常驚人。

答案：1. (A)　2. (C)　3. (B)　4. (D)　5. (D) 6. (B)　7. (A)