Luis國際資訊事務所

by Sean Russell
Londoners are hoping to transform their city into a food grower’s paradise by 2012.

　　Due to the recent recession and the rising cost of food, urban gardening projects are popping up around the world. Recently, the city of London jumped on the bandwagon with a public gardening movement called Capital Growth. Through this government program, a goal has been set to create 2,012 new food-growing spaces by the end of 2012.
　　So far, a large number of Londoners have warmed up to the idea. With training and funding from the government, many have turned unused spaces, including schoolyards, nursing homes, and even flat rooftops, into thriving vegetable gardens. The food that is grown will not be sold in stores. Instead, it will be shared among the growers and the community.
　　London's Mayor, Boris Johnson, got the idea for Capital Growth from a similar program in Vancouver called the 2010 Challenge. What's more, Johnson wants to make London's 2012 Olympic Games the greenest games in history. He realizes that feeding the millions of people attending the Olympics will be no small task. However, feeding them using some of the locally-grown organic food from around the city will be beneficial to the environment and set a good example for future Olympics.
　　There are many reasons why Londoners are excited about this new program. Not only do locally-grown foods leave almost no carbon footprint, but they are much healthier, tastier, and fresher than foods found at supermarkets. In addition, prior to Capital Growth, people often had to wait decades for a chance to rent a piece of land. With this better system in place, everyone from children to older people can start growing their own delicious food within weeks.

1.　According to the article, which of the following statements is true?
(A) Training growers has proven to be expensive.
(B) Only government land is used for this special project.
(C) The idea behind Capital Growth came from another country.
(D) Capital Growth has already met its goal of 2,012 spaces.

2. What does the writer mean by stating that people have warmed up to this idea?
(A) They are a little frightened about the project.
(B) They are starting to like what the project has to offer.
(C) They need the weather to be better before they can start.
(D) They look forward to making a profit from the sale of the food.

3. Which of the following benefits is NOT mentioned as something that Capital Growth participants will enjoy?
(A) Free training from the government.
(B) Fresh food to share with their friends.
(C) The chance to farm pieces of land in the city.
(D) The possibility to create a larger carbon footprint.

1. pop up　　突然出現，突然發生
例: It seems that a new restaurant pops up every few days around here.
（這附近好像每隔幾天就會有家新的餐廳開張。）

2. jump on the bandwagon　　順應潮流；趕上潮流
bandwagon [ `bAnd:wAgJn ] n. 潮流
例: Many companies have jumped on the green bandwagon.
（許多公司已經開始順應環保潮流。）

3. so far　　到目前為止（常與現在完成式或現在完成進行式並用）
例: So far, the plan has been going smoothly.
（到目前為止，這項計劃一直進行得很順利。）

4. a large/small number of + 複數名詞　　多數的∕少數的……
a large/small amount of + 不可數名詞 大量的∕少量的……
例: A large number of fans went to the airport to greet the Korean TV star.
（很多粉絲到機場去迎接那位韓國電視明星。）
例: We found a small amount of gold in the river.
（我們在河裡發現少許的金子。）

5. warm up to sb/sth 對剛接觸的人或物產生好感
例: The dog warmed up to me after I gave it some treats.
（這隻狗在我餵牠一些東西後，開始對我有好感。）

6. thriving a. 生長茂盛的
thrive [ HrZIv ] vi. 蓬勃發展，茁壯成長
例: Our garden started to thrive once we installed a sprinkler system.
（安裝了灑水系統後，我們的花園開始欣欣向榮。）

7. share vt. 分享
share A with B　　和 A 分享 B
例: Kenny refused to share his toys with his brother.
（肯尼不肯和弟弟分享他的玩具。）

8. beneficial a. 有利的，有益的
be beneficial to...　　有益於……
例: Green tea, with its many cancer-fighting ingredients, is beneficial to your health.
（綠茶含有很多抗癌成分，對身體好處多多。）

9. set a good/bad example for...　　為……設立良好的典範∕壞榜樣
例: Arguing in front of your children sets a bad example for them.
（在孩子面前吵架會為他們立下壞榜樣。）

10. prior to...　　（時間上）在……之前
例: You must not eat anything for 12 hours prior to your surgery.
（你在手術前 12 個小時都不可以進食。）

11. in place　　就定位
例: With our sales plan firmly in place, we were finally able to relax a bit.
（在銷售計劃完全就定位後，我們終於可以稍微放鬆了。）

12. look forward to + N/V-ing　　期待……
例: Rick is looking forward to his sister's visit next month.
（瑞克很期待他姊姊下個月的來訪。）

13. profit n. 利潤
make a profit　　獲利
例: The business won't be making a profit in the foreseeable future.
（這項生意在可預見的未來不會有利潤。）

14. benefit n. 益處 & vi. 得益，受惠
benefit from...　　從……獲益
例: Gary benefited a lot from the wisdom of his grandfather.
（蓋瑞從祖父的智慧中獲益良多。）

not only...but (also)...　　不僅……而且……
= not only...but...as well
注意:
"not only...but (also)..." 為對等連接詞片語，可連接對等的單字、片語或子句；若連接對等的主要子句且 not only 置於句首時，由於 not only 視為否定副詞，故 not only 後的第一個主要子句要倒裝。but also 僅為連接詞，故其後的第二個主要子句不須倒裝，但 also 一定要省略，或移至句中。
例: Not only is Jack intelligent, but he is also attractive.
= Not only is Jack intelligent, but he is attractive as well.
（傑克既有才智又迷人。）

1. urban a. 城市的
　　rural a. 鄉村的
2. recession n.（經濟的）衰退，不景氣
3. capital n. 首都
4. funding n. 撥款；資金（不可數）
5. schoolyard n. 校園；（學校的）操場
6. a nursing home　　（私立）療養院，安養院
　　nursing n. 護理，看護
7. flat n. 公寓（英式用法）
= apartment n.
8. organic a. 有機的
9. carbon footprint　　碳足跡
　　footprint n. 足跡
10. participant n. 參與者

倫敦客希望在 2012 年之前，將這座城市打造成種植食物的樂園。
　　由於最近的不景氣和食物價格上漲，世界各地興起了在都市栽培作物的計劃。近來倫敦市趕上這股風潮，發起『首都種植』這項公眾栽培運動。透過這項政府計劃，他們想在 2012 年年底之前達成預設目標，開闢 2,012 個栽種食物的農園。
　　目前，許多倫敦客已經愛上這個構想。由政府負責訓練和提供資金，許多人已經將校園、療養院，甚至是公寓屋頂等閒置空間，變成綠油油的菜園。他們種植的食物將不會在商店販售。相反地，它們將由種植者和整個社區一起分享。
　　倫敦市長波利斯‧強生從溫哥華一個叫做『挑戰 2010』的類似計劃中獲得『首都種植』的靈感。此外，強生想將 2012 年倫敦奧運打造成史上最環保的奧運會。他明白要餵飽數百萬參加奧運的人可不是件簡單的任務。然而，用一些倫敦當地種植的有機食物來填飽他們的肚子，不僅對 環境有益，也替未來的奧運會豎立良好的典範。
　　倫敦市民喜歡這個新穎計劃的原因有很多。不只是當地種植的食物幾乎不會製造碳足跡，而且比超市販售的食物更加健康、美味和新鮮。更何況在『首都種植』 計劃之前，人們通常得等上數十年才有機會租到一塊地。有了這項更完善的制度，不論年齡大小，人人都可以在幾個星期內開始種植自己美味的食物了。

1. 根據本文，下列敘述何者正確？
(A) 訓練種植者的費用經證實相當昂貴。（文中未提及）
(B) 只有政府的土地為這個特別計劃所用。（包括校園、療養院，還有公寓屋頂等荒地）
(C) 『首都種植』計劃的構想來自另一個國家。
(D) 『首都種植』已經達成開闢 2,012 塊土地的目標。
題解: 根據文章第 3 段，倫敦市長從溫哥華一個叫做『挑戰 2010』的類似計劃中獲得『首都種植』的靈感，可知 (C) 為正選。

2. 作者說『倫敦客已經愛上了這個構想』意思為何？
(A) 他們有一點害怕這個構想。
(B) 他們開始喜歡這個構想所提供的東西。
(C) 他們需要天氣好轉才能夠開始執行。
(D) 他們期望靠販售種植出來的食物大賺一筆。
題解: 根據文章第 2 段，目前許多倫敦客已經愛上了這個構想。他們種植的食物將不會在商店販售，而是由種植者和整個社區一起分享，故選 (B)。

3. 下列何者非文中所提，是『首都種植』參與者所能受惠的事情？
(A) 政府提供的免費訓練。
(B) 和朋友分享新鮮的食物。
(C) 在這座城市裡有機會能耕種幾塊土地。
(D) 增加更多碳足跡的可能性。
題解: 根據文章第 4 段，倫敦市民喜歡這個計劃的原因有很多。不只是當地種植的食物幾乎不會製造碳足跡，而且比超市販售的食物更加健康、美味和新鮮，可知 (D) 選項的敘述錯誤，故選之。
答案：1. (C)　2. (B)　3. (D)

　　幾年前，關於蜜蜂消失的新聞層出不窮，但原因眾說紛紜，病毒、真菌、農藥、氣 候變遷、行動電話的使用等都是可能或部分原因。有鑒於此，倫敦市攜手 LIDA Agency 及 M&C Saatchi 廣告公司，發起 Capital Growth 的姐妹計劃 Capital Bee（首都蜜蜂），來鼓勵養蜂社群多種植靠蜜蜂授粉的植物，多購買當地的蜂蜜產品，以及減少農藥的使用等。
　　整個活動其實也是為了在 2012 舉辦的奧運會前，推廣增加食物生產的空間。目前已協助 50 個『社區蜂巢』在這個大城市落腳。（資料來源：http://www.bnext.com.tw/article/view/cid/0/id/18947）