Luis國際資訊事務所

by Marcus Maurice
Why are some women attracted to jerks?

　　In 1939, baseball manager Leo Durocher came up with a saying for the ages. He was referring to the _(1)_ baseball team when he said, "Look at them. They're all nice guys, but they'll finish last." Durocher wasn't speaking of the male-female relationship at the time, but his expression is now _(2)_ with it. Almost everyone knows certain women who _(3)_ about being single all the time. They say that they desire gentlemen that are kind, smart, and sensitive and will treat them right. In reality, all the men that they date are self-centered guys with bad intentions. Is it true that men with nice guy personalities are actually less _(4)_ to women?
　　For most of their lives, women have been taught to _(5)_ with caring men who would make ideal husbands. The harsh reality is that some women look for macho men who are emotionally unavailable because they see the possibility of an exciting fling. Even worse, they view it as a challenge to _(6)_ these bad boys into husband material.
　　Nice guys shouldn't feel _(7)_, though. The adrenaline rush eventually wears off, and women really want to be with good men. While nice guys may not be competitive in the number of relationships they have over the years, they do have a huge _(8)_ when it comes to finding partners for child rearing. If you are a nice guy who is thinking about _(9)_ some personality changes to be more take-charge, don't. Keep opening doors for women. Keep listening to their relationship problems. Keep being a _(10)_ to cry on. Don't worry. In the end, nice guys do come in first.

(A) undergoing　(B) depressed　(C) shoulder　(D) desirable　(E) synonymous
(F) settle down　(G) advantage　(H) opposing　(I) transform　(J) complain

1. He was referring to the opposing baseball team when he said, "Look at them. They're all nice guys, but they'll finish last."
理由:
a. 空格前有定冠詞 the，空格後有名詞詞組 baseball team（棒球隊），可知空格內應置入形容詞或可作形容詞的分詞。
b. 符合上述的選項共計有 (B) depressed（感到沮喪的）、(D) desirable（富有魅力的）、(E) synonymous（同義的）以及 (H) opposing（敵對的），然僅 opposing 置入後符合語意，故選 (H)。
c. opposing a. 敵對的
the opposing team　　敵隊
The opposing team is strong, but I know we can beat them.
敵隊雖強，但我知道我們可以打贏他們。

2. Durocher wasn't speaking of the male-female relationship at the time, but his expression is now synonymous with it.
理由:
a. 空格前有主詞 his expression（他的用語）和 be 動詞 is，空格後有介詞 with，可知空格內應置入形容詞、及物動詞的過去分詞或不及物動詞的現在分詞。
b. 符合上述的選項有 (B) depressed（感到沮喪的）、(D) desirable（富有魅力的）和 (E) synonymous（同義的），然僅 synonymous 置入後符合語意，故選 (E)。
c. synonymous
a. 同義的，意義相同的
be synonymous with...　　和……同義
The designer's name is synonymous with fashion and style.
這位設計師的名字是時尚與流行的代名詞。

3. Almost everyone knows certain women who complain about being single all the time.
理由:
a. 空格前有關係代名詞 who，用來代替其前的先行詞 certain women（一些女性），作主詞用，空格後有介詞 about，且根據時態，可知空格內應置入不及物動詞或不及物動詞片語的現在式。
b. 符合上述的選項有 (F) settle down（定居下來）和 (J) complain（抱怨），然僅 complain 置入後符合語意，故選 (J)。
c. complain vi. 抱怨
complain about...　　抱怨……
Lucy often complains about how unromantic her husband is.
露西常抱怨她的丈夫多麼不浪漫。

4. Is it true that men with nice guy personalities are actually less desirable to women?
理由:
a. 空格前有 be 動詞 are 和表比較級的副詞 less，空格後有介詞 to，可知空格內應置入形容詞（含可作形容詞的分詞）。
b. 符合上述的選項有 (B) depressed（感到沮喪的）和 (D) desirable（富有魅力的），然僅 desirable 置入後符合語意，故選 (D)。
c. desirable a. 富有魅力的
The actor was chosen by the magazine as the most desirable bachelor in Taiwan.
該演員被這本雜誌選為全台灣最有魅力的單身漢。

5. For most of their lives, women have been taught to settle down with caring men who would make ideal husbands.
理由:
a. 空格前有不定詞 to，空格後有介詞 with，可知空格內應置入原形不及物動詞或不及物動詞片語。
b. 符合上述的選項僅有 (F) settle down（安定下來），置入後亦符合語意，故選之。
c. settle down　　安定下來
Henry didn't finally settle down until he was 42 years old.
亨利直到 42 歲才定下來。

6. Even worse, they view it as a challenge to transform these bad boys into husband material.
理由:
a. 空格前有不定詞 to，空格後有名詞詞組 these bad boys（這些壞男孩），可知空格內應置入原形及物動詞或片語及物動詞。
b. 符合上述的選項有 (C) shoulder（承擔）和 (I) transform（使改變），然僅 transform 置入後符合語意，故選 (I)。
c. transform vt. 使改變，使轉變
transform A into B　　將 A 改變∕轉化成 B
The Lins transformed their old house into a bed and breakfast.
林氏一家人將他們的舊房子改建成附早餐的民宿。

7. Nice guys shouldn't feel depressed, though.
理由:
a. 空格前有感官動詞 feel（感到、感覺起來），可知空格內應置入形容詞（含可作形容詞的分詞）作主詞補語。
b. 符合上述的選項僅剩 (B) depressed（感到沮喪的），置入後亦符合語意，故選之。
c. depressed a. 感到沮喪的，消沈的
Rainy days always make me depressed.
下雨天總是讓我心情沮喪。

8. While nice guys may not be competitive in the number of relationships they have over the years, they do have a huge advantage when it comes to finding partners for child rearing.
理由:
a. 空格前有不定冠詞 a 和形容詞 huge（大的），可知空格內應置入單數的可數名詞。
b. 符合上述的選項有 (C) shoulder（肩膀）和 (G) advantage（優勢；優點），然僅 advantage 置入後符合語意，故選 (G)。
c. advantage n. 優勢；優點
Bill's superior strength gave him an advantage over his opponents.
比爾的力氣比對手大，因此使他佔了上風。

9. If you are a nice guy who is thinking about undergoing some personality changes to be more take-charge, don't.
理由:
a. 空格前有介詞 about，空格後有名詞詞組 some personality changes（一些個性上的改變），可知空格內應置入及物動詞的動名詞。
b. 符合上述的選項僅有 (A) undergoing（經歷），置入後亦符合語意，故選之。
c. undergo vt. 經歷
三態為：undergo, underwent, undergone。
Mary underwent a very risky procedure to remove the tumor in her brain.
瑪麗經歷非常危險的手術，移除她腦內的腫瘤。

10. Keep being a shoulder to cry on.
理由:
a. 空格前有不定冠詞 a，空格後有不定詞片語 to cry on，可知空格內應置入單數的可數名詞。
b. 僅剩的 (C) shoulder（肩膀）為單數的可數名詞，置入後符合語意，並形成下列固定用法：
a shoulder to cry on
可以訴苦的對象
Stan was always there whenever Lucy needed a shoulder to cry on.
每當露西需要訴苦的對象時，史丹總是在她身邊。
c. 根據上述，故選 (C)。

1. come up with...　　想出∕提出……（點子等）
John has to come up with a way to finance his new business.
約翰必須想辦法為他的新事業籌措資金。

2. refer to...　　意指∕指的是……
These figures refer to our book sales in Asia.
這些數據指的是我們書籍在亞洲的銷量。

3. speak of...　　談到∕說到……
I wasn't speaking of your friend when I mentioned someone had lied to me.
當我說到有人騙我的時候，並不是在說你的朋友。

4. sensitive a. 善解人意的；敏感的
be sensitive to...　　對……敏感
The study helped the government become more sensitive to the needs of the unemployed.
這項研究讓政府對於失業族群的需求更加敏銳。
My downstairs neighbor is very sensitive to noise.
我樓下的鄰居對吵鬧聲很敏感。

5. intention n. 意圖
Marty had no intention of dating Claire. He just wanted to be friends.
馬蒂不想和克萊兒交往。他只想和她做朋友。

6. unavailable a. 得不到的；不能利用的
available a. 可獲得的，可買到的
The website was unavailable after the actor mentioned it on the talk show.
該男演員在脫口秀中提到那個網站後，它就進不去了。

7. Even worse, S + V　　更糟的是，……
Sam lost his job today. Even worse, someone stole his wallet.
山姆今天丟了工作。更糟的是，有人還偷了他的皮夾。

8. view A as B　　視 A 為 B
= see/regard/look upon/think of A as B
Mike always views Thanksgiving as a time for family.
麥克一向視感恩節為家人團聚的時刻。

9. eventually adv. 最後，終於
If you work hard, you will eventually achieve your goals.
如果你努力，最後一定會達成目標。

10. wear off　　逐漸消失
The medicine wore off after two hours.
藥效 2 小時後就消失了。

11. competitive a. 競爭性強的；有競爭力的
The two banks merged in order to be more competitive in the industry.
這 2 家銀行合併以便在同業中更具競爭力。

12. take-charge a. 控制的
take charge of...　　控制……；掌管……
The police officers were called in to take charge of the situation after the protest got out of hand.
抗議活動失控後，警方被召喚來控制場面。
Paul will take charge of the rescue operation.
保羅會負責這次的救援行動

13. come in first/second/.../last (place)
得第 1 名∕第 2 名∕……∕最後一名
Amy's softball team came in first place at the competition.
艾咪的壘球隊贏得比賽第 1 名。

1. expression n. 用語
2. single a. 單身的
3. self-centered a. 自私自利的，以自我為中心的
4. personality n. 個性，性格
5. harsh a. 殘酷的
6. macho a. 有男子氣概的
7. emotionally adv. 感情地
8. fling n. 短暫的風流韻事；一時的放縱
9. adrenaline n. 腎上腺素
the/an adrenaline rush　　
腎上腺素激增；（喻）一時興奮
10. rear vt. 撫養，養育

1. in reality　　實際上
2. when it comes to...　　談到∕說到……

為什麼有些女性總是喜歡壞男人？
　　棒球隊經理李奧‧杜羅切於 1939 年說了 1 句流傳至今的名言：『瞧瞧這些人。他們全是好人，不過成績卻會墊底。』他口中的這些人，指的是敵隊的球員。杜羅切當時談的並非風花雪月之事，如今他的名言 卻成為男女關係的同義詞。幾乎每個人都認識一些不斷抱怨自己仍小姑獨處的女性。這些人說她們渴望善良、聰明、善解人意，以及真心對待自己的紳士。但事實 上，她們約會的對象都是自私自利、心懷不軌的男人。具備好男人特質的男性果真對女性來說較沒有魅力嗎？
　　女性一生多半被灌輸要跟關心自己的好丈夫型男人安定下來。但現實很殘酷，有些女性挑的是不願付出感情的猛男，她們只想找機會風流快活。更糟的是，她們把這種壞男人視為 1 種挑戰，試圖把他們改造成丈夫的料。
　　不過，好男人別沮喪。激情終會消退，女性會想跟好男人長相廝守。雖然好男人在過去幾年的感情路上也許不受青睞，但談到尋找養育孩子的另一半時，他們的 確有很大的優勢。如果你是好男人，現在正考慮改變個性讓自己變成能控制場面的 hold 住哥，其實用不著如此。繼續對女性敞開心房、聆聽她們的感情問題，並成為她們可以訴苦的對象。請放心，好男人終能拔得頭籌。

答案：1. (H) 2. (E) 3. (J) 4. (D) 5. (F) 6. (I) 7. (B) 8. (G) 9. (A) 10. (C)