by Marcus Maurice
The Reign of Terror during the French Revolution began in June 1793 and lasted until July 1794. During this time, King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette _(1)_ many intellectuals, nobles, and politicians were put to death for crimes against liberty. During this gruesome year, ordinary townsfolk would gather in the Place de la Revolution fighting for the best view. An _(2)_ 15,000 to 40,000 people had a date with Madame Guillotine during this period of time.
Before the French Revolution, criminals sentenced to death were burnt at the stake, hanged, or decapitated with a stroke of a sword. The _(3)_ sometimes took repeated strikes and was very painful for the victim and the relatives watching. Dr. Guillotin, a respected doctor, recognized that there was a need for a humane form of _(4)_. To this end, he introduced a device that had been in use since the 13th century in other parts of Europe. _(5)_ for beheading, this tall, wooden structure with a heavy blade would come into use and later be renamed the guillotine.
More than a hundred years after the end of the French Revolution, some people felt the guillotine inhumane because the head briefly _(6)_ after the blade fell. Scientists studied the head of an executed man and found no evidence of it being able to feel or _(7)_ after being cut off. Madame Guillotine was retired once and for all in 1977.
1. (A) inclusive of (B) other than (C) but also (D) as well as
2. (A) estimates (B) estimated (C) estimating (D) estimation
3. (A) later (B) formal (C) latter (D) former
4. (A) execution (B) communication (C) interaction (D) transportation
5. (A) Use (B) Used (C) To use (D) By using
6. (A) gave in (B) broke out (C) lived on (D) passed away
7. (A) react (B) reside (C) recycle (D) refund
1. ...King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette as well as many intellectuals, nobles, and politicians were...
理由:
a. (A) inclusive of... 包含……
= including...
例: Everyone in my family loves music, inclusive of my little sister.
(我們家每個人都喜愛音樂,包括我小妹在內。)
(B) other than... 除了……
例: Other than a sandwich, I haven't had anything else to eat today.
(除了一個三明治,我今天還沒吃任何東西。)
(C) not only...but also... 不只……也……
(D) A as well as B A 和/以及 B
b. 空格前後為對等的名詞,得知應置入對等連接詞加以連接。選項中僅 (C)、(D) 為對等連接詞,但 (C) but also 必須和 not only 並用,故不可選。由此可知,故選 (D)。
2. An estimated 15,000 to 40,000 people had a date with Madame Guillotine...
理由:
a. 本空格測試下列固定用法:
an estimated + 數字 + 複數名詞 估計有……
注意:
在此用法中,an estimated 視為副詞,修飾其後的形容詞(數字),而非用來修飾複數名詞。
例: An estimated 500 people showed up for the 10 free iPods the store was giving away.
(估計有五百人為了十台免費贈送的 iPod 來到店裡。)
b. 根據上述,可知應選 (B)。
3. The latter sometimes took repeated strikes...
理由:
a. (A) later a. 稍後的
(B) formal a. 正式的
(C) latter n. 後者
the former...the latter....
前者……後者……
例: Al and Ed are very good friends. The former is handsome, while the latter leaves a lot to be desired.
(艾爾和艾德是很好的朋友。前者很帥,後者則長的很抱歉。)
(D) former n. 前者
b. 這裡說的應是『後者』(也就是用刀砍頭)可能會失敗,而導致必須砍很多次,故 (C) 為正選。
4. Dr. Guillotin...recognized that there was a need for a humane form of execution.
理由:
a. (A) execution n. 處決
(B) communication n. 溝通
(C) interaction n. 互動
(D) transportation n. 運輸
b. 根據語意,可知應選 (A)。
5. Used for beheading, this tall, wooden structure with a heavy blade would...
理由:
a. 本空格測試分詞句構的化簡法,其原則如下:
1) 被化簡的子句中主詞與主要子句的主詞相同時,該主詞要被刪除,若主詞不同時則要保留;
2) 之後的動詞要變成現在分詞;
3) 若該動詞為 be 動詞時,變成現在分詞 being 之後可省略。
例: (Being) Separated from her little boy, the mother felt extremely lonely.
(那位母親與小兒子分開而覺得很寂寞。)
b. 本句實等於:
This tall, wooden structure with a heavy blade was used for beheading, it (= this tall, wooden structure) would...
→ (Being) Used for beheading, this tall, wooden structure with a heavy blade would...
c. 根據上述,可知應選 (B)。
6. ...because the head briefly lived on after the blade fell.
理由:
a. (A) give in (to...) (對……)讓步
例: You shouldn't give in to your son whenever he wants something.
(你不該讓兒子予取予求。)
(B) break out (戰爭、疾病等)爆發
例: After SARS broke out, almost everyone was in a panic.
(SARS 爆發後,幾乎每個人都很驚慌。)
(C) live on 繼續存活/存在著
(D) pass away 過世(die 的委婉語)
b. 根據語意,可知應選 (C)。
7. Scientists...found no evidence of it being able to feel or react after being cut off.
理由:
a. (A) react vi. 反應(常與介詞 to 並用)
react to... 對……有所反應
例: My father reacted to the news of my getting married by passing out.
(我爸爸對我要結婚的反應是昏倒。)
(B) reside vi. 居住
例: It doesn't matter where we reside as long as we're together.
(住哪兒不重要,只要我們在一起就好。)
(C) recycle vt. 回收(再利用)
(D) refund vt. 退還(金額)
b. 根據語意,可知應選 (A)。
1. be put to death 被處死
put sb to death 將某人處死
例: You might be put to death if you attempt to smuggle drugs into that country.
(走私毒品到該國有可能會被處死。)
2. be sentenced to death 被判死刑
be sentenced to life in prison 被判無期徒刑
例: Frank was sentenced to life in prison without a chance of parole.
(法蘭克被判無期徒刑,不得假釋。)
3. recognize vt. 認定;認出
例: Bill recognized the handwriting and knew who had signed the check.
(比爾認出筆跡,知道是誰簽了那張支票。)
4. to this/that end 為了這個/那個目的
例: We want to save money for a scooter. To this end, we will eat out less often.
(我們想存錢買機車。為此目的,我們將減少外出用餐。)
5. execute vt. 處決
例: The dog was executed after it was found to have rabies.
(被查出有狂犬病後,那隻狗就被處死了。)
1. bonjour int.(法文問候語)早安,你好
2. guillotine n. 斷頭台
3. reign n. 統治
4. intellectual n. 知識分子
5. gruesome a. 可怕的
6. townsfolk n. 城鎮居民
7. stake n.(木)樁(本文指『火刑柱』)
8. hang vt. 吊死
三態為:hang, hanged, hanged。
9. decapitate vt. 斬首
10. humane a. 人道的
inhumane a. 不人道的
11. behead vt. 砍……的頭
12. blade n. 刀片
13. retire vt. 使退休
1. have a date with... 和……有約會
* 本文將斷頭台比喻為『Guillotine 夫人』,故 "have a date with Madame Guillotine" 引申為『被送上斷頭台』之意。
2. once and for all 堅決地;一勞永逸地
法國大革命期間的恐怖統治始於 1793 年六月,止於隔年七月。當時,法王路易十六和瑪莉王后,以及許多知識分子、貴族和政治家,都因妨礙自由的罪名遭到處死。在那可怕的一年中,一般鎮民會聚集在革命廣場,爭相搶個好視野。估計有一萬五千至四萬人在這段期間被送上了斷頭台。
在法國大革命之前,被判死刑的罪犯會被燒死在火刑柱、被吊死,或是被一刀砍下人頭。後者有時需要砍上很多刀,這對受刑人與正在觀看的親屬來說是很痛苦的一件事。Guillotin 這位備受尊敬的醫生認為人道的處決方式有其必要性。為了這個目的,他引進早在十三世紀歐洲其他地方使用過的一項設施。這個高大的木製裝置有一個重重的大刀用來斬首。該裝置開始被使用,後來重新命名為 guillotine。
法國大革命結束一百多年後,有些人認為斷頭台非常不人道,因為人頭在大刀砍下之後還能短暫存活。不過科學家研究受刑人的人頭,並沒有發現任何砍掉之後,還能感覺或反應的證據。斷頭台在 1977 年從此退隱江湖。
標準答案: 1. (D) 2. (B) 3. (C) 4. (A) 5. (B) 6. (C) 7. (A)
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