英文的學習不能等

(傅小芸 很像桂綸鎂吧!)  

by Jerri Graham

Looking in the mirror, you see your reflection. Each morning staring back at you are the same nose, mouth, and eyes that you've had your entire life. _(1)_ Visualize staring across the dinner table and you see a person chewing on a piece of bread that looks exactly like you. This is not science fiction or the future of cloning, but the wonderful world of twins.

Most people have a sibling or two. The physical similarities can be striking, but with certain types of twins, these likenesses are incredible. Identical twins share 100 percent of the same DNA, which means that they are physically the same in almost all respects. _(2)_
Besides sharing the same looks, some twins even have a language of their own. Young twins often communicate with one another in a made-up language. There are even cases where twins keep this language throughout their lives. _(3)_ In addition to speaking a language all their own, twins are also said to have the ability to feel one another's emotions and physical sensations. In studies, researchers have conducted experiments where they have separated twins. In one room, one of the twins may have received an electric shock unbeknownst to his/her sibling. _(4)_
Oftentimes twins, especially those that are identical, want to be considered separate from the other. Dressing in a different style may help, but this only scratches the surface. _(5)_ With the aid of a plastic surgeon, some twins achieve a level of being different that a new shirt could never provide.

(A) Meanwhile in another room, the other twin reacts to this pain.
(B) On the other hand, fraternal twins may look somewhat alike or be complete opposite.
(C) Some become so desperate to forge their own identity that they seek out the help of professionals.
(D) Can you imagine what it would be like not to have to look in the mirror to see a reflection of yourself?
(E) No matter how old they become, they will continue to communicate with one another in this tongue.

1. 第一題空格應選 (D)
理由:
a. 空格前說每天早上你在鏡中看到的都是同一副面孔（staring back at you are the same nose, mouth, and eyes）。
b. 選項 (D) 則是反問，你可以想像不用照鏡子就可以看到自己的情形嗎？（not to have to look in the mirror to see a reflection of yourself），語意前後連貫；且選項中的 reflection of yourself 與空格前的 staring back at you are the same nose, mouth, and eyes 相呼應，故為正選。

2. 第二題空格應選 (B)
理由:
a. 空格前談論的是同卵雙胞胎（identical twins）。
b. 選項 (B) 則是探討異卵雙胞胎的狀況，互為對照，可知為正選。
大補丸:
a. on the other hand　　另一方面
例: Dining out can be nice, but on the other hand, cooking a meal at home can be more nutritious and less expensive.
（在外用餐固然不錯，但另一方面，在家自己煮卻是營養又便宜。）
b. fraternal twins　　異卵雙胞胎
fraternal a. 兄弟的
c. somewhat adv. 有點
d. opposite a. 相反的

3. 第三題空格應選 (E)
理由:
a. 空格前說有的雙胞胎一輩子都保有這種語言（keep this language throughout their lives）。
b. 選項 (E) 則說不管年紀多大，他們仍繼續用這種語言互相溝通（continue to communicate with one another in this tongue），語意前後連貫，且language 與 tongue 形成關鍵字，故為正選。
大補丸:
a. no matter how + adj./adv.　　不管如何……
例: No matter how bad his daughter acts, Mr. Brown still loves her.
（不論女兒表現有多糟，布朗先生仍然愛她。）
b. communicate with...　　 和……溝通
例: Mrs. Williams finds it difficult to communicate with her teenage son.
（威廉斯太太發現跟青春期的兒子難以溝通。）
c. tongue n. 語言

4. 第四題空格應選 (A)
理由:
a. 空格前說雙胞胎中的其中一人在另一人不知情的狀況下接受電擊（received an electric shock unbeknownst to his/her sibling）。
b. 選項 (A) 則說在另一個房間裡，另一位雙胞胎會對電擊的痛苦有所反應（the other twin reacts to the pain），語意前後連貫，故為正選。
大補丸:
a. meanwhile adv. 同時
b. react to...　　對……起反應
例: How did Anna react to the news about her ex-boyfriend's upcoming wedding?
（安娜得知她前男友即將結婚時有何反應？）

5. 第五題空格應選 (C)
理由:
a. 空格前說的是，雙胞胎雖然以不同的打扮風格來區別彼此，但卻像是隔靴搔癢，沒有太大用處（only scratches the surface）。
b. 選項 (C) 則說道，有些雙胞胎為了塑造獨一無二的自我而向專家（professionals）求助，此處的專家也就是下一句中提到的整型醫師（plastic surgeon），語意前後連貫，故為正選。
大補丸:
a. desperate a. 極度渴望的
b. forge vt. 建立；偽造
例: Johnny forged his father's signature on his report card.
（強尼在成績單上模仿他爸爸的簽名。）
c. identity n. 身分
d. seek out...　　尋求／尋找……
例: If the storm doesn't stop, we will have to seek out a place to stay for the night.
（如果暴風雨不停，我們就得找個今晚過夜的地方。）
e. professional n. 專家

1. visualize vt. 想像
例: I closed my eyes and visualized myself driving down the street in my new car.
（我閉上眼睛，想像自己開著新車在路上馳騁。）

2. in all respects　　在各方面
= in every respect
例: In all respects, Gary is a friend I'd trust with my life.
（就各方面而言，蓋瑞都是我可以終身信任的朋友。）

3. separated a. 分開的

separate vt. 使分開 & a. 各自的，獨立的
separate A from B　　將 A 與 B 分開
例:It takes skill to separate egg whites from egg yolks.
（把蛋白和蛋黃分開需要技巧。）

4. unbeknownst to sb　　 不為某人所知
例: Unbeknownst to the campers, there was a wild bear on the loose.
（登山者不知道有隻野熊正在外遊蕩。）

5. scratch the surface　　僅觸及問題表面
例: The money you gave us doesn't even scratch the surface of the amount we need.
（你給的錢和我們所需的金額比起來不過是九牛一毛。）

1. reflection n. 反射，倒影

2. cloning n. 複製

3. sibling n. 兄弟姊妹

4. similarity n. 相似處

5. striking a. 驚人的

6. identical twins　　同卵雙胞胎

identical a. 完全相同的

7. made-up a. 虛構的

8. sensation n. 感官，感覺

9. conduct vt. 進行（調查、實驗等）

10. plastic surgeon　　整型醫師

plastic surgery　　整型手術

　　照鏡子時你會看到自己的影像。每天早上從鏡子裡望著你的一直以來都是相同的鼻子、嘴巴和眼睛。你能想像不用照鏡子就能看到自己的模樣嗎？想像一下隔著餐桌看到另一頭有個人啃著麵包，長得和你一模一樣。這不是科幻小說或未來的複製世界，而是奇妙的雙胞胎世界。

　　大部分人都有一、兩個兄弟姊妹。手足間外貌上的相似可能令人吃驚，但就某些雙胞胎而言，相似度更是驚人。同卵雙胞胎擁有百分之百相同的 DNA，也就是說他們的外表幾乎在各方面都像同一個模子印出來的。另一方面，異卵雙胞胎則可能看來有點像，或甚至在外表上大相逕庭。

　　除了外表上相似，有些雙胞胎甚至擁有屬於自己的語言。年輕的雙胞胎經常用自創的語言互相溝通。甚至在一些案例中，有的雙胞胎一輩子都保有這種語言。不管年紀多大，他們仍繼續和對方以這種語言溝通。除了說著共通的話語，雙胞胎也被認為有能力感受到另一個人情緒和身體上的感覺。在研究中，研究人員做實驗將雙胞胎分開。在一個房間裡，其中一位雙胞胎可能會在另一位不知情的情況下接受電擊。同時在另一個房間，另一位雙胞胎則會對電擊的痛苦有所反應。

　　通常雙胞胎，尤其是同卵雙胞胎，希望被看作有別於另一位的獨立個體。不同風格的打扮可能會有幫助，但是卻搔不到癢處。有些人急著要塑造獨一無二的自我，甚至會尋求專家的協助。藉由整型醫師的協助，有些雙胞胎讓自己達到某種程度的不同，那是一件新襯衫絕對做不到的事。

標準答案: 1. (D)　2. (B)　3. (E)　4. (A)　5. (C)

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每天看美女或者是帥哥圖 有益身心健康!