X Marks the Spot 臉上的星羅棋布
by Christine Newton
In 1986, a young American model named Cindy Crawford graced the cover of Vogue magazine and turned the beauty industry upside down. The reason for the _(1)_ was the large brown mole above her left lip. In Western culture, moles have long been considered ugly imperfections. They are _(2)_ with wicked witches, which usually implies impure character. _(3)_ the fact that they are called "beauty marks," many Westerners still see moles as unsightly. _(4)_, mole removal is a popular cosmetic fix.
Moles, no matter what they look like, should never be ignored. Moles that appear suddenly, grow, or change in color are _(5)_ signs of a potentially deadly form of skin cancer. A doctor should examine any _(6)_ mole to determine whether they are cancerous or not.
While Westerners argue over a mole's beauty, Eastern philosophers have long held a different interpretation of these little spots. For thousands of years, Chinese face-reading has been used by emperors and military leaders to _(7)_ the character and future of political opponents, or even understand an enemy in the art of war.
The face is _(8)_ into nine wealth spots known as mountains and rivers. The moles and birthmarks in these areas can indicate good fortune, or a lack of it. Spots between the eyes signify obstacles _(9)_ luck, while small moles that appear on the ears indicate creativity. Moles on the tip of the nose signify major misfortune. Moles around the mouth mean wealth and prosperity _(10)_ they are not black. Had Cindy Crawford been born in Taiwan, face-readers would have predicted she would enjoy a life of wealth and success. This prediction would have come true for the multi-millionaire supermodel.
(A) predict (B) warning (C) to (D) Despite (E) so long as
(F) uproar (G) suspicious (H) associated (I) divided (J) Accordingly
原來如此
1. The reason for the uproar was the large...
理由:
a.空格前是定冠詞 the,可知本空格應(yīng)填入名詞。
b.選項中,可作名詞的有 (B) warning(警告)和 (F) uproar(騷動),然根據(jù)語意,唯有 (F) 填入后上下語意連貫,故選之。
c.uproar n. 騷亂,騷動
cause an uproar 引起軒然大波
例: The princess caused an uproar when she filed for divorce.
(當(dāng)公主申請離婚時,引起一陣嘩然。)
2. They are associated with wicked witches,...
理由:
a.空格前后是 be 動詞 are 和介詞 with,因此空格可填入形容詞、現(xiàn)在分詞或過去分詞。
b.在所有選項中,(B) warning(警告的)、(G) suspicious(可疑的)、(H) associated(有關(guān)聯(lián)的)和 (I) divided(分開的)均符合上述條件,但根據(jù)語意,只有 associated 填入后語意連貫,且形成下列固定用法:
be assoiated with... 和……聯(lián)想在一起;和……有關(guān)聯(lián)
例: Many traffic accidents are associated with drinking alcohol.
(許多交通事故都與喝酒有關(guān)。)
c. 根據(jù)上述,故選 (H)。
3. Despite the fact that they are called...
理由:
a.本空格位于句首,可知應(yīng)該填入一開頭字母為大寫的選項。
b.符合上述條件的有 (D) Despite(盡管)和 (J) Accordingly(因此),但空格后是名詞 the fact,僅 (D) 置入后符合語意、用法,故選之。
c.Despite the fact that + S + V, S + V 盡管∕雖然……,……
例: Despite the fact that Jim is not a smart boy, his parents still push him to do his best.
(雖然吉姆不是個聰明的小孩,他父母依然鞭策他盡力而為。)
4. Accordingly, mole removal is a popular cosmetic fix.
理由:
a.本空格位于句首,可知應(yīng)該填入一開頭字母為大寫的選項。
b.選項中僅剩下 (J) Accordingly(因此)符合上述條件,且填入后語意連貫,可知為正選。
c.accordingly adv. 因此
5. Moles...are warning signs of a potentially deadly form of skin cancer.
理由:
a.空格前是 be 動詞 are,空格后是名詞 signs(征兆),因此空格內(nèi)可填入形容詞(包含現(xiàn)在分詞與過去分詞)。
b.選項中的形容詞有 (B) warning(警告的)、(G) suspicious(可疑的)及 (I) divided(分開的),但根據(jù)語意,只有 (B) 填入后語意連貫,故選之。
c.warning a. 警告的 & n. 警告
6. ...should examine any suspicious mole...
理由:
a.空格后是名詞 mole,因此空格應(yīng)該填入形容詞加以修飾。
b.選項中剩下的形容詞有 (G) suspicious(可疑的)和 (I) divided(分開的),但根據(jù)語意,只有 (G) 填入后語意連貫,故選之。
c.suspicious a. 可疑的
7. For hundreds of years, Chinese face-reading has been used...to predict the character...
理由:
a.空格前是不定詞 to,可知空格應(yīng)置入原形動詞。
b.選項中符合上述條件的只有 (A) predict(預(yù)測),填入后語意連貫,故選之。
c.predict vt. 預(yù)測
8. The face is divided into nine wealth spots...
理由:
a.空格前是 be 動詞 is,空格后是介詞 into,可知空格應(yīng)置入 divided,形成下列固定用法:
be divided into... 被分成……
例: The pizza was divided into equal parts and then given to the children.
(披薩被平均分配給小朋友。)
b.根據(jù)上述,故選 (I)。
9. Spots between the eyes signify obstacles to luck,...
理由:
a.本空格測試下列固定用法:
an/the obstacle to... 通往……的障礙
例: Tradition is often an obstacle to progress.
(傳統(tǒng)常常是進(jìn)步的絆腳石。)
b.obstacle 固定與介詞 to 并用,故選 (C)。
10. Moles around the mouth mean wealth and prosperity >so long as
理由:
a.空格前后分別是兩句完整句,因此推知,兩句間須以連接詞連接。
b.選項中只有 (E) so long as(只要)為副詞連接詞,填入后,語意連貫且符合文法,故選之。
c.so long as S + V, S + V 只要……,……
= as long as S + V, S + V
例: As long as you tell me the truth, I'll continue to trust you.
(只要你跟我說實話,我就繼續(xù)信任你。)
難句分析
Had Cindy Crawford been born in Taiwan, face-readers would have predicted....
= If Cindy Crawford had been born in Taiwan, face-readers would have predicted...
(如果辛迪?克勞馥出生在臺灣,面相學(xué)家會預(yù)測……。)
精解字詞詞組
1. turn...upside down 將……搞得天翻地覆
例: The new novel turned the city upside down because it was possibly about a well-known politician.
(這本新小說搞得滿城風(fēng)雨,因為它似乎在影射一位知名的政治人物。)
2. argue over... 爭辯……
例: Please don't argue over such trivial matters.
(請別為了這些微不足道的事情爭辯。)
3. signify vt. 表示,意味
例: What does the last passage in this article signify?
(這一篇文章的最后一段是什么意思呢?)
單字小鋪
1. mole n. 痣
2. imperfection n. 不完美,缺陷
3. impure a. 不純凈的
4. unsightly a. 難看的
5. removal n. 移除
6. cosmetic a. 美容的
7. ignore vt. 忽略,忽視
8. potentially adv. 有潛力地;有可能地
9. cancerous a. 癌癥的
10. interpretation n. 解讀,詮釋
11. opponent n. 對手
12. birthmark n. 胎記
13. prosperity n. 興盛,繁華1. mole n. 痣
2. imperfection n. 不完美,缺陷
3. impure a. 不純凈的
4. unsightly a. 難看的
5. removal n. 移除
6. cosmetic a. 美容的
7. ignore vt. 忽略,忽視
8. potentially adv. 有潛力地;有可能地
9. cancerous a. 癌癥的
10. interpretation n. 解讀,詮釋
11. opponent n. 對手
12. birthmark n. 胎記
13. prosperity n. 興盛,繁華
詞組小鋪
1. X marks the spot (偵探或犯罪故事中)標(biāo)有 X 的地點
2. grace the cover 登上封面
中文翻譯&標(biāo)準(zhǔn)答案
1986年,一位名叫辛迪?克勞馥的美國年輕模特兒登上《風(fēng)尚》雜志封面,顛覆了當(dāng)時的時尚界。軒然大波的原因在于她的左唇上方有一顆棕色的大痣。在西方文化中,痣長久以來一直被視為丑陋的缺陷。它們經(jīng)常和女巫聯(lián)想在一起,而這表示人格不純潔。雖然它們也稱為『美人痣』,但是很多西方人還是覺得痣很丑陋。因此,點痣成了廣受歡迎的美容手術(shù)。
痣不管長的怎么樣都不該等閑視之。突然長出來、變大或變色的痣是潛在致命皮膚癌的警訊。醫(yī)師應(yīng)該檢查每一個可疑的痣,確定是不是跟癌癥有關(guān)。
雖然西方人爭論痣的美丑,東方的哲學(xué)家長久以來對這些小斑點卻有不同的解讀。數(shù)千年來,中國的帝王和軍事將領(lǐng)運用面相學(xué)來預(yù)測政敵的個性與未來,甚至用在戰(zhàn)術(shù)中了解自己的敵人。
臉部被區(qū)分為九大富貴點,這些富貴點稱之為山河。痣或胎記落到這些區(qū)域有可能象征好運或時運不濟。兩眼之間的痣代表好運的障礙,而耳朵上的小痣則代表創(chuàng)意。鼻頭上的痣代表大不幸。嘴邊的痣只要不是黑色的都代表榮華富貴。如果辛迪?克勞馥出生在臺灣,面相學(xué)家會預(yù)測她能享受功成名就,而這項預(yù)測在這位身價百萬的超級名模身上確實得到了印證。
標(biāo)準(zhǔn)答案:
1. (F) 2. (H) 3. (D) 4. (J) 5. (B)
6. (G) 7. (A) 8. (I) 9. (C) 10. (E)