常春藤解析英語 90 The Grossness of Halitosis 惡，有口臭！

The Grossness of Halitosis 惡，有口臭!

by Suzanne Cowan and Matthew Brown

Are friends standing at a distance? Maybe it's time to get rid of your bad breath.

朋友們都跟你保持距離?也許你該消除一下口臭了。

Almost everyone has bad breath at times. Bad breath can occur when you wake up in the morning or after eating a _(1)_ with ingredients like garlic and onions. For some, however, bad breath is a constant problem _(2)_ just an occasional one. In most cases, bad breath, or halitosis, can be eliminated. Before you decide to try one of the many _(3)_ for bad breath, you might want to check to see how your breath smells.

A popular way to _(4)_ whether you have bad breath is to breathe into your hands and then smell the air. But this is not actually a very reliable method. A better way is to lick your wrist, wait a moment, and then smell it. If it smells bad, it's _(5)_ that you have bad breath. An _(6)_ better way is to ask someone you trust to smell your breath and give you his or her opinion.

Bad breath can be caused by various things. Sometimes it is just a matter of having food in between your teeth or a dental problem. Brushing _(7)_ helps keep your teeth clean, but flossing is also important. For some, the problem is more difficult to _(8)_. Bacteria in the mouth can cause bad breath as they _(9)_ proteins. To control the bacteria, brush the roof of your mouth, and make sure to gently clean the back of your tongue without damaging the taste buds at the back. Try a mouthwash that doesn't _(10)_ alcohol, and drink water during the day so your mouth doesn't get too dry.

It's important to keep your mouth clean and try to have good breath. Don't worry about the problem too much, though. And don't be scared of a little garlic and onions now and then.

(A) cures (B) even (C) meal (D) contain (E) regularly (F) likely (G) find out (H) resolve (I) rather than (J) break down

原來如此

1. Bad breath can occur when you wake up in the morning or after eating a meal with ingredients like garlic and onions.

理由:

a. 空格前有不定冠詞 a，可知空格內(nèi)應置入單數(shù)可數(shù)名詞。

b. 符合上述的選項僅有 (C) meal(一餐)，且置入后符合語意，表早上剛起床或剛吃過含有大蒜和洋蔥等食材的『一餐』后會產(chǎn)生口臭之意，故選 (C)。

2. For some, however, bad breath is a constant problem rather than just an occasional one.

理由:

a. 空格前為一完整的句構，空格后有名詞詞組 an occasional one(偶爾才有口臭)，可知空格內(nèi)應置入連接詞或介詞。

b. 符合上述的選項僅有 (I) rather than(而非)，且置入后符合語意，表有些人『并非』偶爾才有口臭，而是長期為口臭所苦之意，故選 (I)。

c. rather than N/V-ing/V　　而非……

= instead of N/V-ing

例: Rather than going to the party, I decided to stay home.

(我決定窩在家里，不去派對了。)

3. Before you decide to try one of the many cures for bad breath, you might want to check to see how your breath smells.

理由:

a. 空格前有定冠詞 the 和數(shù)量形容詞 many(許多的)，可知空格內(nèi)應置入復數(shù)名詞。

b. 符合上述的選項僅有 (A) cures(療法)，且置入后符合語意，表在你決定從眾多『療法』中擇一來消除口臭之前，也許會想了解自己的口氣聞起來如何，故選 (A)。

c. cure n. 療法(之后與介詞 for 并用)

例: We all hope that scientists will someday discover a cure for cancer.

(我們都希望科學家有一天能找出治療癌癥的方法。)

4. A popular way to find out whether you have bad breath is to breathe into your hands and then smell the air.

理由:

a. 空格前有不定詞 to，空格后的 whether you have bad breath 是名詞子句，可知空格內(nèi)應置入原形及物動詞或原形及物動詞詞組。

b. 符合上述的選項有 (D) contain(包含)、(G) find out(查出)、(H) resolve(解決)和 (J) break down(分解)，然僅 find out 置入后符合語意，表『查出』自己是否有口臭的常見方式之意，故選 (G)。

c. find out...　　查出∕弄清楚……

例: Did you find out why Elsie went to Korea last week?

(你弄清楚艾爾希上星期前往韓國的原因嗎?)

5. If it smells bad, it's likely that you have bad breath.

理由:

a. 空格前有虛主詞 it 和 be 動詞 is，空格后為 that 所引導的副詞子句，可知空格內(nèi)應置入形容詞，以供此副詞子句修飾。

b. 符合上述的選項有 (B) even(平均的)和 (F) likely(可能的)，然僅 likely 置入后符合語意，表如果味道很糟，你『可能』就有口臭，故選 (F)。

c. It's likely + that 子句　　很可能……

例: It's likely that the weather will be beautiful this weekend.

(周末可能會是個好天氣。)

6. An even better way is to ask someone you trust to smell your breath and give you his or her opinion.

理由:

a. 空格后有比較級形容詞 better(較好的)，可知此處測試可用來修飾比較級形容詞的副詞，計有以下 6 個：

far, much, a lot, a great deal, still, even。

例: That book is good, but this one is even more interesting.

(那本書很好看，但這本書更是有趣。)

b. 根據(jù)上述，可知應選 (B)。

7. Brushing regularly helps keep your teeth clean, but flossing is also important.

理由:

a. 空格前有作主詞的動名詞 Brushing(刷牙)，空格后有動詞 helps，句構完整，故可知應置入副詞來修飾動名詞 Brushing 或動詞 helps。

b. 符合上述的選項僅剩 (E) regularly(經(jīng)常地)，且置入后符合語意，表『經(jīng)常』刷牙有助于保持牙齒清潔，故選 (E)。

c. regularly adv. 經(jīng)常地;固定地

例: I play basketball regularly to keep in shape.

(我固定去打籃球來維持體態(tài)。)

8. For some, the problem is more difficult to resolve.

理由:

a. 空格前有不定詞 to，可知應置入原形動詞或原形動詞詞組。

b. 符合上述的選項有 (D) contain(包含)、(H) resolve(解決)和 (J) break down(分解)，然僅 resolve 置入后符合語意，表對有些人來說，要『解決』口臭這個問題是更加困難之意，故選 (H)。

c. resolve vt. 解決

例: How can we resolve this problem?

(我們要如何解決這個問題?)

9. Bacteria in the mouth can cause bad breath as they break down proteins.

理由:

a. 空格前有主詞 they(= bacteria)，空格后有名詞 proteins(蛋白質)，可知空格應置入及物動詞或及物動詞詞組。

b. 符合上述的選項有 (D) contain(包含)和 (J) break down(分解)，然僅 break down 置入后符合語意，表口腔的細菌在『分解』蛋白質的過程中會產(chǎn)生不好的味道，故選 (J)。

c. break down...　　把……分解

例: Enzymes in your stomach break down food after you eat it.

(食物吃下肚后，胃中的酵素會把它們分解。)

10. Try a mouthwash that doesn't contain alcohol, and drink water during the day so your mouth doesn't get too dry.

理由:

a. 空格前有否定的助動詞 doesn't，空格后有名詞 alcohol(酒精)，可知應置入原形及物動詞。

b. 符合上述的選項僅剩 (D) contain(包含)，且置入后符合語意，表試試看不『含』酒精的漱口水之意，故選 (D)。

c. contain vt. 包含，含有

例: This book contains lots of challenging word puzzles.

(這本書中有很多具挑戰(zhàn)性的字謎。)

精解字詞詞組

1. almost everyone　　幾乎每一個人

注意:

almost、practically 和 virtually(幾乎)通常用來修飾涵蓋性完全的詞類，共計有四個：every、no、all、any。

例: Almost everyone in this class speaks fluent English.

(這班上幾乎每個人英文都說得很流利。)

2. at times　　有時，偶爾

= (every) now and then

= once in a while

= sometimes

例: At times, the boss can be a bit hard to talk to.

(那位老板有時候不太好溝通。)

3. occasional a. 偶爾的

occasionally adv. 偶爾

例: Except for the occasional headache, Al is very healthy.

(除了偶爾會頭痛外，艾爾非常健康。)

例: I occasionally take a nap after lunch.

(我偶爾會在午飯后睡個午覺。)

4. eliminate vt. 消除;排除

例: I think we can eliminate the problem if we work together.

(我認為只要我們同心協(xié)力，就能解決這個難題。)

5. reliable a. 可靠的，可信賴的

rely vi. 依靠，依賴

rely on...　　依賴……

= count on...

= depend on...

例: The reporter said he got his information from a reliable source.

(該記者說他的消息出自可靠的來源。)

例: Don't worry. You can always rely on me for help.

(別擔心;你可以隨時仰賴我的幫忙。)

6. in between...　　介于……之間，在……中間

in between your teeth　　在你的齒縫間

注意:

在英文的句構中，介詞后通常以名詞或動名詞作其受詞，但有時為描述特殊狀況，介詞 in 及 from 之后可以用介詞詞組作受詞。

例: The deer was stuck in between two rocks.

(這只鹿被卡在兩塊大石頭中間。)

例: The boy jumped out from behind the door and frightened his sister.

(這男孩從門后跳出來嚇他妹妹。)

7. make sure to V　　務必∕一定要……

例: Make sure to fasten your seat belt before the plane lands.

(飛機降落前務必要系好安全帶。)

8. be scared of...　　害怕……

= be frightened of...

= be terrified of...

= be afraid of...

例: I'm scared of heights.

(我怕高。)

單字小鋪

1. grossness n. 惡心

gross a. 惡心的(= disgusting)

2. halitosis n. 口臭

3. ingredient n.(烹調的)原料

4. garlic n. 大蒜

5. constant a. 持續(xù)不斷的

6. lick vt. 舔

7. wrist n. 手腕

8. various a. 各式各樣的

9. dental a. 牙齒的

10. floss vt. 用牙線清潔 & n. 牙線

11. bacteria n. 細菌(復數(shù))

bacterium n. 細菌(單數(shù))

12. protein n. 蛋白質

13. taste bud n. 味蕾(常用復數(shù))

14. mouthwash n. 漱口水

15. alcohol n. 酒精

詞組小鋪

1. in most cases　　在多數(shù)情況下，往往

2. a matter of...　　有關……的問題

3. worry about...　　憂心∕擔心……

幾乎每個人都偶爾會有壞口氣的經(jīng)驗。早上剛起床或剛吃過含有大蒜和洋蔥等食材的一餐都會產(chǎn)生口臭。然而，有些人并不是偶爾才有口臭，而是長期為口臭所苦。大部分的案例顯示口臭是可以消除的。在你決定從眾多療法中擇一來消除口臭之前，你也許會想了解自己的口氣聞起來如何。

檢查自己是否有口臭的常見方式是對著雙手呵氣，然后再聞一聞。不過這個方式并不絕對可靠。比較有效的方式是舔一下手腕，稍后片刻再聞味道。如果味道很糟，你可能就有口臭。最好的辦法就是找一個你信得過的人，要他∕她聞一下你的口氣再告訴你意見。

形成口臭的原因有很多種。有時候只是因為食物的殘渣留在牙縫或是口腔問題所造成。經(jīng)常刷牙有助于保持牙齒清潔，但用牙線清潔牙齒也同樣重要。對有些人來說，消除口臭是難上加難?？谇坏募毦诜纸獾鞍踪|的過程中會產(chǎn)生不好的味道。為了消除細菌，記得要刷上顎，并務必輕刷舌根，但不要傷了舌頭后方的味蕾。試試看不含酒精的漱口水，平常還要多喝水以免口干舌燥。

保持口腔清潔和口氣清新是很重要的。但也別整天提心吊膽，連偶爾吃一點大蒜和洋蔥都不敢。

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