LadyLee的學習筆記小行星

 Unit 5 專題特寫 Features 

From farmers' fields to Halloween decorations, these spooky security guards have quite a story.

從農夫的田地到萬聖節的裝飾,這些陰森恐怖的守衛們可是大有來頭。

You may have seen them standing alone in a farmer's field.

你或許曾經看過它們獨自站在農夫的田地裡。
 

With thin arms and perhaps a strange smile, they stand guard over the crops day and night .

它們有著細長的手臂,可能還有一抹詭異的微笑,日日夜夜看守著農作物。

They are scarecrows who work a job that has gone unchanged for thousands of years.

它們就是稻草人,它們的工作好幾干年以來都沒有變過。

Scarecrows have been around since at least the time of the ancient Egyptians.

稻草人最早從古埃及時代就出現了。

Back then, farmers covered wooden frames with nets to protect wheat fields along the Nile River.

當時,農民會用網子覆蓋在木架上以保護尼羅河邊的麥田。

Farmers would hide in the wheat, and then jump out to scare birds into their nets to trap them.

農民會躲在麥田裡,然後等待時機跳出來,把烏嚇進網子裡困住他們。

Around 2500 BCE, the Greeks made the first human-like scarecrows.

大約於西元前二十五世紀,希臘人製作了第一個人形稻草人。

They added a face which was similar to that of the Greek god Priapus.

他們在稻草人上加了一個類似希臘神普里阿普斯的臉。

This was thought to be scarys enough to keep birds away from their precious fields.
這張臉被認為可怕到足把鳥從他們珍貴的農田驅逐出去。

The Romans later copied this design and brought it to Europe during the height of the Roman Empire.
羅馬人接著仿效這個設計,並在羅馬帝國的興盛時期傳入歐洲。

Centuries after the Romans marched through Europe, people around the world were creating their own version of scarecrows.

在羅馬人進軍歐洲幾世紀後,世界各地的人開始創造他們自己版本的稻草人。

In Japan, scarecrows were shaped like people and dressed in raincoats and straw hats.

在日本,稻草人被做成人形並穿上雨衣和草帽。

In Germany, scarecrows were made to look like witches
在德國,稻草人被做成像女巫一樣。

Perhaps strangest of all, in Britain, young boys and girls were even used as "living scarecrows" for a time.
可能最奇特的是在英國,男孩和女孩在某一時期甚至被用來當作「活生生的稻草人」。

 ----- 單字片語 Words & Phrases  -----

1. decoration   n.裝飾品
    decor           n.裝飾,裝潢

◆ Beth put up a lot of beautiful decorations for the party.

    貝絲為派對布置許多美麗的裝飾品。

2. stand guard over sth 看守⋯⋯

    guard    n.守衛,保衛

◆ The soldiers stand guard over the prisoners every night.

    士兵們每天晚上都會看守囚犯。

3. crop    n.農作物,莊稼

◆ The farmer grows a variety of crops.

    這位農夫種植各種的作物。

4. trap     vt.使受困

◆ There is a cat trapped in the garbage can.

    有一隻貓被困在垃圾桶裡。

5. scary    a.恐怖的,嚇人的

◆ The ghost in the movie was so scary that I had a nightmare after I watched it.

    那部電影裡的鬼太恐怖了,以致於我看完後做了個惡夢。

* nightmare  n. 惡夢

6. precious a.珍貴的:貴重的

◆ The year Carl spent in a foreign country is one of his most precious experiences.

    卡爾在國外待的那一年是他最珍貴的經歷之一。

7. march  vi.進軍・行軍:遊行

◆ Many people are watching the soldiers march through the streets.

    許多人在觀看士兵們在街上行軍。

8. straw  n.稻草

◆ Put on your straw hat. The sun's out.

    把你的草帽戴上吧。太陽出來了

 -----補充詞彙  Extra Words & Phrases  -----

◆ guardian      n.守護者:監護人

◆ spooky         a.令人毛骨悚然的:幽靈般的

◆ scarecrow   n.稻草人

◆ Egyptian     n.埃及人

◆ frame          n.框架・邊框

◆ the height [ hart ] of... ⋯⋯的高峰/高潮

◆ empire        n.帝國

◆ version       n.版本

◆ witch           n. 女巫

◆ work a job 尤其指藍領階級,勞力工作

 ----- Tips in Use 重點解析 -----

◎ 代名詞 that / those的用法

    在英文中,相同的名詞在同一中出現時,為避免重複, 可改用代名詞 that 或 those。

1. 若為單數名詞或不可數名詞,以代名詞 that 代替。

    本文第二段中的tha數詞即用來代替單數名詞 the face。

◎ 代替單數名詞:

◆ The entrance exam at this school is much harder than that of the other school.

     這所學校的入學考試比另一所學校的還要更難。

◎ 代替不可數名詞:

◆ The scenery along the North Coast is as beautiful as that of the South Coast.

     北海岸的風景和南海岸的一樣漂亮。

2. 若為複數名詞, those 代替。

◆ You can have your own opinions, but you also have to respect those of other people.

     你可以有自己的想法,但你也要尊重別人的想法。
 

 ----- You Can Do This 英文試金石 -----

請圈選出最適當的選項以完成句子

1. The police are standing (crop / straw / guard) over the jewelry.

2. Ted was afraid to go to bed after he heard the (scary / rude / precious) story.

3. The hunter uses the net to (relax / trap / repair) wild animals before he takes them home.

 -----答案 ----- You Can Do This 英文試金石 -----

1.guard 2. scary 3. trap