常春藤解析英語 48 The Little Land of Long Life　長壽小國安道爾

The Little Land of Long Life　長壽小國安道爾

by Jerri Graham & Kevin Lustig

There is an old saying: the only things that are certain in life are death and taxes. Yet in Andorra, a small country in the Pyrenees mountain range between France and Spain, death comes slow and taxes are nonexistent. This tiny nation is culturally rich, financially sound, and tourist-friendly.

You may have a hard time _(1)_ Andorra on a map. The country is just 464 square kilometers. Its population is only 73,100, and 67.7 percent of the people there are immigrants from other European countries. Because of this _(2)_, the majority of Andorrans speak four languages. The country is a tax haven, and many of the world's extremely wealthy list Andorra as their home country because of the great tax laws. In fact, because taxes are _(3)_ nonexistent, postage stamps issued by the government are one of the nation's leading sources of income. The tax laws also _(4)_ a lot of tourism, as tax-free shopping is available throughout the country.

Impressively, Andorra currently has the world's highest life expectancy at a(n) _(5)_ of 83.52 years of age. One theory for this longevity is that its tourism-based economy doesn't include many strenuous occupations, so Andorrans aren't _(6)_ to suffer ill health due to work. Also, the country's low population limits hazards like car accidents. No one can say for sure _(7)_ the recipe for longevity is in this small, mountaintop country. Whatever the reasons, the citizens of Andorra are living for many years of wealth, health, and happiness.

1.　(A) to find　　　　(B) finding　　　　　(C) found　　　　　(D) to finding

2.　(A) anxiety　　　　(B) personality　　　(C) capacity　　　(D) diversity

3.　(A) practically　　(B) scarcely　　　　　(C) exactly　　　(D) relatively

4.　(A) achieve　　　　(B) release　　　　　(C) attract　　　　(D) withdraw

5.　(A) balance　　　　(B) height　　　　　(C) average　　　　(D) expense

6.　(A) maybe　　　　　(B) likely　　　　　(C) probable　　　　(D) possible

7.　(A) what　　　　　(B) that　　　　　　(C) which　　　　　　(D) whether

原來如此

1.You may have a hard time finding Andorra on a map.

理由:

a.本空格測試下列用法：

have a hard time + V-ing　　做……有困難

= have difficulty + V-ing

= have trouble + V-ing

= have problems + V-ing

例:We had a hard time convincing Stuart to sell us his car.

(我們很難說服史圖華特把車賣給我們。)

b.根據上述用法，可知應選 (B) finding。

2.Because of this diversity, the majority of Andorrans speak four languages.

理由:

a.(A) anxiety n. 焦慮

(B) personality n. 人格，個性

(C) capacity n. 容量

例:The bus has a capacity of 24 people.

(這輛公交車的載客量為 24 人。)

(D) diversity n. 多樣性

例:The college prides itself on the diversity of its students.

(這所大學以其學生的多元背景自豪。)

b.空格前提到，安道爾的人口有百分之 67.7 是來自歐洲其它國家的移民，可知由于這樣的『多樣性』，大部分的安道爾人會說四種語言，故選 (D)。

3.In fact, because taxes are practically nonexistent, postage stamps issued by the government are...

理由:

a.(A) practically adv. 幾乎

理由:

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

例:Tom is late for work practically every day.

(湯姆幾乎每天上班都遲到。)

(B) scarcely adv. 幾乎不

(C) exactly adv. 精確地;恰好地

注意:

exactly 一般不用來修飾動詞，而通常置于數字或含疑問詞(what, where, when, how, who)的名詞子句之前，以強調該數字或疑問詞。

(D) relatively adv. 相當地

b.空格后為形容詞 nonexistent(不存在的)，故根據上述語意、用法，可知應選 (A)。

4.The tax laws also attract a lot of tourism,...

理由:

a.(A) achieve vt. 達成

achieve one's goal　　達成某人的目標

(B) release vt. 發(fā)行

(C) attract vt. 吸引

(D) withdraw vt. 提取;撤回

例:I wanted to withdraw some money from the ATM, but I forgot the password.

(我想從提款機領一些錢，卻忘了密碼。)

b.根據前后語意，可知應選 (C)。

5.Impressively, Andorra currently has the world's highest life expectancy at a(n) average of 83.52 years of age.

理由:

a.(A) balance n. 平衡

strike a balance between A and B

在 A 與 B 之間取得平衡

例:We need to strike a balance between economic development and environmental protection.

(我們需要在經濟發(fā)展和環(huán)保之間找到平衡點。)

(B) at a height of...　　在……的高度

例:The plane flew at a height of 700 meters.

(這架飛機的飛行高度是七百英尺。)

(C) an average of + 數字　　平均……

例:Our university has mostly older students, at an average of 35 years old.

(我們大學里大多是年長的學生，平均年齡三十五歲。)

(D) at the expense of...

= at the sacrifice of...

= at the price of...

= at the cost of...

以……為代價;犧牲……

例:I don't want to succeed at the expense of my friendships.

(我不想犧牲友誼來獲得成功。)

b.根據上述語意、用法，可知應選 (C)。

6...., so Andorrans aren't likely to suffer ill health due to work.

理由:

a.本空格測試下列固定用法：

be likely to V　　有做……的可能

例:You are likely to bump into her if you go to the library at 6:00 every day.

= It's likely that you bump into her if you go to the library at 6:00 every day.

(如果你每天六點到圖書館去，就有可能遇到她。)

b. maybe(或許)為副詞，使用時通常置于句首，故 (A) 不可選。

c. 無 "人 + be probable/possible to V" 之用法，因為這兩個形容詞無法用來修飾人，故 (C)、(D) 均不可選。

d.根據上述，可知應選 (B)。

7. No one can say for sure what the recipe for longevity is in this small, mountaintop country.

理由:

空格前為及物動詞 say，其后則為有主詞和動詞的子句，由此可知，空格應選填可引導名詞子句的詞類，以作為 say 的受詞。

a. what 為疑問代名詞，可引導名詞子句，且 what 置入空格后，除可作及物動詞 say 的受詞，亦可作 is 后的主詞補語，符合語意、用法，故選 (A)。

例:Do you understand what I just said?

(你了解我剛剛說的話嗎?)

b. that 雖可用來引導名詞子句，但其后須為完整的子句，而此處空格須置入可作主詞補語的詞類，故 (B) 不可選。

c. which 為關系代名詞，使用時其前須有先行詞(名詞)，故 (C) 不可選。

例:This is the book which I bought yesterday.

(這就是我昨天買的那本書。)

d. whether(是否)亦可用來引導名詞子句，但置入后語意不符，故 (D) 亦不可選。

精解字詞詞組

1. the majority of...　　大多數的……

例: The majority of coal miners have respiratory problems in their old age.

(大多數的煤礦工人年老時都有呼吸方面的問題。)

2. list A as B　　將 A 列為 B

例: The game program lists Sam as a third baseman.

(出賽名單將山姆列為三壘手。)

3. issue vt. 發(fā)布

例: We can't issue you a passport until you fill out this form.

(如果你不填這張表格，我們就無法發(fā)護照給你。)

4. impressively adv. 令人印象深刻地

impressive a. 令人印象深刻的

例: The young singer was impressive during his first public performance.

(那位年輕歌手首次公開演出就令人印象深刻。)

5. suffer vt. 遭受 & vi. 受苦;罹患(疾病)

suffer from...　　飽受……(疾病)之苦

例: The general suffered several defeats before finally beating the enemy.

(那位將軍遭受數次戰(zhàn)敗后，終于擊敗敵軍。)

例: Elizabeth suffers from high blood pressure.

(伊麗莎白罹患高血壓。)

6. hazard n. 危險

hazardous a. 危險的

occupational hazards　　職業(yè)傷害

be a hazard to...　　對……構成危險

= be hazardous to...

例: Smoking is hazardous to your health.

(吸煙有害健康。)

7. whatever...　　不管∕不論什么……

= no matter what...

例: No matter what he says, I will not listen to him.

(不論他說什么，我都不聽。)

本文：

Whatever the reasons, the citizens of Andorra are living...

= Whatever the reasons may be, the citizens of Andorra are living...

單字小鋪

1. mountain range n. 山脈

2. nonexistent a. 不存在的

existent a. 存在的

3. sound a. 健全的;完好的

4. tourist-friendly a. 對觀光客友善的

5. population n. 人口(集合名詞)

6. immigrant n. 外來移民

7. tax haven　　避稅場所

* 指吸引許多人去居住或投資的無稅或低稅率國家或地區(qū)。

haven n. 避風港;避難所

8. postage n. 郵資

9. leading a. 最重要的

10. income n. 收入

11. tax-free a. 免稅的

12. available a. 可得到的

13. life expectancy n. 預期壽命

14. longevity n. 長壽

15. tourism-based a. 以觀光業(yè)為本的

16. strenuous a. 費力的

17. occupation n. 職業(yè)

18. recipe n. 訣竅，方法;食譜

中文翻譯&標準答案

有句俗話說，生命中有兩件事情是確定的，就是死亡與稅收。不過在位于西法交界的庇里牛斯山脈中的小國安道爾，死神珊珊來遲，而稅收也不存在。這個小國富有文化、經濟健全，且對觀光客很友善。

在地圖上你很難找到安道爾。這個國家僅 464 平方公里，人口只有七萬三千一百人，其中百分之 67.7 是來自歐洲其它國家的移民。由于這樣的多樣性，大部分的安道爾人會說四種語言。這個地方是個避稅天堂，世界上許多超級富翁都因安道爾絕佳的稅務制度而將這里當作自己的家。事實上，因為稅收幾乎不存在，政府發(fā)行的郵票成了該國的主要收入之一。其稅法也吸引了許多觀光客，因為全國到處都有免稅商店。

令人印象深刻的是，安道爾目前是全球最長壽的國家，平均壽命是 83.52 歲。關于他們長壽的理論之一是，他們以觀光為基礎的經濟不包含許多耗費體力的職業(yè)，因此安道爾人較不會因為工作而影響身體健康。再者，安道爾的人口稀少也限制了行車意外等危險。沒有人能確定安道爾這個山中小國長壽的秘訣究竟是什么。不過無論理由為何，安道爾的居民都將繼續(xù)過著富足、健康和幸福的生活。

標準答案: 1. (B) 2. (D) 3. (A) 4. (C) 5. (C)　6. (B) 7. (A)