For the Love of Lavender  紫色迷情薰衣草

This little purple flower has left its scent on the world.
這小小的紫色花朵散發出獨特的香味,讓全世界一起共享。


  We most commonly associate lavender with its bath-time purposes, using the scent as a fragrant ingredient in soap, shampoo, or lotion. In fact, many believe the word lavender comes from the Latin "lavare," _(1)_ means to wash. In ancient times, Romans sprinkled the pale purple flowers into their bath water to give it a glorious scent and as a way to refresh the skin. Romans also crushed the leaves and burned them during religious rituals and offerings.
  However, _(2)_ the time of the Greek Empire, lavender has been used not only for its aromatic smell but also for its medicinal powers. The Greek physician Dioscorides _(3)_ lavender as a treatment for heart problems. When the plague swept across Europe, glove makers added lavender to their gloves in order to ward off the disease. Doctors have recently confirmed that lavender indeed repelled the bugs which helped spread the disease that _(4)_ millions of people. In Victorian England, women would fill their pillows with lavender to help them relax and fall asleep. During the two World Wars, lavender oil _(5)_ from the flower petals was used on the battlefield to protect wounds from infection and as a pain reliever. Many even used it as an ingredient in cooking. Queen Elizabeth I, for example, _(6)_ that lavender jam be present at every meal.
  Today, lavender is used to treat a number of medical ailments, including insomnia, depression, and hair loss. The oil is also often used in massage therapy due to the relaxing effects it has _(7)_ people. Apparently, there's more to lavender than meets the nose.

1. (A) that (B) what (C) it     (D) which
2. (A) when (B) since (C) unless (D) while
3. (A) prescribed(B) referred (C) encouraged (D) suspected
4. (A) applied to(B) catered to (C) ruled out (D) wiped out
5. (A) extracting(B) to extract (C) extracted (D) be extracted
6. (A) resisted (B) insisted (C) consisted (D) assisted
7. (A) on (B) at     (C) in     (D) to

原來如此
1. In fact, many believe the word lavender comes from the Latin "lavare," which means to wash.
理由:
a. 選項 (A) that 可等於 which,作關係代名詞用,但其前不可置逗號,不可說 "This is a good book, that I enjoy reading.",只可說 "This is a good book that I enjoy reading."(這是我很喜歡看的一本好書。)故 (A) 不可選。
b. 選項 (B) what 為複合關係代名詞,即等於 the thing(s) which,其前不可再有先行詞(名詞),故亦不可選。
c. 選項 (C) it 置入後,會造成兩個句子沒有連接詞連接的狀況,故亦不可選。
d. 選項 (D) which 為關係代名詞,可用來修飾其前的先行詞 "lavare",且 which 之前可置逗點,亦可不置逗點。可說 "This is a good book, which I enjoy reading."(這是本好書,我很喜歡看。)亦可說 "This is a good book which I enjoy reading."(這是我很喜歡看的一本好書。),故(D) 為正選。

2. However, since the time of the Greek Empire, lavender has been used not only for its aromatic smell but also for its medicinal powers.
理由:
a. when、unless 及 while 為副詞連接詞,其後須接主詞及動詞,但空格後僅有名詞詞組 the time of the Greek Empire(希臘帝國時代)而無動詞,故 (A)、(C)、 (D) 均不可選。
b. since(自從……)除可作副詞連接詞外,亦可作介詞,其後接明確的時間、名詞或動名詞,形成副詞片語,修飾完成式或完成進行式的主要子句。由空格後的現在完成式 has been used 可知,since 置入後符合語意、用法,故 (B) 為正選。

3. The Greek physician Dioscorides prescribed lavender as a treatment for heart problems.
理由:
a. (A) prescribe vt. 開(藥方)
prescribe + 藥 + for + 人∕疾病  為某人∕某疾病開藥
(B) refer vi. 指;稱(與介詞 to 並用)
refer to A as B  把 A 稱作 B
例: People often refer to oil as black gold.
(大家經常把石油稱作是黑金。)
(C) encourage vt. 鼓勵
encourage sb to V  鼓勵某人(做)……
(D) suspect vt. 懷疑
suspect sb of...  懷疑某人(做)……
例: The police suspected Morris of smuggling drugs.
(警方懷疑莫利斯涉嫌走私毒品。)
b. 根據語意,可知應選 (A)。

4. Doctors have recently confirmed that lavender indeed repelled the bugs which helped spread the disease that wiped out millions of people.
理由:
a. (A) apply to...  向……提出申請;適用於……
例: Helen applied to three universities and was rejected by all of them.
(海倫申請了 3 所大學,全部都被拒絕了。)
例: This special offer only applies to children under the age of seven.
(這個優惠方案只適用於 7 歲以下孩童。)
(B) cater to...  迎合……
例: This spa only caters to rich women.
(這間水療館只迎合有錢的貴婦。)
(C) rule out...  排除……
例: We don't rule out the possibility of using force.
(我們不排除訴諸武力的可能性。)
(D) wipe out...  毀滅……
例: The bomb wiped out the whole city.
(炸彈摧毀了整座城市。)
b. 根據語意,可知應選 (D)。

5. During the two World Wars, lavender oil extracted from the flower petals was used on the battlefield to protect wounds from infection and as a pain reliever.
理由:
a. 原句的完整結構為:
During the two World Wars, lavender oil which was extracted from the flower petals was used...
b. 原句的形容詞子句 "which was extracted from the flower petals" 可簡化為過去分詞片語 "extracted from the flower petals",即省略關係代名詞 which,其後 be 動詞 was 化為現在分詞 being 後予以省略,故選 (C)。
c. extract vt. 淬取,提煉
例: By pressing olives, we can extract oil from them.
(橄欖經過壓榨後,就可以將油粹取出來。)

6. Queen Elizabeth I, for example, insisted that lavender jam be present at every meal.
理由:
a. (A) resist vt. 抗拒(之後接名詞或動名詞作受詞)
resist + N/V-ing  抗拒……
(B) insist vt. 堅持(為意志動詞)
insist + that + S + (should) + 原形動詞  堅持……
例: Ed insisted that I (should) apologize for insulting him yesterday.
(艾德堅持我應該為昨天羞辱他向他道歉。)
(C) consist vi. 構成
consist of...  由……構成∕組成,包含……
例: This dish consists of fresh fruit and ice cream.
(這道菜裡面包含了新鮮水果和冰淇淋。)
(D) assist vt. 協助
assist sb in...  協助某人做……
b. 由空格後的原形 be 動詞可知,空格應置入意志動詞 insist,原句的 that 子句中省略了助動詞 should,而直接接原形動詞 be,故選 (B)。

7. The oil is also often used in massage therapy due to the relaxing effects it has on people.
理由:
a. 本空格在測試名詞 effect 的用法:
effect n. 影響,作用(與介詞 on 並用)
have an effect on...  對……有影響∕作用
例: Pete's words always have an effect on his children.
(彼特的話對他的子女們向來有影響力。)
b. 根據上述,可知應選 (A) on。


精解字詞片語
1. associate A with B  把 A 和 B 聯想在一起
例: Girls tend to associate roses with romance.
(女孩子往往會將玫瑰與浪漫聯想在一起。)

2. refresh vt. 消除……疲勞;使清新
例: The cool water refreshed the tired hiker as he made his way up the mountain.
(清涼的水讓疲憊的上山健行者精神為之一振。)

3. sweep across...  橫掃∕襲捲……
sweep vi. 襲捲
三態為:sweep , swept , swept。
例: A storm swept across the small island last night.
(昨晚暴風雨襲捲那座小島。)

4. ward off...  避開……;驅除……
例: I drank some hot chocolate to ward off the cold.
(我喝了一點熱巧克力來驅寒。)

5. confirm vt. 證實,確定
例: The police confirmed that the woman was murdered.
(警方證實這名女子是被謀殺的。)

6. repel vt. 驅除
例: This spray is effective in repelling mosquitoes.
(這種噴劑驅蚊很有效。)

7. fill A with B  將 A 裝滿 B,用 B 充滿 A
例: Mom filled the sink with water before washing the dishes.
(媽媽先在水槽放滿水才開始洗碗盤。)

8. protect...from...  保護……免於……
例: Bubble wrap is usually used to protect glass from breaking when being shipped.
(泡綿常被用來保護玻璃在運送時不會破裂。)

9. present a. 存在的;在場的 & vt. 提出
例: Although the singer passed away, his influence on the music industry is still present.
(這名歌手雖已逝世,但他對音樂界仍具影響力。)
例: Nothing new or creative was presented at the meeting.
(這次會議上沒提出什麼新穎或有創意的點子。)

Grammar Tips
Apparently, there's more to lavender than meets the nose.
注意:
原用法應為 "there's more to...than meets the eye" (……看起來比外表更複雜)。因本篇文章描述的是和嗅覺有關的薰衣草,作者為了表現詼諧,而故意將原用法中的 eye 改為 nose。
例: When I first heard about the singer's sudden death, I knew there was more to the story than met the eye.
(當我得知這名歌手猝逝的消息,我知道背後的故事一定比表面更複雜。)

單字小舖
1. lavender n. 薰衣草
2. fragrant a. 芳香的
3. ingredient n. 成分;(烹飪)原料
4. lotion n. 乳液
5. sprinkle vt. 撒,灑
6. crush vt. 壓碎
7. ritual n. 儀式
8. offering n. 供奉(祭品)
9. aromatic a. 芳香的
10. medicinal a. 有藥效的,有療效的
11. physician n. 內科醫師
surgeon n. 外科醫生
12. plague n. 瘟疫
13. petal n. 花瓣
14. infection n. 感染
15. reliever n. 解除痛苦的事物
a pain reliever  止痛劑,鎮痛劑
16. ailment n. 病痛;輕微的疾病
17. insomnia n. 失眠症
18. depression n. 沮喪,憂鬱
19. massage n. 按摩
20. apparently adv. 顯然地

  一想到薰衣草,我們最常會想到它的沐浴功能,利用它的香味作為肥皂、洗髮精或乳液的芳香成分。事實上,許多人相信薰衣草(lavender)這個字來自拉丁文的 lavare,意指洗滌。古時候,羅馬人將淡紫色的花朵撒在洗澡水中,使其散發出愉悅的香味,並當作恢復肌膚光采之用。羅馬人也會在宗教儀式或是供奉中,將薰衣草壓碎然後焚燒。
  然而,自希臘帝國起,薰衣草不只因香味受到青睞,它的療效也受到重用。一名希臘醫師迪奧斯柯立茲將薰衣草作為治療心臟疾病的處方。而當瘟疫橫行歐洲時,手套製造業者將薰衣草加到手套裡以防範疾病。醫生最近證實薰衣草的確有助驅趕散播瘟疫的害蟲,這場瘟疫在當時奪走了數百萬條人命。在英國的維多利亞時代,仕女們會將薰衣草裝入枕頭中幫助放鬆和入睡。在兩次世界大戰中,從花瓣中提煉出的薰衣草油被用在戰場上,保護傷口避免感染,同時也當作止痛劑用。許多人甚至把它用來當作烹飪的食材。舉例來說,伊莉莎白一世女王就堅持每餐都要有薰衣草醬。
  今日,薰衣草被用來治療一些疾病,包括失眠、憂鬱和掉髮。薰衣草油也因具有令人放鬆的功效而被用在按摩療程上。薰衣草的功能顯然比我們聞到的多更多。

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



本期其他文章
前期其他文章