Flying High with Sugar Gliders叫我小飛俠

Meet a high-flyer with a taste for sweet treats.
來看看嗜吃甜食的空中飛鼠。
The next time you find yourself in a forest in Australia, look up. You might just see a small, grey, furry mammal with big eyes sailing through the air. These animals are called sugar gliders. You'd be lucky to see one, _(1)_, because they are small, timid, and nocturnal.

If you do get a _(2)_ of a sugar glider, you might notice that when it is soaring through the tree tops, its skin stretches out between its arms and legs, almost in the shape of a square. This remarkable adaptation allows these animals to glide gently from tree to tree by increasing their surface area. Some sugar gliders can fly for distances of _(3)_ one hundred meters!

If you were gliding through a forest, you would probably not want to _(4)_ any trees. Fortunately, the sugar glider has a long tail to help it steer while gliding. It can also move its arms and legs to steer, and just before arriving at its destination, it brings its hind legs forward _(5)_ it can grab the tree trunk with all four limbs.

  Sugar gliders are a type of possum native _(6)_ Australia. They get their name from their _(7)_ for sweet foods like flower nectar, acacia gum, and the sap from eucalyptus trees, although they also eat insects. They rarely descend to the ground so as to avoid any predators that might be waiting there.

1. (A) therefore(B) though (C) otherwise (D) likewise
2. (A) scene (B) watch (C) vision (D) glimpse
3. (A) up to (B) next to (C) such as (D) as much as
4. (A) kick off (B) burst out (C) run into (D) go after
5. (A) in that (B) now that (C) except that (D) so that
6. (A) in (B) for (C) to (D) with
7. (A) emotion (B) preference (C) sympathy (D) frequency

1. You'd be lucky to see one, though, because they are small, timid, and nocturnal.
理由:
a. therefore(因此)為副詞,使用時,可置於句首,其後加逗點;或置於兩子句中,其前置分號,其後加逗點;亦可作插入語用,前後以逗點相隔。而本空格位於主要子句的句尾,故 (A) 不可選。
例: It started to rain. Therefore, we decided to stay home.
(開始下雨了,因此我們決定留在家裡。)
b. though(不過,但是)可作副詞用,使用時通常置於句尾,其前加逗點,或置於句中作插入語,兩旁以逗點相隔。此處 though 置入空格後,符合語意、用法,故 (B) 為正選。
例: Richard is an American. He acts like a Chinese person, though.
(理查是美國人,不過他的行為舉止卻像中國人。)
c. otherwise(否則)亦是副詞,使用時通常置於句首或兩子句中,而不置於句尾,故 (C) 不可選。
例: You should go to the store right now. Otherwise, you'll forget to do it.
(你應該現在就去商店,否則到時候你會忘記。)
d. likewise(同樣地)為副詞,使用時通常置於句首,其後加逗點,或置於句中動詞之後。因此 (D) 亦不合用法而不可選。
likewise adv. 同樣地
例: The traffic here is terrible; likewise, the air is almost unbreathable.
(這裡的交通很亂;同樣地,空氣也幾乎讓人無法呼吸。)
例: I operate the machine carefully, and you should do likewise.
(我小心操作這台機器,而你也該這麼做。)

2. If you do get a glimpse of a sugar glider, you might notice that when it is soaring through the tree tops, its skin stretches out between its arms and legs, almost in the shape of a square.
理由:
a. 本空格測試下列固定用法:
get a glimpse of...  瞥見……
glimpsen. 瞥見
例: We got a glimpse of the singer just as he was leaving the restaurant.
(就在那位歌手離開餐廳時,我們看見了他。)
b. 根據上述,故選 (D)。scene 表『風景』,watch 表『注視;注意』,vision 表『視力』,置入後均不合語意及用法,故 (A)、(B)、(C) 不可選。

3. Some sugar gliders can fly for distances of up to one hundred meters!
理由:
a. (A) up to...  多達……(與數字並用)
例: Polar bears can weigh up to 600 kgs.
(北極熊可重達 6 百公斤。)
(B) next to...  緊鄰……;在……旁邊
例: My father is the one standing next to me in this picture.
(我爸爸就是照片中站在我旁邊的那位。)
(C) such as...  諸如∕像……之類(置於複數名詞之後)
例: I like fruits such as mangoes and apples.
(我喜歡像芒果和蘋果之類的水果。)
(D) as much as...  數量多達……(用於表不可數名詞的涵義中)
例: She earns as much as ten thousand dollars a month.
(她每個月賺 10 萬元之多。)
b. 空格後為數字加複數名詞 one hundred meters,根據上述,僅 (A) 置入後符合語意及用法,表『多達』1 百公尺,故選之。as much as 之後雖可接數字,但其後的名詞必須有不可數名詞的涵義,如 dollars(表『金錢』的涵義),故 (D) 不可選。

4. If you were gliding through a forest, you would probably not want to run into any trees.
理由:
a. (A) kick off...  踢開……
例: Tim kicked off his shoes and threw off his coat when he got home.
(提姆回到家便踢掉鞋子,脫掉了外套。)
(B) burst out V-ing  突然……起來
例: Lisa burst out crying at her son's funeral.
(莉莎在她兒子的葬禮上放聲大哭起來。)
(C) run into...  撞到……;偶然碰到……
例: I ran into an old friend of mine on my way to the station.
(我在往車站途中與老友不期而遇。)
(D) go after...  追趕……;追求……
例: The dog went after the terrified cat.
(這隻狗追著那隻受到驚嚇的貓跑。)
b. 根據前後語意,可知應選 (C),表在滑翔時,不會想『撞上』任何樹之意。

5. It can also move its arms and legs to steer, and just before arriving at its destination, it brings its hind legs forward so that it can grab the tree trunk with all four limbs.
理由:
a. (A) in that...  因為……
例: Bill is a good employee in that he never complains.
(比爾是個好員工,因為他從來不發牢騷。)
(B) now that...  既然∕現在……
注意:
now that 為副詞連接詞,且因受 now 之影響,其所引導的副詞子句中,動詞時態須為現在式或現在完成式。
例: Now that everyone is here, we can begin the meeting.
(既然大家都在這兒,我們就可以開會了。)
(C) except that...  要不是∕除了……
例: I would like to buy this cell phone except that it's a bit too expensive.
(要不是太貴了點,我倒想買這支手機。)
(D) so that...  如此∕以便……
= in order that...
注意:
so that/in order that 為表示『目的』的副詞連接詞,且在所引導的副詞子句中,通常要有助動詞 may/might、can/could 或 will/would。
例: John got up at three in the morning so that he would make his flight.
(約翰凌晨 3 點就起床,以便搭上他的班機。)
b. 根據語意,可知應選 (D) so that,表『以便』可以用四肢抓住樹幹之意。

6. Sugar gliders are a type of possum native to Australia.
理由:
a. 本空格測試下列固定用法:
be native to + 地方  是某地所特有的
= be indigenous to + 地方
= be unique to + 地方
indigenousa. 土產的:本地的
例: This kind of insect is native to this island.
(這種昆蟲原產於這座島。)
b. 根據上述,可知應選 (C)。本句實為:
Sugar gliders are a type of possum which is native to Australia.

7. They get their name from their preference for sweet foods like flower nectar, acacia gum, and the sap from eucalyptus trees, although they also eat insects.
理由:
a. (A) emotion n. 感情;情緒
(B) preference n. 偏愛
have a preference for...  對……有偏好
例: Many of my friends enjoy dancing, but I have a preference for singing.
(我許多朋友都喜歡跳舞,但我偏好唱歌。)
(C) sympathy n. 同情
have sympathy for...  同情……
例: Stan has sympathy for people who have few educational opportunities.
(史丹對沒什麼機會接受教育的人感到同情。)
(D) frequency n. 頻率
b. 根據語意,可知應選 (B) preference,表蜜袋鼯因為『喜好』花蜜、阿拉伯膠和尤佳利樹汁等甜食而得名。

精解字詞片語
1. soar vi. 翱翔;高飛
例: Eagles soar through the sky.
(老鷹翱翔於天際之間。)
2. stretch out (...)  伸展∕伸開(……)

例: Let's stretch out this blanket and put it on the ground.
(咱們把毯子攤開,然後鋪在地上吧。)

3. in the shape of...  成……的形狀
= in the form of...
例: The top of the Taj Mahal is in the shape of an onion.
(泰姬瑪哈陵屋頂的形狀像個洋蔥。)

4. steer vi. & vt. 操縱(方向);駕駛
例: The captain steered the ship by the position of the stars.
(船長根據天上星星的位置來駕駛船。)

5. grab vt. 抓
注意:
a. 凡表『抓』、『握』的動詞,其用法如下:
grab/grasp/seize/hold sb by the + 身體部位  抓∕握住某人的……(身體部位)
例: Police seized the suspect by the arm and cuffed him.
(警察抓住嫌犯的手臂,銬上手銬。)
b. 凡表『打』、『拍』的動詞,其用法如下:
hit/pat/punch/slap/strike sb on the + 身體部位  打∕拍某人的……(身體部位)
例: The ball struck me on the forehead.
(那顆球砸到我的額頭。)

6. descend vi. 下來,下降
ascend vi. 升高,上升
例: We watched the airplane ascend into the sky.
(我們看著那架飛機飛上天空。)

7. so as to V  以便∕為了……
= in order to V
= with a view to V-ing
= with an eye to V-ing
= for the purpose of V-ing
例:Sherry studies hard so as to get a scholarship.
(雪莉為了獲得獎學金而努力用功。)


單字小舖
1. sugar glider n. 蜜袋鼯
2. mammal n. 哺乳動物
3. timid a. 膽小的
4. nocturnal a. 夜行性的
5. remarkable a. 卓越的;非凡的
6. adaptation n. 適應
7. glide vi. 滑行;滑翔
8. destination n. 目的地,終點
9. hind a. 後面的
10. limb n. 肢;臂;腳
11. possum n. 袋貂
12. nectar n. 花蜜
13. acacia gum n. 阿拉伯膠
14. sap n. 樹汁
15. eucalyptus n. 尤佳利樹
16. predator n. 掠食者
prey n. 獵物


  下一次你發現自己身處澳洲森林時,抬頭看。你或許會看到一隻嬌小、毛茸茸的灰色哺乳類動物,張著牠的大眼睛在空中穿梭。這種動物稱為蜜袋鼯。不過,能看到這種動物算你幸運,因為他們既嬌小又膽小,而且還是夜行性動物。
  若你真瞧見蜜袋鼯,可能會注意到牠在樹梢間滑翔時,四肢間的皮薄膜會張開,幾乎呈四方形。這種特殊的演化使牠們得以增加身體的表面積,從容地在樹木間滑翔。有些蜜袋鼯一次甚至可以飛行 1 百公尺遠呢!
  假如你在森林中滑翔,大概不會想撞到樹吧。還好,蜜袋鼯有條長長的尾巴,有助於在滑翔時掌握方向。牠也會移動四肢使行進的方向不至偏離,而且在降落前會將後腳移到前方,以便用四肢抓住樹幹。
  蜜袋鼯是澳洲特有的袋貂類,因為喜好花蜜、阿拉伯膠和尤佳利樹汁等甜食而得名,但牠們也吃昆蟲。蜜袋鼯很少到地面活動是為了避免被躲在下方的掠食者攻擊。
標準答案: 1. (B) 2. (D) 3. (A) 4. (C) 5. (D) 6. (C) 7. (B)


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