The Scariest Places on Earth
We all know one or two places that are said to be haunted1. They might be an old house that no one lives in or a dark cemetery2. It could even be a famous building or a classroom in your school. However, when it comes to the scariest places in the world, two names keep appearing—the Catacombs3 of Paris and New Orleans, Louisiana. Both have long histories and are favorite places for ghost hunters and people who love mysteries4.
Long ago in Paris, almost all large churches had their own cemeteries inside the city. After years of war, disease, and death, the cemeteries became too crowded and caused health problems. The government tried to fix them with laws, but it didn't work. Finally, a police officer's idea was put into action in 1786, and the cemeteries were emptied. The bones were moved to the quarries5 that stretch for miles under Paris. Over the years, the quarries have become known as the Catacombs. This is because of the piles of bones and the murders6 that took place inside.
Today, visitors can tour the Catacombs. Many have had strange experiences, such as having their hands or clothing grabbed or seeing dark shadows in rooms. Every year, some tours end early because of unexplained7 events that happen during them.
多年來，紐奧良一直被視為是美國境內鬧鬼鬧得最兇的城市。事實上，這也是許多觀光客到那裡一遊的唯一原因。這座城市最知名的恐怖地點就是那些墳墓蓋在地上的諸多墓園。聖路易斯第一墓園可能是世上最常鬧鬼的地方之一。旅行團領隊時常會看到人和動物的鬼魂在裡頭四處遊蕩。這裡也是好幾位名人身後的埋葬之處。這些人包括紐奧良的第一位非裔美籍市長恩內斯‧莫瑞爾，以及巫毒女王瑪莉‧拉薇。
另一個熱門景點當屬Voodoo Cemetery Gates of Guinee（編按：Guinee在巫毒教中表『陰間』之意）。路易斯安那巫毒教是一種結合了非洲信仰和天主教的宗教。這些大門據說是通往陰間的入口。只有某些特殊的巫毒教團體才知曉其所在位置。人們搜尋這些大門是因為他們想跟亡者交談。然而，任何試圖找尋大門的人都冒著被帶入陰間的風險。談論大門也被當作是件觸霉頭的事。因此，若您身在紐奧良市，可千萬別問起關於大門的事。
這世上有許多無法解釋的事物，但這不代表這些事情有什麼好畏懼。許多鬼故事也許駭人聽聞，但其中很多都是編造來娛樂人們的罷了。
《Building Your Vocabulary》
1. scary a. 恐怖的，可怕的
Becky loves watching scary movies.
蓓琪很愛看恐怖電影。
2. crowded a. 擁擠的，擠滿人或物的
The crowded bus is full of commuters.
擁擠的巴士上擠滿了通勤族。
3. empty vt. 使變空；倒空
Fiona emptied her bag to find her keys.
為了找鑰匙，菲歐娜把她包包裡的東西都倒出來。
4. stretch vi. 綿延，延伸
A huge wall of dark clouds stretched across the sky.
一層厚厚的烏雲綿延橫跨了天際。
5. grab vt. 抓，攫取
I grabbed my wallet and went out the door.
我一手抓起皮夾後就出門了。
《Phrases for Learning》
1. be said to be + 形容詞∕名詞 據說……
The man is said to be 100 years old.
據說那位先生已經一百歲了。
2. when it comes to... 談到∕涉及……
When it comes to pool, Ralph is an expert.
說到撞球，羅夫可是箇中好手。
3. put...into action 開始實行∕進行……
You have to put your plans into action now.
你必須現在就開始執行你的計畫。
《Extra Word》
1. haunted a. 鬧鬼的
2. cemetery n. 墓地，公墓
3. catacomb n. 地下墓穴（常用複數）
4. mystery n. 神秘的事物，謎
5. quarry n. 採石場
6. murder n. 謀殺；謀殺罪
7. unexplained a. 難以解釋的
《TIPS IN USE》
...almost all large churches...
（……幾乎所有的大教堂……）
almost（幾乎）用來修飾形容詞或副詞時，這些形容詞或副詞必須是具有完全性概念的詞類，故形容詞如 all（全部）、every（每一個）、any（任一）、no（沒有）等字均可與 almost 並用，故無 almost many（幾乎許多）、almost most（幾乎大部分）的用法，因為 many 與 most 所表示的並非完全性的概念。
Almost many students in our school went on the field trip. (×)
→ Almost every student in our school went on the field trip. (○)
（幾乎我們校內的每一個學生都參加了校外教學。）
Long ago in Paris, almost all large churches had their own cemeteries inside the city. After years of war, disease, and death, the cemeteries became too crowded and caused health problems. The government tried to fix them with laws, but it didn't work. Finally, a police officer's idea was put into action in 1786, and the cemeteries were emptied. The bones were moved to the quarries5 that stretch for miles under Paris. Over the years, the quarries have become known as the Catacombs. This is because of the piles of bones and the murders6 that took place inside.
Today, visitors can tour the Catacombs. Many have had strange experiences, such as having their hands or clothing grabbed or seeing dark shadows in rooms. Every year, some tours end early because of unexplained7 events that happen during them.
多年來，紐奧良一直被視為是美國境內鬧鬼鬧得最兇的城市。事實上，這也是許多觀光客到那裡一遊的唯一原因。這座城市最知名的恐怖地點就是那些墳墓蓋在地上的諸多墓園。聖路易斯第一墓園可能是世上最常鬧鬼的地方之一。旅行團領隊時常會看到人和動物的鬼魂在裡頭四處遊蕩。這裡也是好幾位名人身後的埋葬之處。這些人包括紐奧良的第一位非裔美籍市長恩內斯‧莫瑞爾，以及巫毒女王瑪莉‧拉薇。
另一個熱門景點當屬Voodoo Cemetery Gates of Guinee（編按：Guinee在巫毒教中表『陰間』之意）。路易斯安那巫毒教是一種結合了非洲信仰和天主教的宗教。這些大門據說是通往陰間的入口。只有某些特殊的巫毒教團體才知曉其所在位置。人們搜尋這些大門是因為他們想跟亡者交談。然而，任何試圖找尋大門的人都冒著被帶入陰間的風險。談論大門也被當作是件觸霉頭的事。因此，若您身在紐奧良市，可千萬別問起關於大門的事。
這世上有許多無法解釋的事物，但這不代表這些事情有什麼好畏懼。許多鬼故事也許駭人聽聞，但其中很多都是編造來娛樂人們的罷了。
《Building Your Vocabulary》
1. scary a. 恐怖的，可怕的
Becky loves watching scary movies.
蓓琪很愛看恐怖電影。
2. crowded a. 擁擠的，擠滿人或物的
The crowded bus is full of commuters.
擁擠的巴士上擠滿了通勤族。
3. empty vt. 使變空；倒空
Fiona emptied her bag to find her keys.
為了找鑰匙，菲歐娜把她包包裡的東西都倒出來。
4. stretch vi. 綿延，延伸
A huge wall of dark clouds stretched across the sky.
一層厚厚的烏雲綿延橫跨了天際。
5. grab vt. 抓，攫取
I grabbed my wallet and went out the door.
我一手抓起皮夾後就出門了。
《Phrases for Learning》
1. be said to be + 形容詞∕名詞 據說……
The man is said to be 100 years old.
據說那位先生已經一百歲了。
2. when it comes to... 談到∕涉及……
When it comes to pool, Ralph is an expert.
說到撞球，羅夫可是箇中好手。
3. put...into action 開始實行∕進行……
You have to put your plans into action now.
你必須現在就開始執行你的計畫。
《Extra Word》
1. haunted a. 鬧鬼的
2. cemetery n. 墓地，公墓
3. catacomb n. 地下墓穴（常用複數）
4. mystery n. 神秘的事物，謎
5. quarry n. 採石場
6. murder n. 謀殺；謀殺罪
7. unexplained a. 難以解釋的
《TIPS IN USE》
...almost all large churches...
（……幾乎所有的大教堂……）
almost（幾乎）用來修飾形容詞或副詞時，這些形容詞或副詞必須是具有完全性概念的詞類，故形容詞如 all（全部）、every（每一個）、any（任一）、no（沒有）等字均可與 almost 並用，故無 almost many（幾乎許多）、almost most（幾乎大部分）的用法，因為 many 與 most 所表示的並非完全性的概念。
Almost many students in our school went on the field trip. (×)
→ Almost every student in our school went on the field trip. (○)
（幾乎我們校內的每一個學生都參加了校外教學。）
