Cirque du Soleil絢麗奪目的感官饗宴——太陽劇團
Cirque du Soleil is a Canadian performing group whose French name means "Circus of the Sun." Cirque du Soleil was established in Quebec in 1984 by some local street performers. Their aim was to create a new kind of circus that did not have a traditional ring1 or animal performances. They also wanted to blend many different circus styles from all over the world.
Daniel Gauthier and Gilles Ste-Croix managed a youth hostel2 for street performers. In 1979, they and Guy Laliberte had the idea of organizing the youth into a performing group. However, they were short of money, so they tried to raise money by performing a stunt3. For the stunt, Ste-Croix walked 90 kilometers from their hometown to Quebec City on stilts4. With the money they raised, they created a group called Les Echassiers de Baie-Saint-Paul. Later on, the Quebec government was inspired to fund the group. After many financial5 ups and downs, Cirque du Soleil was born, and it has had great success. It has also grown from 73 members in 1984 to over 3,500 today.
太陽劇團是一支加拿大的表演團體，其法文名字意指『太陽的馬戲團』。太陽劇團是由一群在魁北克當地的街頭藝人於1984年創立。他們的目標是創造一種沒有傳統圓形演出場地和動物表演的新型態馬戲團。他們也想融合許多全球各地不同的馬戲團風格。
Daniel Gauthier和Gilles Ste-Croix經營一家供街頭藝人住宿的青年旅社。1979年，他們和Guy Laliberte萌生了將這些年輕人組成表演團體的念頭。不過他們欠缺資金，所以試著以表演特技來籌錢。Ste-Croix為了這項特技踩著高蹺從他們家鄉出發，走了九十公里的路到魁北克。藉由籌措到的資金，他們創立了名為Les Echassiers de Baie-Saint-Paul的團體。之後，魁北克政府受到感召而資助這個團體。在歷經許多財務上的盛衰起伏後，太陽劇團終於誕生，並且屢創佳績。它的成員還從1984年的七十三人，發展到如今成員超過三千五百名的規模。
《Building Your Vocabulary》
1. establish vt. 建立，設立
A rich man established this library.
一位富翁創立了這間圖書館。
2. blend vt. 融合，混合
The director's new movie blended truth and fiction together.
那位導演的新電影融合了真實事件與虛構故事。
3. raise vt. 籌募（尤指金錢）
We are raising funds to start our company.
我們正在籌集資金開設自己的公司。
4. fund vt. 資助
Max has been funding this baseball team.
麥斯一直都在資助這支棒球隊。
《Phrases for Learning》
1. be short of... 欠缺……
A lot of disaster victims are short of food.
有許多災民的糧食短缺。
2. inspire + 人 + to + 原形動詞 鼓舞某人……
Ed's wife inspired him to pursue his dream.
艾德的妻子激勵他去追逐夢想。
《Extra Word》
1. ring n.（馬戲團的）圓形表演場
2. hostel n.（提供廉價食宿的）旅社
3. stunt n. 特技表演
4. stilt n. 高蹺（常用複數）
5. financial a. 財務的，財政的
《TIPS IN USE》
...many financial ups and downs...
（……許多財務上的盛衰起伏……）
"ups and downs"表『盛衰；浮沉；苦樂』，而"highs and lows"的結構和意思都與"ups and downs"相同。此外，與上述兩者結構相同但意思不同的尚有："ins and outs"（詳情，細節）、"rights and wrongs"（事情的是非曲直）。
There have been lots of ups and downs in Larry's business.
= There have been lots of highs and lows in Larry's business.
（賴瑞的事業歷經了許多的起起伏伏。）
Meg doesn't know the ins and outs of this job yet.
（梅格還不知道這份工作的細節。）
Daniel Gauthier and Gilles Ste-Croix managed a youth hostel2 for street performers. In 1979, they and Guy Laliberte had the idea of organizing the youth into a performing group. However, they were short of money, so they tried to raise money by performing a stunt3. For the stunt, Ste-Croix walked 90 kilometers from their hometown to Quebec City on stilts4. With the money they raised, they created a group called Les Echassiers de Baie-Saint-Paul. Later on, the Quebec government was inspired to fund the group. After many financial5 ups and downs, Cirque du Soleil was born, and it has had great success. It has also grown from 73 members in 1984 to over 3,500 today.
太陽劇團是一支加拿大的表演團體，其法文名字意指『太陽的馬戲團』。太陽劇團是由一群在魁北克當地的街頭藝人於1984年創立。他們的目標是創造一種沒有傳統圓形演出場地和動物表演的新型態馬戲團。他們也想融合許多全球各地不同的馬戲團風格。
Daniel Gauthier和Gilles Ste-Croix經營一家供街頭藝人住宿的青年旅社。1979年，他們和Guy Laliberte萌生了將這些年輕人組成表演團體的念頭。不過他們欠缺資金，所以試著以表演特技來籌錢。Ste-Croix為了這項特技踩著高蹺從他們家鄉出發，走了九十公里的路到魁北克。藉由籌措到的資金，他們創立了名為Les Echassiers de Baie-Saint-Paul的團體。之後，魁北克政府受到感召而資助這個團體。在歷經許多財務上的盛衰起伏後，太陽劇團終於誕生，並且屢創佳績。它的成員還從1984年的七十三人，發展到如今成員超過三千五百名的規模。
《Building Your Vocabulary》
1. establish vt. 建立，設立
A rich man established this library.
一位富翁創立了這間圖書館。
2. blend vt. 融合，混合
The director's new movie blended truth and fiction together.
那位導演的新電影融合了真實事件與虛構故事。
3. raise vt. 籌募（尤指金錢）
We are raising funds to start our company.
我們正在籌集資金開設自己的公司。
4. fund vt. 資助
Max has been funding this baseball team.
麥斯一直都在資助這支棒球隊。
《Phrases for Learning》
1. be short of... 欠缺……
A lot of disaster victims are short of food.
有許多災民的糧食短缺。
2. inspire + 人 + to + 原形動詞 鼓舞某人……
Ed's wife inspired him to pursue his dream.
艾德的妻子激勵他去追逐夢想。
《Extra Word》
1. ring n.（馬戲團的）圓形表演場
2. hostel n.（提供廉價食宿的）旅社
3. stunt n. 特技表演
4. stilt n. 高蹺（常用複數）
5. financial a. 財務的，財政的
《TIPS IN USE》
...many financial ups and downs...
（……許多財務上的盛衰起伏……）
"ups and downs"表『盛衰；浮沉；苦樂』，而"highs and lows"的結構和意思都與"ups and downs"相同。此外，與上述兩者結構相同但意思不同的尚有："ins and outs"（詳情，細節）、"rights and wrongs"（事情的是非曲直）。
There have been lots of ups and downs in Larry's business.
= There have been lots of highs and lows in Larry's business.
（賴瑞的事業歷經了許多的起起伏伏。）
Meg doesn't know the ins and outs of this job yet.
（梅格還不知道這份工作的細節。）
