Vocabulary Idioms & Phrases

Reading~Paragraphs 6-9

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Listen to paragraphs 6-9.

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Now,

answer the

following

questions.

( ) The tower was originally designed to stand for ______. (A) as long as it could (B) two years (C) a decade (D) twenty years

D

( ) Which of the following statements is NOT true?(A) Hitler didn’t seem to like the Eiffel Tower when he saw it.(B) One might lose his/her flying license if trying to fly a plane between the legs of the tower.(C) Maupassant wrote a poem to applaud the beauty of the Eiffel

Tower.(D) On the opening day of the tower, people climbed the tower and placed a flag on the third level of the tower.

C

( ) According to the reading, the Eiffel Tower proved valuable in the twentieth century for purposes. (A) communication (B) salvation (C) advertisement (D) business

A

Local residents objected to this overwhelming metal construction in their district for fear that it might collapse and crush their homes beneath it.

object to = oppose; be opposed to 　反對Many people objected to the new tax and organized a protest against it.

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Local residents objected to this overwhelming metal construction in their district for fear that it might collapse and crush their homes beneath it.

for fear (that) + S + might + V 害怕 當地居民會怕艾菲爾鐵塔倒塌是因為當時有一位頗負盛名的數學家在媒體上表示，根據他的計算，當鐵塔蓋到 221 公尺時就會倒塌。

Author Maupassant was a regular at the second-floor restaurant, saying that it was the only spot in Paris from which people could not see the tower!

The life of Maupassantregular 在這裡當名詞，為比較不正式的用法，指 regular customer 「常客」。The clerk knows all the regulars by name.

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Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893), is generally considered the greatest French short story writer. During the 1880s, Maupassant created some 300 short stories, six novels, three travelbooks, and one volume of verse. These works were about simple episodes from everyday life, which revealed the hidden sides of people. However, Maupassant became more and more melancholic with years.In 1892, Maupassant tried to commit suicide by cutting his throat and was hospitalized to Dr. Esprit Blanche at Passy, in Paris, where he died the next year.

Author Maupassant was a regular at the second-floor restaurant, saying that it was the only spot in Paris from which people could not see the tower!

此分詞片語是由 and he said that...簡化而來的。 作家 Oscar Wilde 也說過類似的話：He said that he liked the Eiffel Tower because it was the only place in Paris from which he could not see the Eiffel Tower.

Together with 300 other prominent members of the intellect of the time, he protested against its erection, describing it as a “bald umbrella,” and condemning it as a “crime against history and against Paris.”

Together with.... → Along with....

Protest against the erection of the Eiffel Tower

這 300 名知識份子包括 Emile Zola ，他們擬了一份請願書 (petition) 給巴黎市政府抗議艾菲爾鐵塔的興建：“We come, we writers, painters, sculptors, architects and lovers of the beauty of Paris which was until now intact, to protest with all our strength and our indignation, in the name of the underestimated taste of the French, in the name of French art and history under threat, against the erection at the very heart of our capital, of the useless and monstrous Eiffel Tower.”然而，還是有一些法國畫家，如： Henri Rousseau, Utrillo, Chagall 等人欣賞艾菲爾鐵塔。

The tower was originally designed to stand for 20 years.

stand 於此表「保持不變，繼續存在」The military government will not stand very long. The tower was originally designed to stand for 20 years.→ The tower was meant to be a temporary structure, to last for only 20 years.

Fortunately, its height was to be itssalvation—the tall iron tower proved to be a marvelous antenna.

was/were to + V 用來表示：what had to happen or what did happen.This discovery was to have a major effect on the treatment for heart disease. Fortunately, its height was to be its salvation the tall iron tower proved to be a marvelous antenna.→ Fortunately, because of its height, the tower was not taken down. The tall iron tower was found to be a wonderful antenna.

The first news bulletin was broadcast from the Eiffel Tower in1921, and the first television broadcast in 1935.

自從 1898 年實驗性地從艾菲爾鐵塔發射無線電訊號到距離 4 公里遠的 the Pantheon ( 巴黎的先賢祠 ) 後，艾菲爾就向軍方提議將艾菲爾鐵塔設為一座遠距離的無線電發射天線， 1906 年一座無線電發射台便被裝在塔中，也確保了鐵塔不會被拆除。到了 1921 年，第一個歐洲公眾廣播節目便由此塔廣播出。

It was also used to measure atmospheric pressure and, after being reclaimed from its German occupiers in 1944, to decode German World War II radio codes.

and 是連接兩個表「用途」的不定詞片語，即： It was also used to measure...and to decode....

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It was also used to measure atmospheric pressure and, after being reclaimed from its German occupiers in 1944, to decode German World War II radio codes.

艾菲爾鐵塔於 1940 年 6 月開始被德軍佔領，一直到 1944 年 8 月才為法國收回，但在 1944 年 8 月到 1946 年 3 月期間，由美軍控制此塔，作為破解德軍無線電密碼之軍事用途，直到該年 6 月才又重新開放給民眾參觀。

In 1937, it was the location for a beauty contest, at which the minimum height required of contestants was 1.75 meters, as a token of respect for the tall iron lady!

sth be required of sb 　人被要求做某事I’ll do everything that is required (of me).It is required (of me) that I tell the truth....at which the minimum height required of contestants was 1.75 meters....→ ...where the minimum height that was required of contestants was 1.75 meters....

Over the years, countless adventurers have jumped off the tower with various home-built flying machines.

N —V-en 為複合形容詞home-built 自家建造的home-made 自製的hand-made 手工製的man-made 人造的

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Over the years, countless adventurers have jumped off the tower with various home-built flying machines.

V-ing ( 動名詞 ) + N 動名詞表功用answering machine 電話答錄機washing machine 洗衣機vending machine 自動販賣機sewing machine 縫紉機

In 1977, a crazy but skillful American pilot succeeded in flyingbetween the legs of the tower. Needless to say, he lost his flying license as a consequence.

as a consequence = as a result; consequently Needless to say, he lost his flying license asa consequence.→ As everybody would expect, the result was that he lost his flying license.

Since its inauguration in 1889, over 200 million people have climbed the tower.

Since its inauguration in 1889, over 130 million people have climbed the tower.→ More than 130 million people have climbed the Eiffel Tower since it opened in 1889.

In 2001, there were over 4 million people visiting the Eiffel Tower. It is predicted that the tower will remain one of the world’s most popular spots, and it will draw even bigger crowds in the future.

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Post -reading

Reading for the Main Idea□ 1. The Eiffel Tower attracts millions of visitors every year.□ 2. A brief history and some information about the Eiffel Tower have been introduced.□ 3. A great many residents of Paris objected to the construction of the Eiffel Tower.

Topics for Discussion

Discussion 1:The Eiffel Tower is now one of the most beloved landmarks in Paris. In your hometown, which structure do you think can be considered a landmark? Give an example and explain your choice.

Reference answer :I think the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall is Taipei’s most outstanding landmark. It is located right in the heart of Taipei. The buildings are a fine example of traditional Chinese architecture.

Reference answer :Among its many features, I find its graceful style and the blue-and-white facade especially appealing. Just looking at it makes me feel calm and comfortable.

Reference answer :In addition, the hall is surrounded by beautiful and well-kept gardens which make it a perfect place for community activities and gatherings. I like to go there for a walk whenever I have free time.

Reference answer :Although there are many other landmarks in Taipei, the CKS Memorial Hall, I think, can be a landmark of Taipei.

Discussion 2:Throughout human history, various materials have been used to build skyscrapers. What’s the motivation behind people’s building high structures?

Reference answer :

One of the reasons is that, of course, they want to create more living space in already-too-crowded cities.

Reference answer :Another reason, in my opinion, is that by designing and building extra-high structures through the help of science and technology, people are exploring the ultimate limit of human ability.

Reference answer :They are eager to see how much they can do, how high they can build, and how well they can accomplish. In other words, they believe in humans’ supreme power over nature and try to make a name for themselves.

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