氣質姐與可愛可

Wherever you are in the world, the tooth fairy, or tooth mouse, wants your teeth.
無論你在世界的哪個角落，牙仙或是牙鼠都想要你的牙齒。

　　As we get older, the idea of losing a tooth becomes rather unsettling. We long _(1)_ the days when losing one meant a visit from the tooth fairy instead of a visit to the dentist. The tooth fairy is a story of a _(2)_ figure that visits children while they sleep on the night they lose a baby tooth. The tooth fairy takes the tooth _(3)_ exchange for money left under the pillow. The story as Americans know it _(4)_ from an 18th century fairy tale, in which a mouse changes into a fairy and torments an evil king by hiding under his pillow and knocking out all his teeth. In several Hispanic and European countries, it is believed that rather than a tooth fairy, a tooth mouse visits and actually _(5)_ the teeth from children.
　　Even though the tooth fairy mostly visits children in Western countries, most cultures _(6)_ some sort of tradition when it comes to children losing their baby teeth. In Asia, when a child loses a tooth from the upper jaw, the children throw it onto the _(7)_ of their home. If the tooth comes from the bottom, it gets thrown to the floor. While doing this, the child must ask that the new tooth be that of mice, because their teeth grow for their _(8)_ lives. In Japan, children must throw lower teeth straight up and upper teeth straight down so that their new teeth come in as straight as possible. In the Middle East, teeth are thrown toward the sun for _(9)_. As with most traditions, tooth fairy traditions vary from country to country, but each provides _(10)_ to children about the loss of their baby teeth.

              (A) purchases　(B) comfort　(C) evolved　(D) entire　(E) for
              (F) superficially　(G) in　(H) strength　(I) grateful　(J) roof
              (K) mythical　(L) practice

原來如此

We long for the days when losing one meant a visit from the tooth fairy instead of a visit to the dentist.
我們都期待著掉牙齒的日子，那時掉牙齒表示牙仙會來探訪我們，而不是我們得去看牙醫。
理由:
a. 本題測試以下固定用法：
long for...　　渴望……
They longed for a chance to speak.
他們渴望能有說話的機會。
b. 根據上述，(E) 項應為正選。

• The tooth fairy is a story of a mythical figure that visits children while they sleep on the night they lose a baby tooth.
  牙仙是故事中的神話人物，祂會在小孩子掉了乳牙的當天晚上睡覺時來探訪他們。
  理由:
  a. 空格前有不定冠詞 a，空格後有名詞 figure（人物），得知空格應置形容詞，以修飾 figure。
  b. 選項中為形容詞的有 (D) entire（完全的）、(I) grateful（感謝的）及 (K) mythical（神話的），惟根據語意，(K) 項應為正選。
  c. mythical a. 神話的，虛構的
  Singapore's symbol is the Merlion, which is a mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish.
  新加坡的標誌是魚尾獅，那是一種獅頭魚身的神話生物。
• The tooth fairy takes the tooth in exchange for money left under the pillow.
  牙仙會把牙齒拿走，並在枕頭底下留下錢作為交換。
  理由:
  a. 本題測試以下固定用法：
  in exchange for...　　交換……
  I gave John my watch in exchange for his iPad.
  我把我的錶送給約翰以換取他的 iPad。
  b. 根據上述，(G) 項應為正選。
• The story as Americans know it evolved from an 18th century fairy tale, in which a mouse changes into a fairy...
  這個美國人都知道的故事是起源於十八世紀的一則童話，故事中有一隻老鼠化身為仙子……
  理由:
  a. 本句句首 The story 為主詞，得知空格後應置不及物動詞，與空格後的介詞 from 形成搭配，故知空格應置 evolved 以形成下列固定片語：
  evolve from...　　由……演化而來
  Many people believe that humans evolved from apes.
  許多人認為人類是由猿類演化而成。
  b. 根據上述，(C) 項應為正選。
• ...it is believed that rather than a tooth fairy, a tooth mouse visits and actually purchases the teeth from children.
  ……據說實際上會探訪小孩並跟他們買牙齒的是牙鼠而不是牙仙。
  理由:
  a. 空格前有副詞 actually（實際上），空格後有作受詞的名詞詞組 the teeth（牙齒），得知空格應置及物動詞，以被 actually 修飾。
  b. 選項中為及物動詞的有 (A) purchases（購買）、(B) comfort（安慰）及 (L) practice（實行），惟本句主詞 a tooth mouse（牙鼠）為單數主詞，需搭配第三人稱單數動詞，故 (A) 項應為正選。
  c. purchase vt. 購買
  The anti-virus software our company recently purchased has been very effective.
  我們公司最近買的防毒軟體很有效。
• ...most cultures practice some sort of tradition when it comes to children losing their baby teeth.
  ……大部份的文化說到小孩子掉乳牙都會實行某些傳統。
  理由:
  a. 空格前有作主詞的名詞詞組 most cultures（大部份的文化），空格後有作受詞的名詞詞組 some sort of tradition（某些傳統），得知空格應置及物動詞。
  b. 選項中為及物動詞的有 (B) comfort（安慰）及 (L) practice（實行），惟根據語意，(L) 項應為正選。
  c. practice vt. 實行；練習
  If you practice every week, your musical skills will improve.
  如果你每個禮拜練習，你的演奏技巧便會更加精進。
• In Asia, when a child loses a tooth from the upper jaw, the children throw it onto the roof of their home.
  在亞洲，小孩子掉了上排的牙齒時，就會把它丟到屋頂上。
  理由:
  a. 空格前有定冠詞 the，空格後有介詞 of，得知空格應置名詞。
  b. 選項中為名詞的有 (B) comfort（安慰）、(H) strength（力量）及 (J) roof（屋頂），惟根據語意，(J) 項應為正選。
  c. roof n. 屋頂
  We watched the astonishing fireworks from the roof of the building.
  我們在大樓的屋頂觀賞那場精采的煙火秀。
• While doing this, the child must ask that the new tooth be that of mice, because their teeth grow for their entire lives.
  在做這個動作的同時，小孩子必須祈求他們的牙齒要像老鼠的牙齒，因為牠們的牙齒會長一輩子。
  理由:
  a. 空格前有所有格 their（牠們的），空格後有名詞 lives（一生），得知空格應置形容詞以修飾 lives。
  b. 選項中為形容詞的有 (D) entire（完全的）及 (I) grateful（感謝的），惟根據語意，(D) 項應為正選。
  c. entire a. 完全的
  For his entire life, David has pursued nothing but fame and fortune.
  大衛終其一生追求的只是名利。
• In the Middle East, teeth are thrown toward the sun for strength.
  在中東，牙齒則要丟向太陽以求取力量。
  理由:
  a. 空格前有介詞 for，得知空格應置名詞或動名詞以作 for 的受詞。
  b. 選項中符合上述的有 (B) comfort（安慰）及 (H) strength（力量），惟根據語意，(H) 項應為正選。
  c. strength n. 力量；體力
  Jason built up his strength by working out every day.
  傑森靠每天健身來增強體能。
• As with most traditions, tooth fairy traditions vary from country to country, but each provides comfort to children about the loss of their baby teeth.
  就如同大部份的傳統，牙仙的傳統也是因國家而異，但每個國家的傳統都會對那些掉了乳牙的小孩給予安慰。
  理由:
  a. 空格前有及物動詞 provides（提供），得知空格應置名詞或動名詞以作 provides 的受詞。
  b. 選項中符合上述的僅剩 (B) comfort（安慰），置入後亦符合語意，故為正選。
  c. comfort n. 安慰；舒適
  This car is far inferior to that one in comfort.
  就舒適度而言，這輛車比那一輛差多了。

單字小舖 

• unsettling a. 令人不安的
• knock out...　　破壞……
• Hispanic a. 西班牙語系的
• jaw n. 下顎
• as with...　　和……一樣

• figure n. 人物
  Scott has become a figure known to everyone.
  史考特已成了一位知名人物。
• change into...　　改變成……
  = turn into...
                  Five years have passed, and the little girl I once knew has changed into a beautiful young lady.
  五年過去了，而那個我曾經認識的小女孩也變成了一位漂亮的小姐。
• torment vt. 作弄；折磨
  I've been tormented by a sense of guilt ever since I broke Kenny's precious digital camera.
  自從我把肯尼的高價數位相機弄壞後就一直深受罪惡感折磨。
• tradition n. 傳統
  According to Chinese tradition, July in the lunar calendar is Ghost Month.
  根據中國傳統，農曆七月是鬼月。
• when it comes to...　　談到∕說到……
  No one compares to Rachel when it comes to baking.
  說到烘培，沒人比得上瑞秋。
• come in　　出現；流行
  Long hair for men came in in the 1960s.
  男子留長髮在 1960 年代相當流行。
• vary from A to B　　從 A 到 B 各異
  My collection of books varies from historical novels to science fiction.
  我的藏書從歷史小說到科幻小說都有。
• provide vt. 提供
  provide sb with sth　　提供某人某物
  = provide sth for sb
                  I'll provide you with everything you need for the mission.
  我會提供你這項任務中所需的一切。

• 牙仙傳奇
                  無論你在世界的哪個角落，牙仙或是牙鼠都想要你的牙齒。
  
                  　　當我們漸漸長大，掉牙齒的想法會讓我們變得很不安。我們都期待著掉牙齒的日子，那時掉牙齒表示牙仙會來探訪我們，而不是我們得去看牙醫。牙仙是故事中的神話人物，祂會在小孩子掉了乳牙的當天晚上睡覺時來探訪他們。牙仙會把牙齒拿走，並在枕頭底下留下錢作為交換。這個美國人都知道的故事是起源於十八世紀的一則童話，故事中有一隻老鼠化身為仙子，牠躲在邪惡國王的枕頭下並敲碎他所有的牙齒來作弄他。在有些西語系國家及歐洲國家，據說實際上會造訪小孩並跟他們買牙齒的是牙鼠而不是牙仙。
  
                  　　雖然在西方國家中，牙仙大多都是探訪小孩子，但大部份的文化說到小孩子掉乳牙都會實行某些傳統。在亞洲，小孩子掉了上排的牙齒時，就會把它丟到屋頂上。如果掉的是下排的牙齒，就要丟到地上。在做這個動作的同時，小孩子必須祈求他們的牙齒要像老鼠的牙齒，因為牠們的牙齒會長一輩子。在日本，小孩子要把下排牙齒往上丟，而上排牙齒則往下丟，如此一來他們的新牙齒就會長得很整齊。在中東，牙齒則要丟向太陽以求取力量。就如同大部份的傳統，牙仙的傳統也是因國家而異，但每個國家的傳統都會對那些掉了乳牙的小孩給予安慰。
  
                  答案：　1. E　2. K　3. G　4. C　5. A　6. L　7. J　8. D　9. H　10. B

 引用自常春藤網路書城https://www.ivy.com.tw/index.php