A new contest is reminding India of the value of daughters.
一場新的比賽正提醒著印度關於女兒的價值。
India is the second most populous country in the world, home to a population of over a billion people. There is, however, a serious issue of gender inequality. Due to a cultural preference for sons, there are currently only 933 women per 1,000 men. _(1)_ One village, however, is trying to solve the problem in an unlikely way: selfies.
The Northern Indian state of Haryana has a larger-than-normal gap between male and female children. _(2)_ Such a wide discrepancy▼ is asking for trouble, so the council of a village called Bibipur decided to set up a contest. _(3)_ The idea was to get parents who were proud of their daughters to take pictures with them and share their love with the world. Despite Bibipur being a small village, nearly 800 people sent in photos. _(4)_
The organizers were surprised by the number of people who submitted photos. Even people without daughters sent messages in saying that they wished they could also participate. To accommodate more people, the contest allowed three winners instead of just one, and there were 15 consolation prizes added on as well. _(5)_ One of the winners named Amit said, "It was nice to see that such an initiative has been taken for daughters." Inspired by Haryana's efforts, Indian Prime Minister▼ Narendra Modi began to promote the initiative on his radio program to tackle the gender ratio▼ gap. Shortly afterwards, the campaign was all over social media in India before it started trending worldwide. With all the heartwarming pictures and messages posted online about daughters, it is hoped that they will make a difference in the fight against gender inequality.
(A) For every 1,000 boys, there are only 877 girls.
(B) Pictures came in from all over Haryana, and from a few other places around India as well.
(C) Contestants only had to take a selfie with their daughters and submit it through a messaging app.
(D) Each winner got a trophy, a certificate, and 2,100 rupees (about US$316).
(E) When daughters are neglected in favor of sons, major cultural problems arise, such as discrimination against women.
原來如此
- 第一題空格應選 (E)
理由:
a. 空格前一句提及 "Due to a cultural preference for sons, there are currently only 933 women per 1,000 men."（由於重男輕女的文化偏好，目前比例是每一千名男生對應僅九百三十三名女生。），而 (E) 項的句子提及 "When daughters are neglected in favor of sons, major cultural problems arise, such as discrimination against women."（當女孩子因為普遍對兒子的偏好而被忽視時，像是歧視女性這類的主要文化問題也隨之出現。），前一句的 a cultural preference for sons（重男輕女的文化偏好）與後一句的 in favor of sons（對兒子的偏好）互相呼應，故兩句形成關聯。
b. 根據上述，(E) 項應為正選。
大補丸:
a. neglect vt. 忽視，忽略
同: overlook vt.
Maria neglected her health for many years until it was too late.
瑪莉亞多年來都忽視自己的健康，最後後悔也來不及了。
b. in favor of... 偏好……；贊成∕支持……
Few parents are in favor of the recent changes to the education system.
贊成最近教育制度改革的家長寥寥可數。
c. arise vi. 產生，發生（三態為：arise, arose, arisen。）
d. discrimination n. 歧視 - 第二題空格應選 (A)
理由:
a. 空格前一句提及 "The Northern Indian state of Haryana has a larger-than-normal gap between male and female children."（北印度哈里亞納邦的男女兒童性別比例差距超出平均。），而 (A) 項的句子提及 "For every 1,000 boys, there are only 877 girls."（每一千名男童對應僅八百七十七名女童。），後一句補充說明前一句的 a larger-than-normal gap（差距超出平均），故產生關聯。
b. 根據上述，(A) 項應為正選。 - 第三題空格應選 (C)
理由:
a. 空格前一句提及 "Such a wide discrepancy is asking for trouble, so the council of a village called Bibipur decided to set up a contest."（像這麼大的差距是自找麻煩，因此名為畢畢普爾村的村委會決定要舉辦比賽。），而 (C) 項的句子提及 "Contestants only had to take a selfie with their daughters and submit it through a messaging app."（參賽者只需與他們的女兒自拍，再透過某通訊軟體上傳照片。），前一句的 contest（比賽）與後一句的 Contestants（參賽者）互相呼應，故兩句形成關聯。
b. 根據上述，(C) 項應為正選。
大補丸:
a. contestant n. 參賽者
b. submit vt. 提交，呈遞
衍: submit sth to sb 呈交某物給某人
Ron submitted his research paper to his professor just minutes before the deadline.
榮恩在截止期限前幾分鐘才將研究報告交給他的教授。 - 第四題空格應選 (B)
理由:
a. 空格前一句提及 "Despite Bibipur being a small village, nearly 800 people sent in photos."（僅管畢畢普爾村是一座小村落，卻有將近八百人發送照片。），而 (B) 項的句子提及 "Pictures came in from all over Haryana, and from a few other places around India as well."（這些照片來自哈里亞納邦各地，以及一些印度各地其他地方。），前一句的 photos（照片）和後一句的 Pictures（照片）互相呼應，故兩句形成關聯。
b. 根據上述，(B) 項應為正選。 - 第五題空格應選 (D)
理由:
a. 空格前一句提及 "To accommodate more people, the contest allowed three winners instead of just one, and there were 15 consolation prizes added on as well."（為了迎合更多人，該比賽提供了三名贏家，而非僅有一名，且還增加了十五個安慰獎。），而 (D) 項的句子提到 "Each winner got a trophy, a certificate, and 2,100 rupees (about US$316)."（每位得獎者會獲得一座獎杯、一張證明書及兩千一百盧比（折合美金約三百一十六元）。），前後兩句以 winner(s)（贏家、得獎者）一字形成關聯。
b. 根據上述，(D) 項應為正選。
大補丸:
a. trophy n. 獎杯；獎品
b. certificate n. 證書，執照
衍: certification n. 認證
參考字詞
▼ selfie n. 自拍
▼ discrepancy n. 差異之處
▼ prime minister n. 總理；首相
▼ ratio n. 比例，比率
- remind sb of sth 使某人想起某事
That song reminds me of my childhood when I was living with my grandmother.
那首歌讓我想起童年和祖母住在一起的時光。 - be home to... 是……的家鄉∕棲息地∕發源地
According to the guidebook, this forest is home to 20 species of birds.
根據這本旅行指南，這座森林是二十種鳥類的棲息地。 - set up... 成立∕設立……
- make a difference in... 使……有所不同
You can make a difference in a child's life by encouraging him or her to follow their dreams.
多鼓勵孩子追尋他們的夢想就能使他（她）的人生大為不同。
- populous a. 人口眾多的
The populous town will likely develop into a city in the near future.
這座人口稠密的城鎮不久後可能會發展成一座都市。 - gender inequality 性別不平等
inequality n. 不平等 - cultural a. 文化的
The ritual is recognized as part of the cultural heritage of the country.
那項儀式被公認為該國的文化遺產之一。 - preference n. 偏好
衍: have a preference for... 對……有偏好
prefer vt. 更喜歡
prefer A to B 喜歡 A 勝過 B
Frank has a preference for sweets over spicy food.
法蘭克偏好吃甜食，而不喜歡吃辣的。
I prefer going to the movies to watching TV.
我比較喜歡看電影勝於看電視。 - gap n. 差距
- council n. 委員會；議會
- organizer n. 籌辦人，組織者
衍: organize vt. 籌辦
The conference closed with a short speech by the organizer.
這次會議在策劃人簡短的演說後結束了。
Andrew organized a surprise birthday party for his girlfriend.
安德魯為他的女友籌辦了一場驚喜生日派對。 - participate vi. 參加
衍: participate in... 參加……，參與……
= take part in...
In order to participate in that competition, Wilson trained for one year.
為了要參加那項比賽，威爾森練習了一年。 - accommodate vt. 迎合；容納
The theater can accommodate up to 600 people.
這家戲院可容納六百人之多。 - consolation n. 安慰
- initiative n. 倡議；率先行動
衍: take the initiative 率先，倡導
If I didn't take the initiative to clean the house, no one would.
我若不先主動打掃房子，就沒有人會去做。 - inspire vt. 激發，鼓勵；啟發
衍: inspire sb to V 鼓舞∕激勵某人（做）……
Adam's friends always inspire him to study harder.
亞當的朋友們總是鼓勵他更用功讀書。 - tackle vt. 對付，處理（難題）
同: deal with...
Vicky hired a personal assistant to tackle her scheduling problems.
薇琪僱了一位私人助理來幫她處理行程問題。 - trend vi.（在社群網站上）流行起來
I've just taken a quick look at what's trending on Twitter right now.
我剛剛快速瀏覽了一下，看現在推特上正流行什麼。 - heartwarming a. 溫馨的
This is the most heartwarming film I have ever seen.
這是我看過最溫馨的影片。
消弭性別失衡 自拍掀風潮
一場新的比賽正提醒著印度關於女兒的價值。
印度是全球第二大人口稠密的國家，擁有十億多人口。然而，在當地有很嚴重的性別不平等問題。由於重男輕女的文化偏好，目前比例是每一千名男生對應僅九百三十三名女生。當女孩子因為普遍對兒子的偏好而被忽視時，像是歧視女性這類的主要文化問題也隨之出現。不過有個小村莊正試圖以一種看起來不太可能的方式來解決這個問題 ── 自拍。
北印度哈里亞納邦的男女兒童性別比例差距超出平均。每一千名男童對應僅八百七十七名女童。像這麼大的差距是自找麻煩，因此名為畢畢普爾村的村委會決定要舉辦比賽。參賽者只需與他們的女兒自拍，再透過某通訊軟體上傳照片。這個想法是要讓那些為自己女兒感到驕傲的父母與他們的女兒合照，並將他們的愛與全世界分享。僅管畢畢普爾村是一座小村落，卻有將近八百人發送照片。這些照片來自哈里亞納邦各地，以及一些印度各地其他地方。
主辦單位對於上傳照片的人數感到很驚訝。即使是那些沒有女兒的人，都傳訊息說他們希望他們也能參加。為了迎合更多人，該比賽提供了三名贏家，而非僅有一名，且還增加了十五個安慰獎。每位得獎者會獲得一座獎杯、一張證明書及兩千一百盧比（折合美金約三百一十六元）。其中一位名為阿密特的得獎者說：『很高興能看到已經有人為了女孩而採取像這樣的主動態度。』印度總理納倫德拉‧莫迪受到哈里亞納邦的努力所啟發，他開始在他的廣播節目上宣傳這項倡議活動以應付性別比例差距。不久後，這項活動遍佈印度的社群媒體，之後還在全球各地開始流行起來。藉由這些被張貼到網路上、與女兒有關的溫馨照片與訊息，希望他們在對抗性別不平等上能有所改善。
答案： 1. E 2. A 3. C 4. B 5. D
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