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Spain looks pretty small on a world map, but this country has produced an extraordinary culture.
在世界地圖上看似渺小，西班牙這個國家卻創造出璀璨的文化。
All over the world, people have no problem recognizing the music, art, dance, or food that comes from Spain. Spanish culture is unmistakable.
When a person thinks of Spain, the first thing that comes to mind might be flamenco dancing. Passionate and lively, usually performed to the accompaniment of fast guitars, flamenco dancing originated in southern Spain, and it has strong gypsy roots.
Bullfighting is another of Spain's most famous attractions, and it is not just for tourists; bullfighting is enormously popular with the Spanish themselves. Thrilling and artistic, a bullfight is a match between a toreador, or bullfighter, and a bull. Bullfighting is one of Spain's long-standing traditions that might seem quite different from the ways of the modern world.
Spain is known as a country of romance, and for good reason. The history of Spain had its starting point not in a war over territory or the discovery of a new continent, but in a marriage. In 1469, Queen Isabella of the Kingdom of Castile married King Ferdinand of the Kingdom of Aragon, joining two of the most powerful Christian kingdoms in what is known as the unification of Spain. This unification began the period of Spanish history that saw three centuries of global exploration, trade, and conquest, carrying the Spanish language and culture all over the world.
No longer one of the world's strongest empires, Spain's political power has declined over the years, but its culture is as inspiring and well known now as ever. The spirit of Spain continues to inspire the world.
1. Which of the following is true about Spain?
(A) Spain is an extremely large country.
(B) Spain has become a global power in the last fifty years.
(C) Spain spread its power around the world for about 300 years.
(D) Spain does not have much influence anymore.
2. Based on the article, which of the following can be inferred about Spain?
(A) Its culture has changed fundamentally over the past three centuries.
(B) Its cultural attractions are diverse.
(C) It has outlawed the controversial activity of bullfighting.
(D) Flamenco is performed before or during bullfights.
3. Flamenco dancing _____.
(A) is a slow dance performed by gypsies
(B) is only performed in the south of Spain
(C) was discovered by the Spanish during their global explorations
(D) is an energetic form of dance
4. Which aspect of Spanish culture is NOT mentioned in the article?
(A) Cuisine.
(B) Architecture.
(C) Music.
(D) Religion.
單字小舖
1. unmistakable a. 不會弄錯的，明顯的
mistakable a. 易弄錯的，易被誤解的
2. flamenco n. 佛朗明哥舞
3. gypsy a. 吉普賽人的 & n. 吉普賽人
4. bullfighting n. 鬥牛
5. enormously adv. 巨大地，龐大地
6. artistic a. 富藝術性的；唯美的
7. match n. 比賽
8. toreador n. 鬥牛士
9. long-standing a. 存在已久的
10. starting point 起點
11. territory n. 領土
12. unification n. 統一；聯合
13. exploration n. 探索
14. conquest n. 征服，佔領
15. decline vi. 下降，衰落
16. inspiring a. 啟發靈感的
17. infer vt. 推論
18. controversial a. 具爭議性的
19. aspect n. 方面
20. cuisine n. 菜餚
21. architecture n. 建築
片語小舖
＊ come to mind 浮現腦海，湧上心頭
精解字詞片語
1. have no problem + V-ing 做……沒有問題
have problems + V-ing 做……有問題∕困難
= have trouble/difficulty + V-ing
例: The clerk has no problem dealing with any kind of customer.
（這名店員不論應付哪一種顧客都得心應手。）
例: I have problems sleeping at night.
（我晚上都會睡不著覺。）
2. passionate a. 熱情的；熱愛的
be passionate about... 熱愛……
例: Harry is passionate about cooking and prepares most of his meals at home.
（哈利熱愛烹飪，他幾乎都是自己在家中煮飯。）
3. accompaniment n. 伴奏
to the accompaniment of... 在……的伴奏下
例: Jeff sang to the accompaniment of a guitar in the talent show.
（才藝競賽中，傑夫在吉他的伴奏下演唱。）
4. originate in/from... 源自於……（某地或某事物）
originate with sb 起源於某人
例: Coffee originated in Africa, not Latin America.
（咖啡源自於非洲而不是拉丁美洲。）
例: Many Western literary works originated from Greek mythology.
（許多西洋文學作品源自於希臘神話。）
例: The theory of evolution did not originate with Darwin.
（進化論並非起源自達爾文。）
5. root n. 根源，來源
have its roots in... 根源於∕來自於……
例: Rock has its roots in blues.
（搖滾樂源自於藍調音樂。）
6. be popular with... 受……歡迎
be popular among... 在……之間受歡迎
例: The new online game is popular with teenagers.
（這款新遊戲">網路遊戲很受青少年歡迎。）
例: The professor is very popular among his students.
（這位教授在學生之間非常受歡迎。）
7. ..., and for good reason ……是有充分理由的
例: There is a sign warning travelers about the bridge, and for good reason.
（設立標示警告遊客小心這座橋不是沒有道理的。）
8. no longer... 不再……
= not...any longer
= not...anymore
例: Nike no longer makes my favorite style of athletic shoe.
（耐吉不再生產我最愛的那款運動鞋了。）
9. as + adj./adv. + as ever (before) 像以往一樣的……
例: My old friend, Paul, looks as young as ever.
（我的老朋友保羅看起來就像以前一樣年輕。）
10. influence n. 影響
have an influence on... 對……有影響
= have an impact on...
= have an effect on...
例: Our behavior has an influence on those around us.
（我們的行為對周遭的人會有影響。）
11. fundamentally adv. 重大地；根本的
fundamental a. 根本的；重要的
例: You should learn the fundamental rules of grammar first.
（你得先學文法基本規則。）
12. outlaw vt. 宣佈……為不合法，廢除
例: Chewing gum in public has been outlawed in Singapore.
（在新加坡公開嚼口香糖是非法的。）
全世界的人都認得出西班牙的音樂、藝術、舞蹈或食物，不會把西班牙文化和其他文化搞混。
一想到西班牙，腦中首先浮現的應該是佛朗明哥舞。這種熱情洋溢的舞蹈源自西班牙南部，與吉普賽有很深的淵源，表演時通常有快節奏的吉他伴奏。西班牙另一項最吸引人的便是鬥牛，不僅觀光客喜歡，也廣受西班牙人的歡迎。鬥牛是鬥牛士與公牛之間的競賽，不但刺激同時兼具藝術性。鬥牛是西班牙人長期沿襲的傳統之一，雖然這與現今世界似乎顯得格格不入。
西班牙被公認是個浪漫的國度，這不是沒有道理的。這個國家的歷史肇始於一場婚禮，而不是因為爭奪領土的戰爭或發現新大陸。1469 年，卡斯提爾王國的伊莎貝拉女王與阿拉貢王國的斐迪南國王成親，這兩個強大基督教王國的聯姻被視為是西班牙的統一，開啟了該國長達三世紀到世界各地探險、貿易和佔領土地的歷史序幕，連帶使西班牙的語言和文化散佈到全世界。
西班牙如今已不再是世界強國之一，政治影響力也式微多年，但其文化仍一如以往，深具啟發性且廣為人知。西班牙的精神仍不斷啟發全世界。
1. 關於西班牙，下列敘述何者正確？
(A) 西班牙是一個幅員遼闊的國家。
(B) 西班牙在過去 50 年間變成世界強權。
(C) 西班牙將勢力拓展到全世界長達 300 年左右。
(D) 西班牙不再有很大的影響力。
題解: 本文第三段指出，統一後的西班牙揭開了長達三世紀到世界各地探險、貿易和佔領土地的歷史序幕，故選 (C)。
2. 根據本文，下列關於西班牙的推論何者正確？
(A) 她的文化在過去三個世紀以來發生了重大改變。
(B) 她的文化魅力非常多元。
(C) 她禁止頗具爭議性的鬥牛活動。
(D) 在鬥牛前或過程中會表演佛朗明哥舞。
題解: 本文第一段開宗明義即點出全世界的人都認得出西班牙的音樂、藝術、舞蹈或食物，符合選項 (B) 的敘述，故選之。
3. 佛朗明哥舞 _____。
(A) 是吉普賽人跳的一種慢舞
(B) 是只有西班牙南部的居民才跳的舞蹈
(C) 是西班牙人進行世界探險時發現的
(D) 是一種活力四射的舞蹈
題解: 第二段指出，熱情洋溢的佛朗明哥舞源自西班牙南部，與吉普賽有很深的淵源，表演時通常有快節奏的吉他伴奏，故選 (D)。
4. 本文未提及西班牙文化的哪一個層面？
(A) 美食。 (B) 建築。
(C) 音樂。 (D) 宗教。
題解: 第一段開宗明義，說明全世界的人都認得出西班牙的音樂、藝術、舞蹈或食物，並於第三段提及兩個強大基督教王國的聯姻被視為是西班牙的統一。全文並未提及任何關於建築的事項，故選 (B)。
標準答案: 1. (C) 2. (B) 3. (D) 4. (B)
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