2013年5月18日 星期六

The MOSE Project of Venice  力挽狂瀾的威尼斯『摩西計劃』‏

by Marcus Maurice

A new project aims to stop the flooding that has plagued Venice for decades.
一項新的計畫將讓威尼斯與困擾她數十年的水患說 bye bye。

  On a windy day in November of 1966, Venice, Italy suffered the worst flooding in its history up until that time. Usually following the natural ebb and flow of water, the tide should go out to sea in the morning. _(1)_ Eventually, the tide reached 194 centimeters above normal levels, which was the highest ever recorded in Venice. The entire city was swamped, and beaches and seawalls were devastated. _(2)_ Therefore, the government decided to intervene. The result of this is the MOSE project, which consists of mobile gates that can protect the Venetian Lagoon from the Adriatic Sea when water levels get too high.
在 1966 年 11 月風勢強勁的某一天,義大利威尼斯遭逢當時史上最嚴重的洪水。通常的情況下,潮水會隨著正常退潮和水流,在早晨的時候流回海中。但是在災難發生的這一天,海水仍持續湧進。到最後,潮水漲到比平常高出 194 公分,這是威尼斯有史以來的最高紀錄。整座城市被海水淹沒,沙灘和堤防均遭到破壞。從那時起,每逢秋季、冬季和春季,高漲的海水就一直影響著威尼斯和靠近潟湖區的其他城鎮。因此,政府決定要介入。結果,『摩西計劃』於焉誕生,這項計劃是利用活動式的閘門,在亞得里亞海海水高漲時保護威尼斯免於侵害。
  The idea behind the MOSE project is relatively simple: 78 metal gates that are 20 meters high, 20 to 30 meters long, and five meters wide are built at the bottom of the mouth of the Venetian Lagoon. In normal conditions, these gates rest on the seabed. _(3)_ The gates are in four rows and each can be managed separately according to wind patterns or water levels.
摩西計劃的原理相當簡單:在威尼斯潟湖口的底部建造 78 座高 20 公尺、長 20 至 30 公尺、寬 5 公尺的金屬閘門。在正常的情況下,這些閘門都平躺在海床上。遇到滿潮、或是預計會達到高水位時,壓縮空氣就會灌入閘門中,讓閘門浮出水面將潟湖隔離。這些閘門共有 4 排,每一排都可根據風勢或水位的狀況獨立運作。
  Of course, life is usually more complicated than expected. _(4)_ Environmentalists and conservative groups are very upset about the MOSE project because they believe it will cause irreparable damage to the lagoon's environment. Also, many residents of Venice have objected to the skyrocketing cost of this huge construction project. _(5)_
當然,人生總是比預期的還要複雜。多年來,摩西計劃遭遇到許多阻礙。環境學家和保守團體對摩西計劃非常不滿,因為他們認為這會對潟湖的環境造成難以彌補的傷害。同時,許多威尼斯居民也反對這項耗費鉅資的建築工程。即使如此,摩西計劃仍按照預定進度興建,並準備於 2012 年完工進行測試。
(A) If there is high water or expected high waters, these gates can be filled with compressed air to allow them to emerge from the water and isolate the lagoon.
(B) Even so, the MOSE project is still on schedule and will be completed and ready for testing by 2012.
(C) However, on that fateful day, the water just kept coming in.
(D) The MOSE project has run into many obstacles over the years.
(E) Since then, high waters have been affecting Venice and other towns near the lagoon basin every fall, winter, and spring.
原來如此 
1. 第一題空格應選 (C)
理由:
a. 空格前一句談到,通常的情況下(Usually),潮水會隨著正常退潮和水流,在早晨的時候流回海中(go out to sea)。
b. (C) 選項的句子提到,但是(However),在災難發生的這一天,海水仍持續湧進(kept coming in),其中 Usually 和 However 形成對比,而 go out to sea 和 kept coming in 也形成對照,前後語意連貫,故選之。
大補丸:
fateful a. 不幸的,災難的;命中注定的
例: One fateful night, Harry left home and was never seen again.
(在一個不幸的夜晚,哈利離家後就失去了蹤影。)
2. 第二題空格應選 (E)
理由:
a. 空格前一句提到,整座城市(The entire city)被海水淹沒,沙灘和堤防均遭到破壞。
b. (E) 選項的句子接著表示,從那時起,每逢秋季、冬季和春季,高漲的海水就一直影響著威尼斯和靠近潟湖區的其他城鎮,其中 The entire city 就是指威尼斯這座城市,前後語意連貫,故選之。
大補丸:
a. affect vt. 影響
例: The bad news has affected our mood.
(那個壞消息影響了我們的心情。)
b. lagoon n. 潟湖
c. basin n. 盆地,窪地
3. 第三題空格應選 (A)
理由:
a. 空格前一句提到,在正常的情況下,這些閘門都平躺在海床上(rest on the seabed)。
b. (A) 選項的句子接著說,遇到滿潮、或是預計會達到高水位時,壓縮空氣就會灌入閘門,讓閘門浮出水面(emerge from the water)將潟湖隔離,前後語意連貫,故選之。
大補丸:
a. high water  (河、海等的)最高水位,滿潮
b. be filled with...  充滿……
= be full of...
例: That department store is always filled with people on the weekends.
(那家百貨公司週末總是人潮洶湧。)
c. compressed a. 壓縮的
d. emerge vi. 浮現,出現
emerge from...  從……浮現∕出現
例: The fin of a shark emerged from the ocean, causing swimmers to panic.
(鯊魚鰭從海中冒出來,引起泳客一陣驚慌。)
e. isolate vt. 使隔離
isolate A from B  將 A 與 B 隔離
例: The hospital isolated Tim from the other patients because he had H1N1.
(醫院把提姆和其他病人隔離,因為他得到新流感。)
4. 第四題空格應選 (D)
理由:
a. 空格前一句提到,人生總是比預期的還要複雜。
b. (D) 選項的句子接著說,多年來,摩西計畫遭遇到許多阻礙,前後語意連貫,故選之。
大補丸:
a. run into...  遇到……(困難、問題等)
例: The ship ran into a typhoon in the Pacific Ocean.
(這艘船在太平洋遇到颱風。)
b. obstacle n. 障礙,阻礙
5. 第五題空格應選 (B)
理由:
a. 空格前兩句提到,環境學家和保守團體對摩西計劃非常不滿;同時許多居民也反對這項耗費鉅資的建築工程。
b. (B) 選項的句子接著說,即使如此(Even so),摩西計劃仍按照預定進度興建,並準備於 2012 年完工進行測試,此處的 so 即指前面提到的阻礙,語意連貫,故選之。
大補丸:
a. Even so, S + V  縱然如此,……
例: The weather was bad. Even so, we enjoyed our trip.
(當時天氣很糟。縱然如此,我們這趟旅程仍玩得很開心。)
b. on schedule  按照預定進度
behind schedule  比預定進度落後
ahead of schedule  比預定進度提前
例: I am convinced that John can finish the project on schedule.
(我相信約翰會如期完成這項計劃。)
c. complete vt. 使完工
精解字詞片語 
1. suffer vt. 遭受;經歷
例: The adventurers suffered the rigors of the Alaskan winter.
(阿拉斯加嚴酷的冬天讓這些冒險家吃盡了苦頭。)
2. eventually adv. 最後,最終
例: Mary couldn't stand David's bad temper, so she eventually divorced him.
(瑪麗受不了大衛的壞脾氣,最後和他離婚了。)
3. devastate vt. 破壞,毀滅
devastating a. 破壞力大的
例: Thousands of homes were devastated by fierce winds during the typhoon.
(上千戶家園被颱風帶來的強勁風勢所摧毀。)
例: Many buildings collapsed when that devastating earthquake occurred.
(很多大樓在那場極具破壞性的地震中倒塌。)
4. intervene vi. 介入;干預
intervene in...  介入∕干預……
例: I didn't intervene in the argument between Tom and Rose because it's none of my business.
(我沒有介入湯姆和蘿絲間的爭論,因為這完全不干我的事。)
5. consist of...  由……組成
例: This organization consists of people from all walks of life.
(這個組織是由來自各行各業的人士所組成。)
6. protect A from B  保護 A 不受 B 的侵害;保護 A 免於 B
例: The jacket protected me from the freezing cold.
(這件夾克幫我禦寒。)
7. relatively adv. 相當地
例: It's relatively colder today than it was yesterday.
(今天比起昨天來得相當寒冷。)
8. separately adv. 個別地,分別地
例: The three brothers run their businesses separately.
(這 3 兄弟各自經營自己的事業。)
9. object to + N/V-ing  反對……
= be opposed to + N/V-ing
= oppose vt.
例: Pete strongly objected to the terms of the contract.
(彼特強烈反對合約上所列的條款。)

單字小舖 
1. windy a. 風大的
2. ebb n. 退潮
3. swamp vt. 淹沒
4. seawall n. 海堤
5. mobile a. 活動式的
6. complicated a. 複雜的
7. conservative a. 保守的
8. irreparable a. 難以彌補的
9. skyrocketing a. 猛然高升的
答案: 1. (C) 2. (E) 3. (A) 4. (D) 5. (B)

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