焦點英語閱讀 2：六招打造核心素養閱讀力 學測熱門推薦用書！【三版】

ϲ‫҈ܣ‬അ ਯЖશᎴᎧ᠞Ψ 三版

作者 Michelle Witte / Richard Luhrs / Zachary Fillingham

譯者 劉嘉珮∕林靜慧

全英文學習訓練英文思維及語感 可調整語速∕播放∕複誦模式訓練聽力

2 快速查詢字義 理解文章內容

ӒМᎧ᠞

൐ѯᎧ᠞

●

標示高中字彙、全民英檢、多益字級， 掌握難度，立即理解文章

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設定自動 循環 訓練聽力超有感

●

範圍播放，

設定 7 段語速、複誦間距及次數， 扎實訓練聽力

課後閱讀測驗檢驗理解力

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設定克漏字比率學習，提高理解力、 詞彙量及文法

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睡眠學習，複習文章幫助記憶

強力口說練習

單字分析掌握單字力 提供全書總單字量及單字表，掌握單字難易度， 針對不熟單字加強學習。

錄下發音和原音比對辨識，精進口語能力。

Contents Introduction ώ३ᖎ̬……6 How to Use This Book ֹϡጱᜓ……7

Day 1 People

Day 2 Business

Day 3 Technology

Day 4 Culture

Day 5 Environment

Day 6 People

:HHN

:HHN

01 The Voice That Rules the Music 10 World 02 History of Wall 12 Street

Day 1 Geography

Day 2 Health & Body

Day 3 Technology

03 Spray, Connect, 14 Touch

Day 4

04 The World’s First Bridal Shower 16

Day 5

05 Farming for the 18 Future 06 Alphonse Mucha

Language

Mystery

Day 6 Nature

20

Day 1 People

Day 2 Arts & Literature

Day 3 Social Behavior

Day 4 People

Day 5 Animals

Day 6 Science

08 The Memory Eater 26

09 Kidnapping a Computer

11 Darkness on the 32 Sun 12 The Great Wall of 34 the Ocean

:HHN

13 The First Lady of 38 Science

Day 1 Environment

Day 2 Business

14 The Art of Optimism

40

15 Making Faces

42

Day 3 Environment

16 An Extraordinary 44 Economist

Day 4

17 House Dust Mites

Day 5

46

18 The Great Connector: Collagen

Culture

Entertainment

Day 6 People

28

10 Talking With Your 30 Hands

:HHN

48 2

07 Aleutian Islands 24

19 Killer Rabbits

52

20 Every Little Bit 54 Counts?

21 Saving the World

by Seeing the 56 World 22 Mother, May I? 58 23 In the Stream

60

24 Ernest Hemingway 62

Day 1 Geography

Day 2 Technology

Day 3 Language

Day 4 Mystery

Day 5 Nature

Day 6 Health & Body

Day 1 Business

Day 2 Health & Body

Day 3 Entertainment

Day 4 Environment

Day 5 Geography

Day 6 Culture

:HHN

:HHN

25 Taking Land From 66 the Sea 26 A Brave New World for Mice and Men 68

27 The Most Distinct 70 Languages

Day 1 People

Day 2 Science

Day 3 Social Behavior

Day 4 Arts & Literature

28 Ghost Town

72

29 Rock Star

74

30 Insomnia

76

Day 5 Animals

Day 6 Sports

31 From Shipwrecked 80 to Samurai 32 The Accidental 82 Savior 33 Groupies

84

34 Art for the Masses 86

35 Giving Giants a Second Chance 88 36 For the Love of the Beautiful Game 90

:HHN

:HHN

37 For the Many, Not the Few

Day 1 Technology 94

Day 2 Language

38 The Raw Food Movement

96

39 Tony Awards

98

40 Constructed Wetlands

100

41 The Deepest Place 102 on Earth 42 The Slurp Heard Around the World 104

Day 3 Mystery

Day 4 Nature

Day 5 People

Day 6 Science

43 Sun-Powered Skin 108

44 Do Facial Expressions Tell 110 Us All? 45 The Missing Aviatrix

112

46 The Cotton Castle 114

47 Joan of Arc

116

48 Shampoo—Do We Really Need It? 118 3

Day 1 Culture

Day 2 People

Day 3 Animals

Day 4 Arts & Literature

Day 5 Business

Day 6 Social Behavior

Day 1 Nature

Day 2 Health & Body

Day 3 People

Day 4 Science

Day 5 Social Behavior

Day 6 Culture

:HHN

:HHN

49 The Code of Knights 122

50 Denmark’s National 124 Treasure

Day 1 Entertainment

Day 2 Environment

Day 3 51 Listening to Man's 126 Best Friend 52 Music of Laughter 128 and Weeping 53 Imaginary Coins 130 54 Birth Order

132

Geography

Day 4 Health & Body

Day 5 Language

Day 6 Animals

55 The House of Heroes 136

56 Rising Seas, Shrinking 138 Forests 57 Aouzou Strip in Northern Africa 140 58 Thinking About Not 142 Thinking 59 Let Me Call You 144 Sweetheart 60 Penguins

146

:HHN

:HHN

61 Mud Volcano

Day 1 150

62 The Medicine That 152 Tastes Good 63 Plato

154

64 The Metal Eater 156 65 The Imaginary Friend

Animals

Day 2 Arts & Literature

Day 3 Environment

Day 4 Sports

Day 5 158

66 The Food of Earls?

160

Entertainment

Day 6 Business

67 Black and White and Strange All Over 164

68 The Golden Age of Dutch Paintings 166 69 A Greener Solution?

168

70 Going the Distance— and Then Some 170 71 In Style, or in Danger?

172

72 Money Talks—in Many Languages!

174

4

Day 1 Geography

Day 2 Health & Body

Day 3 Technology

Day 4 Language

Day 5 People

Day 6 Nature

Day 7 Mystery

:HHN

:HHN

73 Cold Beauty

Day 1 178

Culture

Day 2 74 My Mother Says . . .

75 Talk to TED 76 Talking With Animals

Day 3

182

Sports

Day 4 184

77 The Life and Death 186 of Cai Lun 78 Jeita Grotto

Social Behavior

180

188

79 Mystery of King Tut

Animals

Day 5 Arts & Literature

Day 6 Entertainment

Day 7 Science

190

Day 1 Geography

Day 2 Health & Body

Day 3 Technology

Day 4 Language

Day 5 Mystery

Day 6 People

Day 7 Nature

80 Food Taboos

81 Don’t Get Taken!

196

82 The Kentucky Classic

84 But Is It Art?

202

85 Really Scary

204

86 Pros and Cons of Nuclear Power 206

:HHN

Day 1 Science

Day 2 Animals

88 A Pinch of Salt 212 89 Cleaner and Greener 214

90 Slang Evolution 216 91 Synesthesia

218

92 An Unlikely Champion of Farmers 220 Everywhere

Day 3 Sports

Day 4 Culture

Day 5 Entertainment

Day 6 Environment

Day 7 Social Behavior

93 The Bay of Fundy 222

198

83 (Fisher)man's Best 200 Friend?

:HHN

87 The Temples of 210 Bagan

194

94 Metamaterial

226

95 The Most Social 228 Animals 96 Luge

230

97 The Amish

232

98 Out for a Spinner 234

99 What Are We Breathing, Anyway?

236

100 Don’t Believe Everything You Read on the Internet 238

Translation ኝ͛̚ᛌ……240 Answers ௫ᗟྋඍ……285

5

Introduction This book is the second volume of a series of books concentrating on training reading skills.

Each article is accompanied by six essential questions to help readers understand the article.

These questions are within the framework of the following categories:

Main Idea Readers will have to ask themselves, “What point is the writer trying to make?”

By asking this question, they will be aware of looking for an answer during the reading process.

Subject Matter The subject matter question can help readers focus on the articles they are

reading. $fter reading the Àrst few lines of the article, readers should ask themselves, “What is the subject matter of this article?” They will start concentrating instantly.

Supporting Details The article is made up of details that support the main idea. Supporting details come in various forms, such as examples, explanations, descriptions, deÀnitions, comparisons, contrasts, and metaphors.

Inference ,nference questions ask the readers to Ànd the inferences and assumptions made in the article. The main goal of the question is to train readers’ abilities of critical and logical thinking.

Words in Context Words in Context are important in understanding an article. Mistaking the meanings of some Key Words or phrases can lead to a gross misunderstanding of the author’s message.

Others Other reading skills include: Clarifying Devices The author might use similes and metaphors to capture readers’ attention and

spark their imaginations. The most widely used clarifying devices are signal words (ÀUVW VHFRQG QH[W ODVW ÀQDOO\), and transitional words or phrases (LQ EULHI LQ FRQFOXVLRQ DERYH DOO WKHUHIRUH).

Organizational patterns are also clarifying devices, including the chronological pattern, in which events are ordered by the time at which they occurred.

Text Form A text form refers to a type of writing such as fantasy, autobiography, or newspaper

article. Knowing the text form can help readers achieve a better understanding of the purpose of the article and determine how to interpret the article.

Cause and Effect Cause and effect questions are concerned with why things happen (causes)

and what happens as a result (effects). Understanding cause and effect relationships can guide readers to understand how one event or action caused another to occur. Words like VR, EHFDXVH, and DV D UHVXOW, are good clues that help readers recognize a cause-and-effect relationship.

Fact or Opinion A fact is something that is true and is supported by evidence. An opinion

is something you believe or feel. Being able to identify facts and opinions can help readers differentiate between what is real and what is someone’s point of view or thought, and explore their knowledge or opinions on a topic.

Author’s Tone An author's tone is the attitude the author takes on the subject he or she is writing about. It gives readers clues as to how the author feels about his or her subject. This type of question is usually described using an emotion word such as VHULRXV, KXPRURXV, or KRSHIXO.

6

How to Use This Book

In our reading plan, the 100 articles are divided into 16 weeks. Readers should read 6–7 articles each week. By following the plan, the readers will make steady progress in mastering English reading skills.

The articles are written about various kinds of topics: culture, mystery, business, people, arts & literature, and more. Readers will learn English as they explore their world.

7

Each article is followed by six essential questions to help readers understand the content.

Bountiful pictures that provide additional information related to the articles will enhance readers' pleasure in reading.

8

:HHN

Day 1 People

01 The Voice That Rules the Music World

10

Day 2 Business

02 History of Wall Street

12

Day 3 Technology

03 Spray, Connect, Touch

14

Day 4 Culture

04 The World’s First Bridal Shower

16

Day 5 Environment

05 Farming for the Future

18

Day 6 People

06 Alphonse Mucha

20

12 Day Day 11

T the album 25 by Adele

Week Week

People

01 The Voice That Rules 001ऑ

the Music World

Adele Adkins was born in North London, England, in 1988. Her mother, Penny Adkins, was 18 years old at the time of her birth. There were some hard times for both of them during the early years. Adele’s father left when Adele was just four years old. He would keep in contact with1 her over the years, but it was often a troubled relationship. Adele eventually broke all contact with him when she was a teenager.

School was a problem for Adele early on. She often felt bored and uninspired2 in class. Fortunately3, things turned around when she was accepted into the BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology. This was the same school that Amy Winehouse attended. The school allowed Adele to develop her love of music and skills in playing multiple4 instruments, including the Áute, saxophone, and guitar.

Adele’s big break came when she was still at the BRIT School. She posted a short demo5 album on her MySpace page. Some studio6 executives7 listened to it, and then decided to sign her to a contract.

Adele’s rise to fame8 since then has been incredible9. She has recorded three albums: 19, 21, and 25. All of them are named after her age at the time of production10. These albums contain memorable11 songs like "Rolling in the Deep" and "Someone Like You." They have sold over 40 million copies worldwide.

Adele has also received countless awards12. She swept the top categories13 of the *rammy Awards in 2012 and 2017³a Àrst in *rammy history.

Perhaps more important than Adele’s commercial success is the way she did it. Adele is unlike other pop stars, who tend to be managed and Key Words

10

1

keep in contact with 與……保持聯絡

4

multiple 多樣的；複合的 (a.)

7

executive 行政主管；經理 (n.)

5

2

uninspired 乏味的 (a.)

demo 樣本；試聽帶 (n.)

8

fame 名聲 (n.)

10 production 製作 (n.)

11 memorable 難忘的 (a.)

14 label 標籤；公司 (n.)

15 immensely 非常 (adv.)

9

6

3

fortunately 幸運地 (adv.)

studio 工作室 (n.)

incredible 難以置信的 (a.)

12 award 獎項 (n.)

13 category 種類 (n.)

T Adele’s 6N\IDOO won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2013.

1 22 The Voice That Rules the Music World

_____ 1. Which sentence is closest to the main point? ĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂ Main Idea Adele broke records at the Grammy Awards.

Adele is a special kind of talent.

Adele attended the BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology.

Adele recorded three albums.

1 Day

Q uestions

Week

S Adele attended the 59th Grammy’s Award in 2017.

controlled by their labels14. She is driven, independent, and immensely15 talented.

She also feels comfortable in her own skin. Some have even described her as a “force of nature.” It’s hard to imagine a better female role model for her millions of fans worldwide.

_____ 2. What does this passage describe? ĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂ Subject Matter An album.

A song.

A musician.

A voice. _____ 3. Which of the following statements about Adele is NOT true? ĂĂĂĂ Supporting Details She didn’t like school as a child.

She recorded the song "Someone Like You." She was born in Scotland.

She has won several Grammy Awards. _____ 4. What can we infer from the passage about Adele’s childhood? ĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂ Inference Adele’s mom had some struggles with money.

Adele didn’t like to sing when she was young.

Adele didn’t have many friends in her neighborhood.

Adele was very religious. _____ 5. What does force of nature mean in the final paragraph? ĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂ Words in Context Someone who was born rich.

Someone with a strong personality.

Someone who doesn’t like the countryside.

Someone who likes being outdoors. _____ 6. What does the author do in the final paragraph to capture the reader’s attention?ĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂ Clarifying Devices Shares a personal experience.

Presents interesting statistics.

Makes a strong argument.

Describes several steps.

11

11 ĂDay Day 22

Week Week

s Busines

et X Wall Stree

02 History of 002ऑ

Wall Street

What is now New York City was once a Dutch colony1. After the Dutch bought the land from the Native Americans in the area, they built a wall to protect themselves from attacks. The wall lasted for about 50 years in the mid1600s, but the name it gave to the street that ran along it has lived for centuries.

Wall Street became a center of commerce2 early in New York's history.

Though it was only a handful of blocks long, it connected the East River with other major streets, which made it a convenient place to set up warehouses3 for imported4 goods and facilities5 for exports6.

The idea of buying and selling bonds7, contracts, and other investments in businesses wasn't new. The Àrst stock exchange8 was set up in Belgium in 1531, followed by exchanges in Amsterdam and Paris. In New York, wealthy merchants along Wall Street traded stocks by word of mouth9. They would meet under a buttonwood tree at the end of the street. In 1792, they got tired of this informal state of affairs. That year, a group of men formally established10 what they called The Stock Exchange OfÀce, a formal, regulated entity11 to buy and sell stocks through.

The stock exchange in New York wasn't an instant success. On the contrary, in 1817, some members were upset with the poor performance of their exchange and went to observe the bustling12, thriving13 exchange in Philadelphia. They came back with new ideas and made the Àrst of many changes. In 1863, the organization was given its current name, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

W Wall Street sign

Key Words 1

colony 殖民地 (n.)

5

facility 場所；機構 (n.)

8

stock exchange （股票）證券交易所 (n.)

11 entity 實體 (n.)

12

2

commerce 商業 (n.)

6

warehouse 倉庫 (n.)

export 出口；出口業務 (n.)

12 bustling 忙碌的 (a.)

15 terrorism 恐怖主義 (n.)

3

9

7

imported 進口的 (a.)

bond 債券 (n.)

word of mouth 口耳相傳

13 thriving 蓬勃的 (a.)

16 dominate 主導 (v.)

4

10 establish 建立 (v.)

14 weather the storm 度過難關

X NYSE

2 History of Wall Street

_____ 1. What is the main topic of the article? ĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂ Main Idea How to succeed on Wall Street.

A history of stock exchanges.

The NYSE today.

How Wall Street rose.

1 Day

Q uestions

Week

The NYSE has weathered the storms14, from bubbles, panics, and depression to acts off terrorism15. So far, it continues to dominate16 American Ànance. In 1800, only about 20 companies were traded publicly. Today, a billion shares change hands every day.

Prices rise and fall, but the bell that opens the NYSE every morning just keeps ringing.

_____ 2. What does the passage mainly deal with? ĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂ Subject Matter A country.

A road.

A financial institution.

An era. _____ 3. Which of the following statements is NOT true? ĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂ Supporting Details The NYSE was not the name of America's first stock exchange.

Early traders met under a tree to exchange stocks.

The NYSE was the world's first stock exchange.

Wall Street was named after a wall. _____ 4. What can we infer about the NYSE from the article? ĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂ Inference It was the first of its kind in the world.

It's a very durable institution.

It has shrunk in power over the years.

It is owned and run by the Dutch. _____ 5. The second paragraph mentions a handful of something.

What does the word handful mean? ĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂ Words in Context A small number.

A large number.

Something that can be manipulated by hand.

Something that can be hidden. _____ 6. How is the phrase on the contrary used in the fourth paragraph? Clarifying Devices To lead into a contrast.

To lead into a myth.

To provide context for a quote.

To indicate an emotion.

13

Week

1

Day

3

y

g o l o n h c Te

03 Spray , Connect, Touch 003ऑ

1

Touchscreen technology is commonplace2 nowadays. It's on our phones, on our TV sets, and on our laptops. At the moment, though, touchscreen technology is limited mostly to small, Áat surfaces like phone or computer screens. It isn't really suitable3 for large or irregular-shaped objects, like toys or living room walls, for example. However, a new invention4 called Electrick is set to change all that. It could be the Àrst step in turning any surface into a working, interactive touchscreen.

So, what is Electrick exactly, and how does it work? Essentially5, Electrick is a conductive6 spray paint. You spray it on something and send a small electric charge through the object. The electrodes attached to the object then detect where you touch. Though it's not quite as accurate7 as the touchscreen on your smartphone or laptop, it can detect your Ànger to within about a centimeter.

It's also durable8, able to retain9 its sensitivity10 over hundreds and hundreds of uses. It's not yet known how well it will work under conditions like rain or electromagnetic11 interference12, but it's early days, yet.

So what exactly could the applications13 of this spray-on touchscreen be? Think about it—you could place shortcuts14 to your TV's functions on your favorite chair or coffee table. You could turn something like a map into an interactive learning device. How about programming your electric guitar with different sound effects? Then simply turn them on by touching different places on the

X Touchscreen technology is commonplace.

S The applications of this spray-on touchscreen is vast. It can detect your hand location and gesture on the steering wheel.

Key Words

14

1

spray 噴灑 (v.)

5

essentially 本質上地 (adv.)

8

durable 耐用的 (a.)

2

commonplace 普遍的；常見的 (a.)

9

6

conductive 傳導的 (a.)

retain 保留 (v.)

suitable 適合的 (a.)

3 7

13 application 應用 (n.)

16 compatible 兼容的 (a.)

17 manufacturing 製造的 (a.)

invention 發明 (n.)

accurate 精確的 (a.)

10 sensitivity 靈敏度 (n.)

12 interference 干擾 (n.)

4

11 electromagnetic 電磁的 (a.)

14 shortcut 捷徑 (n.)

15 customize 客製 (v.)

18 state-of-the-art 最先進的 (a.)

W You can customize toys to respond to your touch.

3 Spray, Connect, Touch

_____ 1. What is the author's main point? ĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂ Main Idea Spray-on touchscreens are not yet fully developed.

Touchscreens are commonplace nowadays.

Spray-on touchscreens have great future potential.

Spray-on touchscreens are actually quite durable.

1 Day

Q uestions

Week

instrument's body. You could customize15 toys, your house, your car—anything!—to respond to your touch.

Of course, you must be asking yourself, is it really possible to make anything touch-sensitive? In a word, yes. Electrick technology is not only compatible16 with traditional manufacturing17 methods such as spraycoating and casting. It works with newer, state-of-the-art18 technology like 3-D printing, too. The technology might be brand new, but the possibilities appear to be endless.

_____ 2. What is the article about? ĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂ Subject Matter A new invention.

A famous inventor.

Interior decoration.

The future of smartphones. _____ 3. What is true about spray-on touchscreens? ĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂ Supporting Details They're more accurate than conventional touchscreens.

They can be used on irregular-shaped objects.

They are completely waterproof.

They can be used only on small objects. _____ 4. Which best describes the author's attitude towards spray-on touchscreens? Inference He's afraid of them and wants to see them stopped.

He thinks they will only be available for rich people.

He's looking forward to them becoming more popular.

He's not really interested in them. _____ 5. In the first paragraph, the author mentions an interactive surface.

If something is interactive, what does it do? ĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂ Words in Context Breaks down easily.

Refuses to follow instructions.

Gives up when things get hard.

Responds to a person's input. _____ 6. How does the author structure the article? ĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂ Text Form As a series of questions and answers.

As a series of events in a sequence.

As a series of personal stories.

As a series of causes and effects.

15

Week

1

Day

Culture

X Indian bride

4

T henna powder

04 The World’s First 004ऑ

Bridal Shower

1

What’s the Àrst thing that comes to mind when you think of Indian weddings? It’s probably the elegant2 designs painted on the bride’s3 body. This is called the Mehndi ceremony4, and some say it’s the “oldest bridal shower in the world.”

During the Mehndi ceremony, a bride’s hands and arms are decorated5 with a colorful paste made from henna6 plants. Henna has been used for body decoration for thousands of years. The Egyptian Pharaoh Cleopatra, who lived from 69 BC to 30 BC, is said to have used henna to paint her Àngernails. The Mehndi ceremony is more recent, but it still traces its roots back to the 15th century.

The Mehndi ceremony takes place on the night before the wedding. It’s known for being fun and relaxing7, unlike many other wedding ceremonies, which are more formal. The ceremony is a chance for the bride to spend time with close family and friends. Traditionally, it would be the last chance before the bride leaves to live with her husband’s family. Guests of the ceremony come over to laugh, tell stories, sing, and dance. All the while, the bride’s hands and arms are painted with elaborate8 henna designs. After the evening is over, the bride remains home until her wedding begins the next day.

Families approach the Mehndi ceremony differently. Sometimes the ceremony is very low-key9: a few loved ones gather for a “girls’ night in.” Other times, it is a big event, with an outside venue10 and a long guest list.

Key Words

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1

bridal shower 新娘婚前送禮會 (n.)

5

decorate 裝飾 (v.)

6

9

low-key 低調的 (a.)

10 venue 場地 (n.)

13 peacock 孔雀 (n.)

2

elegant 優雅的 (a.)

henna 散沫花 (n.)

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3

bride 新娘 (n.)

relaxing 悠哉的 (a.)

11 steady 穩定的 (a.)

14 representation 象徵圖像 (n.)

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4

ceremony 典禮 (n.)

elaborate 精巧的 (a.)

12 professional 專家 (n.)

15 groom 新郎 (n.)

16 glitter 閃光 (n.)

Week

1 Day

4 S Henna artists are applying henna paintings on human bodies during wedding celebrations.

Q uestions _____ 1. Which sentence is closest to the main point? ĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂ Main Idea The Mehndi ceremony is a relaxed and fun tradition.

Families and friends are important to the bride.

Women in India like to have parties.

There are lots of professional henna painters now.

The World’s First Bridal Shower

Who does the actual body painting? It used to be any neighborhood auntie with experience and a steady11 hand. But nowadays, brides tend to hire professionals12 to do the henna painting. These pros will paint peacocks13, Áowers, Islamic patterns, and representations14 of the bride and groom15. Their designs are also getting more complicated and more beautiful over time. Some of them have even begun to use glitter16 and different colors of henna.

_____ 2. What does this passage describe? ĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂ Subject Matter A special dress.

A pre-wedding event.

A type of colorful paste.

A dinner party. _____ 3. Based on the passage, which is NOT a part of the Mehndi ceremony? ĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂ Supporting Details

Singing.

Body painting.

Dancing.

Cooking a meal.

_____ 4. Which of the following is probably true about the Mehndi ceremony? Inference It lasts for a month.

The groom does not attend.

Most brides refuse to take part.

It is a very expensive event. _____ 5. What does it mean to trace something's roots back as mentioned in the second paragraph? ĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂ Words in Context To inspire something.

To be the opposite of something.

To come from something.

To hurt something. _____ 6. According to the passage, what is one of the effects of brides using professional henna artists? ĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂĂ Cause and Effect The price of the Mehndi ceremony is going down.

The Mehndi ceremony is becoming more popular overseas.

Guests are singing and dancing during the Mehndi ceremony.

The henna designs are becoming more complex.

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