The torii of Japan is one of the many symbols of the country. These simple yet mystifyinggates dot the Japanese __1__. But where exactly do they come from, and what do they represent?
While the origins of these aesthetic-looking gates are not clear, many historiansbelieve that they have been __2__ from India or China. In India, gates called torana appear at entrances to Buddhist and Hindu temples. The name torana also sounds a bit similar to torii, which further __3__ the theory. In China, similar structures known as pailou are built at the entrances to Buddhist and Taoist temples as well. Japanese legend, however, says differently.
According to the Kojiki, a collection of myths written in 712 about Japan and its local deitiesor kami, the origin of torii has to do withAmaterasu, the sun goddess of the Shintoreligion. She became outraged by her __4__ brother’s destructive behavior. She then locked herself in a cave, plunging the world into __5__. Other kami thought of a way to enticeher to come out: to get the bird of the morning to call out. They __6__ a perchin front of the cave and positioned roosters on it. This perch was the first torii. Upon hearing the roosters call, Amaterasu emerged to see what was going on, returning light to the world. The story sounds __7__ since the Japanese characters for torii literally mean “bird home.”
The torii __8__ the border between the living world and the spirit world. When one crosses through a torii, they are entering __9__ land, the land of the kami. Each toriithat a person passes through means they are entering a land holier than the last. When leaving a temple, it’s important to leave through all of the gates you walked through when entering; otherwise, you’ll be __10__ in the spirit world. So, the next time you’re admiring a temple in Japan, remember to be respectful towards the kami and return to our world safe and sound.
(A) stuck (B) wicked (C) adds to (D) installed (E) darkness (F) imported (G) landscape (H) sacred ( I ) reasonable (J) stands for
答案：1.G 2.F 3.C 4.B 5.E 6.D 7.I 8.J 9.H 10.A
單字片語整理
Words in Use
●
perch
[pɝtʃ]
vi. 棲息 / 停留於
n. 鳥類的棲
Little birds are perching on the buffalo’s back to eat
ticks.
小鳥棲息在水牛背上吃蝨子。
Every morning the birds would sit on the perch
outside my bedroom window and sing.
每天早上都會有小鳥在我房間窗外的棲木上唱歌。
高中 Level 6
●
respectful
[rɪˋspɛktfəl]
a. 值得尊敬的；體面的，相當不錯的
You should always be respectful to your elders.
你始終該對年長者很尊敬。
Matt always tries to be respectful of others’opinions.
麥特一向試著尊重他人的意見。
高中 Level 4
●
holy
[ˋholɪ]
a. 神聖的
=
sacred
=
divine
Nothing is holy for Paul; he only believes in money.
對保羅來說，沒什麼是神聖的；他眼裡只有錢。
高中 Level 3
●
literally
[ˋlɪtərəlɪ]
adv. . 照字面地，直譯地；真正 / 確實地
Do not translate this articleliterally.
別照字面翻譯這篇文章。
Do not translate this article word for word.
別照字面翻譯這篇文章。
The auditorium wasliterallypacked with people.
大禮堂真的是人滿為患。
高中 Level 5
●
emerge
[ɪˋmɝdʒ]
vi. 出現，冒出（常與介詞 from 並用）
=
appear
Ben suddenly emerged from behind the door, which frightened me.
班突然從門後冒出來，嚇了我一跳。
多益藍色
英檢中級
高中 Level 4
●
plunge
[plʌndʒ]
n. & vi. 跳入
vi. 驟降
The lifeguard plunged / jumped into the river and saved the drowning boy.
救生員跳入河中，救起即將溺斃的男孩。
Lilly decided to take the plunge and set up a design
studio of her own.
莉莉決定放手一搏，要成立自己的設計工作室。
During COVID-19, Bill expected housing prices to plunge, but they stayed about the same.
新冠肺炎期間，比爾預期房價會驟跌，但房價仍維持不變。
多益金色
英檢中高
高中 Level 5
●
destructive
[dɪˋstrʌktɪv]
a. 破壞的
A very destructive typhoon left hundreds of people homeless on the island.
一場極具破壞力的颱風讓島上數百名民眾無家可歸。
The greenhouse effect is destructive to the ecology of the Arctic area.
溫室效應對北極地區的生態具有破壞性。
英檢中級
高中 Level 5
●
outrage
[ˋaʊt͵redʒ]
vt. . 使憤慨
n. 令人憤慨的事
People were outraged by the increasing food prices.
民眾對於物價上漲感到憤怒。
The scandal caused public outrage.
該醜聞令大眾憤慨。
高中 Level 6
●
myth
[mɪθ]
n. 神話；迷思，錯誤的想法
=
legend
Contrary to the general myth, pigs are actually animals that love to be clean. 與一般傳統想法不同的是，豬其實是愛乾淨的動物。
The story in the magazine is just a myth. There’s not a single grain of truth in it.
雜誌裡的這則報導不過是無稽之談。毫無事實根據。
多益藍色
英檢中高
高中 Level 5
●
legend
[ˋlɛdʒənd]
n. 傳說
=
myth
=
Word has it that...
According to the legend, a fairy lives on the moon.
根據這則傳說，有一位仙女住在月亮上。
Legend has it that in the mountains lived seven dwarfs. 傳說山裡頭住著 7 個小矮人。
多益藍色
英檢中級
高中 Level 4
●
theory
[ˋθiərɪ]
n. 學說；理論
Many scientists believe the theory that the universe is getting larger.
很多科學家相信宇宙正在變大的這個說法。
Developing a theory and proving it are very different things.
研發一套理論和加以證實是兩碼事。
Well, that sounds good intheory, but I don’t know if it will work in practice.
嗯，那在理論上聽起來不錯，但我不知道它實際上是否可行。
多益藍色
英檢中級
高中 Level 3
●
aesthetic
[ɛsˋθɛtɪk]
a. . 美（感）的，審美的〔英〕（= esthetic [ Es`HEtIk ]〔美〕）
Many critics praised this work of art not only because
of its aestheticappeal but also because of its
creativity.
許多評論家讚揚這藝術作品，不僅是因為它外形很美，也是
因為它很有創意。
高中 Level 6
●
spiritual
[ˋspɪrɪtʃʊəl]
a. 精神上的，心靈上的
I enjoy listening to music because it can fill up my spiritual emptiness.
我喜歡聽音樂，因為音樂能填補我心靈的空虛。
The man was in spiritual torment after the incident.
事件發生後，這名男子心靈上很痛苦。
多益藍色
英檢中級
高中 Level 4
●
stuck
[stʌk]
stick的動詞過去式、過去分詞
adj. 卡住的
Shirley was fed up with being stuck in an office all day long.
雪莉受夠了整天因公事纏身而卡在辦公室。
多益藍色
●
wicked
[ˋwɪkɪd]
a. 惡毒的；缺德的
=
evil
Snow White’s wicked stepmother is very jealous of her stepdaughter’s beauty.
白雪公主的惡毒繼母非常嫉妒她繼女的美貌。
The wicked shopkeeper tried to rip off his customers whenever he got the chance.
這個缺德的店主一逮到機會就敲客人竹槓。
高中 Level 3
●
install
[ɪnˋstɔl]
.vt. 裝設，安裝；使就任（此意多用被動語態）
We have installed central heating in that building.
我們在那棟大樓安裝了中央暖氣系統。
Mr. Pike was installed as mayor yesterday.
派克先生昨天就任市長。
多益綠色
英檢中級
高中 Level 4
●
darkness
[ˋdɑrknɪs]
n. 黑暗
It’s very dangerous to drive in such darkness without headlights.
在如此的黑暗中沒開頭燈開車真是非常危險。
The power failure left the whole town in darkness.
停電讓整個城鎮陷入一片漆黑。
高中 Level 3
●
import
[ˋɪmport]
n. 進口品
Millions of cheap imports from India enter European markets each year.
每年都有大量的廉價進口品從印度進入到歐洲市場。
多益藍色
英檢初級
高中 Level 3
●
landscape
[ˋlænd͵skep]
n. 景色（可數）
vt. 美化……的景觀
There are many beautiful landscapes in that area.
該地區有許多美麗的風景。
I have asked a professional to landscape our garden.
我請一名專業人士來設計自家花園的景觀。
多益綠色
英檢中級
高中 Level 4
●
sacred
[ˋsekrɪd]
a. 神聖的
Cows are considered to be sacred animals in India.
牛在印度被視為是神聖的動物。
多益金色
英檢中高
高中 Level 5
●
reasonable
[ˋriznəb!]
a. 合理的；講理的
I bought this piece of furniture at a reasonable price.
我以合理的價格買了這件傢俱。
I don’t think Susan’s being reasonable about this.
我認為蘇珊對這件事不講道理。
多益綠色
英檢中級
高中 Level 3
●
mystifying
[ `mɪsəˌfɑɪɪɧ ]
a. 神祕的，令人困惑的
●
deity
[ˋdiətɪ]
n. 神祇
●
entice
[ɪnˋtaɪs]
vt. 引誘，誘使
●
Shinto
[ˋʃɪnto]
n. （日本）神道教
Practical Phrases
●
have to do with...
與⋯⋯有關
●
call out
大聲喊叫
Seeing the man trapped under a car, Katy called out for help.
看到男子被困在車底，凱蒂大聲呼叫救援。
●
safe and sound
安然無恙地
I felt happy to learn that Ben had come backsafe and sound.
知道班已經安然無恙地回來，我感到很高興。
2. While the origins of these aesthetic-looking gates are not clear, many historians believe that they have been imported from India or China.
理由
a. 空格前有 be 動詞 been，而空格後有介詞 from， 故知空格應置入分詞、形容詞或名詞。
b. 剩餘選項中除 (C) adds to 及 (J) stands for 外皆 符合條件，空格後說明鳥居和印度、中國的建物有 相似之處，可知鳥居可能是從印度或中國「傳入」 的，故答案應選 (F) imported。
3. The name torana also sounds a bit similar to torii, which further adds to the theory.
理由
a. 空格位於關係代名詞 中，修飾前半子句。空格前有副詞 further(進一 步)，後有名詞詞組 the theory(該理論)，且根 據本句時態，可知空格應置入現在式第三人稱單數 及物(片語)動詞。
b. 選項中有 (C) adds to 及 (J) stands for 符合條 件，本句前半提及印度的托拉納聽起來跟鳥居的日 文(torii)有點類似，可知這進一步「增加」了鳥 居是由印度傳入這個理論的說服力，故選 (C)。
4. She became outraged by her wicked brother’s destructive behavior.
理由
a. 空格前有所有格 her，空格後有名詞詞組 brother’s destructivebehavior(弟弟的破壞行為)，故知 空格應置入形容詞或分詞以修飾該名詞詞組。
b. 剩餘選項中除 (E) darkness 及 (J) stands for 外 皆符合條件，根據語意，天照大神對「邪惡」弟弟 的破壞行為感到憤怒，可知答案應選(B) wicked。
5. She then locked herself in a cave, plunging the world into darkness.
理由
a. 空格前有介詞 into，故知空格應置入名詞。
b. 選項中僅剩 (E) darkness 符合條件，置入後表 後來天照大神把自己關在洞穴之中，使得世界陷 入「黑暗」，因天照大神是太陽神，若無天照大神世界就會一片黑暗，符合語意，故選之。
6. They installed a perch in front of the cave and positioned roosters on it.
理由
a. 空格前有代名詞They，而空格後有名詞詞組a perch(棲木)，且根據對等連接詞and 後面的過去式動詞positioned(放置)，可知空格應置入過去式及物(片語)動詞。
b. 選項中尚有(A) stuck 及(D) installed 符合條件，根據語意，其他神明在洞穴前「安裝」了一個棲木，並將公雞放在上頭，可知答案應選(D)。
7. The story sounds reasonable since the Japanese characters for torii literally mean “bird home.”
理由
a. 空格前有感官動詞sounds(聽起來)，可知空格應置入形容詞或分詞以作主詞The story(這個故事)的補語。
b. 剩餘選項中除(J) stands for 外皆符合條件，本句後半提及鳥居的日文字面上意思即是「鳥之家」，可知因為這樣，其他神明用公雞引誘天照大神現身的故事很「合理」，故選(I) reasonable。
8. The torii stands for the border between the living world and the spirit world.
理由
a. 空格前有名詞詞組Thetorii(鳥居)，而空格後亦有一名詞詞組the border(邊界)，且根據本段時態，可知空格應置入現在式第三人稱單數及物(片語)動詞。
b. 選項中僅剩(J) stands for 符合條件，置入後表鳥居「代表了」人界和神域之間的邊界，故選之。
9. When one crosses through a torii, they are entering sacred land, the land of the kami.
理由
a. 空格前有be 動詞are 和現在分詞entering(進入)，空格後有名詞land(土地)，故知空格應置入形容詞或分詞以修飾land。
b. 剩餘選項皆符合條件，本句後半有同位語the land of the kami(神祇的領域)，可知穿越鳥居就進入了「神聖的」土地，故選(H) sacred。
10. When leaving a temple, it’s important to leave through all of the gates you walked through when entering; otherwise, you’ll be stuck in the spirit world.
理由
a. 空格前有原形be 動詞，而空格後有介詞in，故知空格應置入形容詞、分詞或名詞。
b. 選項中僅剩(A) stuck 符合條件，置入後表離開寺院時要走過進寺院時穿過的每道鳥居;否則，你會被「困在」神域中，符合語意，故選之。
