Street lights are often taken for granted until a power outage plungesthe world into darkness. When that happens, the value of these lighting installations becomes evidentas the world turns into a more dangerous place for pedestriansand motorists alike.
The Chinese could claim to be the first to have constructed a crudetype of street light. Around 500 BC, residents of Beijing employed a type of street lamp that used hollow bamboo pipes and natural gas vents to create burning torches. Later, ancient Romans adopted lamps fueled by vegetable oil, which relied on slaves to light and extinguish them as needed.
The first public street lighting campaignbegan in 1417, when the mayor of London issued an order to hang lanterns outside homes during the winter months. This early initiative to illuminatethe streets marked the beginning of organized public street lighting, a concept that would transform cities across the world.
Fast-forward four centuries to the 1800s, when Baltimore became the first American city to installgas street lights on poles. This was a significant leap forward in urban lighting, which replaced the more primitivemethods of the past. In 1878, Paris began using the first electric street lights: arc lamps. However, the harshness of the arc lampsproved to beunbearableto the public. Although thousands were installed in Paris and across the US, their popularity was short-lived.
The inventionof the incandescent light bulb in 1879 quickly led to the replacement of the arc lamp. It offered a softer, more pleasant light and became the new standard. The evolutionof urban lighting didn’t stop there. From the 1960s to the early 21st century, sodium lamps became predominant. More recently, LED street lights, with their superior energy efficiency, have replaced many high-pressure sodium lamps. As technology continues to advance, even more efficient street lights are likely to provide a brighter future for nighttime pedestrians and drivers.
1. What is the main idea of the passage?
(A) To discuss the future of street lighting. (B) To argue for the importance of street lights.
(C) To introduce the evolution of street lighting. (D) To compare the different types of light bulbs.
2. Which of the following statements is true?
(A) The popularity of arc lamps lasted for quite a long time.
(B) The mayor of London ordered the use of electric lamps.
(C) The first American city to install LED street lights was Baltimore.
(D) Placing lanterns outside homes signified the start of public street lighting.
3. In what order did the following incidents take place?
a. the invention of the incandescent light bulb
b. the first organized public street lighting campaign
c. the development of a primitive form of street lighting
d. the replacement of sodium lamps with LED street lights
(A) d → c → a → b (B) c → b → a → d (C) d → c → b → a (D) c → d → b → a
4. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a reason for the declineof arc lamps?
(A) Their widespread installation in some cities. (B) The invention of incandescent light bulbs.
(C) The adoption of new lighting technology. (D) Their overwhelming brightness.
單字片語整理
Words in Use
●
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
●
installation
[͵ɪnstəˋleʃən]
n. 安裝(不可數) ; 設備 ; 就職(典禮)
Installation of the security system will take two days. 安裝保全系統要花上兩天時間。
The whole heating installation needs to be replaced.
全部的暖氣設備都需要更換。
The ceremony for the new mayor's installation washeld last May.
新任市長就職典禮於去年 5 月舉行。
多益金色
英檢中高
高中 Level 5
●
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
●
evident
[ˋɛvədənt]
a. 明顯的
It’s evident that Alan committed the murder.
顯然艾倫犯了這樁謀殺案。
多益藍色
英檢中級
高中 Level 4
●
pedestrian
[pəˋdɛstrɪən]
n. 行人
a. 行人的 ; 單調乏味的
Drivers should yield to pedestrians when they come to a crosswalk.
行駛至行人穿越道時，駕駛應禮讓行人先行。
Barriers were installed on the street to separate the pedestrian walkways from vehicular traffic.
路障被安置在街上以區分行人走道和車輛交通。
The pop star s new album was hailed as revolutionary, but John found it quite pedestrian.
這個明星的新專輯被譽為革新之作，但約翰覺得它很索然無味。
高中 Level 5
●
crude
[krud]
a. 粗略的 ; 粗糙的 ; 粗俗的
Currently, I can only give you a crude estimate of the number of victims who died in this terrorist attack.
目前，關於這次恐怖攻擊的死亡人數，我只能給你一個大約的數字。
This crude bridge was built for temporary use during the typhoon.
這座簡陋的橋是颱風期間臨時搭建使用的。
Paul's crude jokes embarrassed the girls in the group.
保羅粗俗的笑話讓隊裡的女孩子感到很尷尬。
The government is concerned that the surging crude oil prices will lead to inflation.
政府擔心原油價格急速上漲會引發通貨膨脹。
高中 Level 5
●
campaign
[kæmˋpen]
n. （社會、宣傳）運動
vi. 從事運動
They are going to launch acampaign against corruption.
他們準備要發起肅貪運動。
These groups campaignedagainst child abuse.
這些團體展開對抗虐童的活動。
多益金色
英檢中級
高中 Level 4
●
illuminate
[ɪˋlumə͵net]
vt. . 照亮
The street lamps illuminated the road as we walked
home.
我們走回家時，街燈照亮了道路。
高中 Level 6
●
primitive
[ˋprɪmətɪv]
a. 原始的
=
primeval
The tribespeople in the mountainous area still live a primitive life.
該山區的部落居民仍過著原始的生活。
多益金色
英檢中級
高中 Level 4
●
unbearable
[ʌnˋbɛrəb!]
a. 無法忍受的
●
invention
[ɪnˋvɛnʃən]
n. 發明（不可數）；發明物（可數）
Necessity is the mother of invention.
需要為發明之母。⸺諺語
The airplane is an amazing invention. It allows people to travel the world in days.
飛機是一項驚人的發明。它讓人們可以在數天內環遊世界。
高中 Level 4
●
evolution
[͵ɛvəˋluʃən]
n. 進化 ; 發展
=
development
=
progress
We learned about Darwin’s theory of evolution in today’s biology class.
我們在今天的生物課學了達爾文的進化論。
The twentieth century witnessed the evolution of computer technology.
二十世紀見證了電腦科技的進展。
多益藍色
英檢中級
高中 Level 5
●
decline
[dɪˋklaɪn]
n. & vi. 下跌
vt. & vt. 婉拒
=
decrease
Bob declined to join Judy’s dinner party.
鮑伯婉拒出席茱蒂的晚宴派對。
I offered to give Tina a ride after the party, but she declined.
舞會結束後我提議讓蒂娜搭便車，但她婉拒了。
Car sales declined by 5% in the second quarter.
汽車銷售量在第 2 季下降了 5%。
Street violence seems to have been on the decline ever since the new mayor was sworn in.
新市長上任後，街頭暴力事件似乎已在減少中。
多益藍色
英檢中級
高中 Level 5
●
prove
[pruv]
vt. 證明；（結果）是
I will proveto you that what I said was true.
我會向你證明我所說的話是真的。
Wesley proved to be an ideal husband. 結果證明衛斯理是一位理想的老公。
多益綠色
英檢初級
高中 Level 2
Extra Words
●
outage
[ˋaʊtɪdʒ]
n. 電力中斷
Parts of the area had power outages because of the hurricane.
該區有些地方因為颶風來襲而停電。
●
motorist
[ˋmotərɪst]
n. 汽車駕駛人
Motorists should not drink and drive. 汽車駕駛人不應酒後開車。
多益藍色
英檢中高
●
vent
[vɛnt]
vi. 通風，發洩
英檢中高
●
extinguish
[ɪkˋstɪŋgwɪʃ]
vt. 撲滅
英檢中高
●
fast-forward
[͵fæstˋfɔrwɚd]
vi. 快轉
This part is boring. Fast-forward to the part that the hero gets caught.
這個部分很無聊。快轉到那名英雄被抓的時候吧。
●
arc
[ɑrk]
n. 弧形，弧狀
英檢中高
●
harshness
[ˋhɑrʃnɪs]
n. 刺眼
英檢中級
●
incandescent
[͵ɪnkænˋdɛsnt]
a. 白熾的，白熱的
●
predominant
[prɪˋdɑmənənt]
a. 占絕大多數的
●
an arc lamp
弧光燈
●
a sodium lamp
鈉燈（利用鈉蒸氣發電以產生可見光）
Practical Phrases
●
take... for granted
視⋯⋯為理所當然
Everyone is trying to persuade Amy to break up as her boyfriend always takes her for granted.
大家試圖勸艾咪分手，因為她男友總不把她當一回事。
●
a leap forward
一個重大進展，一大步（通常 用來描述某個事物或過程中的重要進步或突破）
The new technology represents a leap forward in the field of medicine.
這項新技術代表了醫學領域的一大進步。
●
prove to be...
結果證明是……
Wesley proved to be an ideal husband. 結果證明衛斯理是一位理想的老公。
