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At present, about 22 countries in the world have high-speed rail networks. Some of them, especially in Europe, travel between different countries. However, there is one future high-speed rail plan that is going to do something much more extreme: connect the continents of Asia and North America.
現今，世界上約有22個國家擁有高速列車鐵路網。其中有些列車，尤其在歐洲，會在不同國家之間穿梭。但未來有一列高速鐵路計畫更推崇至極：那就是連接北美及亞洲大陸。
China, the country that already has the largest HSR network, has started building a high-speed railway that will connect China and Russia to America and Canada. The trains would travel at a speed of 350 km/hr and the whole trip would take about two days. It would cover a distance of 12,000 kilometers, including a 200-kilometer underwater tunnel from Russia to Alaska. Many experts point out that this is a very ambitious project. Currently, the longest underwater tunnel in the world, the Channel Tunnel from England to France, is only 40 kilometers. What’s more, the Chinese would have to dig into frozen ground to build it.
已擁有世上幅員最廣的高速鐵路網的國家-中國，已經開始著手建造中俄與美加相連的這列子彈列車。這組高速列車時速高達一小時350公里，整段旅程只需要兩天。這段鐵路覆蓋一萬兩千公里的長度，包括一段200公里的海底隧道連結俄羅斯與阿拉斯加。許多專家指出，這起企劃極具抱負。目前，世上最長的海底隧道也就是英法隧道，也只有40公里長。此外，中國必須在凍土上開挖才能建造鐵路。
So will we really see an Asia-to-North America HSR in the future? Only time will tell.
因此，未來我們真的能看見中美子彈列車嗎？只有時間能解答了！ Vocabulary 好字精選 |
1. network (n) a system of connected things 網路
The Internet is a vast network of digital information.
網際網路是數位資訊的巨大網路。
2. continent (n) one of the seven masses of land on earth 大陸塊
Asia is world’s largest continent.
亞洲是世界上最大洲。
3. tunnel (n) a passage through land or a mountain 隧道
Yilan has one of the top-10 longest tunnels in the world.
宜蘭的隧道是世上最長的前十名之一。
4. ambitious (adj) intending to achieve a great/difficult thing 有抱負心的，有雄心的，野心勃勃的
The writer’s ambitious idea to write a book in two days might be impossible.
那位作家立志要在兩天內寫一本書是不可能。
5. frozen (adj) in solid (ice) form 冷凍的
The children were ice-skating on the frozen river.
孩子們在冰凍的河流上溜冰。
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Phrases and Sentence Patterns 句型解析 |
1. at present (phr) currently, right now 目前，現今
At present there are about 195 countries in the world.
世上目前有195個國家。
2. point out (phrasal verb) indicate 指出，指明
One of the students pointed out that the exam was too hard.
其中一名學生指出考試太難了。
3. time will tell (phrase) something will become clear as time passes 時間會說話
Only time will tell whether our business plan will be successful.
只有時間才能告訴我們，我們的商業計畫是否成功。 |
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Exercise 課後練習題
1. Thanks to Facebook, Jessie can keep in touch with her large ____________ of friends.
由於臉書的關係，Jessie可以和廣大的朋友網絡保持聯繫。
2. Which of the world’s _______________ have you been to?
你曾去過世界上的哪一洲？
3. Two cars got into an accident in the _______________ .
隧道中有兩台車發生意外。
4. The Great Wall of China was one of the most ______________ projects in history.
中國的長城是歷史上最具雄心之作。
5. The fridge was too cold so all the drinks were ______________ .
冰箱太冷了，因此所有的飲料都結凍了。
6. _______________, more than 15% of Americans are not native-English speakers.
目前有多於百分之十五的美國人不是土生土長的英語母語人士。
7. I’d just like to _____________ that the restaurant is closing in five minutes.
我只想指出，餐廳再五分鐘就關了。
8. I don’t know if humans will ever be able to live on Mars. Only _______________.
我不知道人類是否能在火星上居住。只有時間能解答。
解答：
1.network
2.continents
3.tunnel
4.ambitious
5.frozen
6.At present
7.point out
8.time will tell
Comprehension Questions 閱讀理解 1. What is the current status of the China-to-North America HSR?
a. It’s just an idea.
b. Construction has already begun.
c. They’ll start building it soon.
d. It’s almost ready to open.
2. According to the article, why is this a very ambitious project?
a. China doesn’t have any high-speed rails yet.
b. Due to the distance.
c. No other HSRs can travel underwater.
d. The tunnel will be hard to build.
解答：
1. 中美高速列車目前的狀態為何？
a. 只是個想法。
b. 已經開始建造了。
c. 他們很快會開始建造。
d. 已經快開辦了。
2. 根據文章，這項計畫為何是一項志業？
a. 中國還沒有任何的高速列車。
b. 因為距離長短。
c. 沒有其他的高速列車可以在海底行駛。
d. 興建隧道很困難。 |
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