常春藤解析英语 28 Singing the Praises of Singapore　美哉狮城

Singing the Praises of Singapore　美哉狮城

by Jason Alloy

Located between Malaysia and Indonesia, Singapore is an island that's small in size but big in reputation. Spanning only 683 square kilometers, it is one of the busiest ports in the world and a major business center. Currently, pharmaceuticals, finance, and technology are what bring many visitors to Singapore. But those are not all that Singapore has to offer.

The Suntec City Mall is an enormous commercial area and convention center that boasts the Fountain of Wealth, the largest fountain in the world. Together, they are part of a unique feng shui design that resembles the palm and fingers of a hand from an aerial view.

For those who like nocturnal action, Singapore's Night Safari is a zoo with over 900 animals and is open until midnight. Outside of the zoo, you're bound to continue seeing amazing animals, including one with a lion's head and fish's body. Known as the Merlion, this statue serves as the symbol of Singapore.

Now that you know a few of the things you can do in Singapore, what about a few that you can't? Chewing gum, for example, is illegal unless it's for medical purposes. Only licensed pharmacists are allowed to sell it. Smuggling it into Singapore could mean one year in jail or a $218,000 fine. In Singapore, make sure you don't forget to flush the toilet because failure to do so equals a $10,000 fine.

If you're ready to discover a place on the cutting edge and you've got the manners to match, Singapore is the perfect destination.

1. According to the article, Singapore is better known for its ______.

(A) numerous markets and zoos

(B) illegal trade and corruption

(C) resemblance to a hand from the air

(D) role in the international business arena

2. The Night Safari is _____.

(A) a zoo where only lions can be seen at night

(B) a zoo that is open until midnight

(C) the statue and symbol of Singapore

(D) a place where 900 rare species live

3. Under what circumstances is it legal to chew gum in Singapore?

(A) If you have a license.

(B) If you pay a fine.

(C) If you have a special medical condition.

(D) If you bring it into the country yourself.

精解字词词组

1. sing the praises of.../sing one's praises　　高度赞扬……

例: Carol has been singing the praises of that book ever since she read it.

(卡萝读了那本书后就一直对它赞不绝口。)

2. span vt. 横跨

例: The park spans almost half a mile in length.

(那座公园长达将近半英里。)

3. currently adv. 目前

例: The boss is currently out of the office, but she'll be back later.

(老板目前不在办公室，但她等一下就回来。)

4. boast vt. 以拥有……为傲 & vi. 自夸

boast of/about...　　夸耀……

例: The amusement park boasts the fastest roller coaster in the world.

(那座游乐园以其拥有世上最快的云霄飞车自豪。)

例: Hank boasts of having finished college in only two years.

(汉克夸耀自己短短两年就完成大学学业。)

5. resemble vt. 相似

resemblance n. 相似

bear a resemblance to...　　和……相似

例: The painting that artist just finished greatly resembles the work of da Vinci.

(那名艺术家刚完成的画作和达文西的作品极为相似。)

6. be bound to V　　注定会……

例: You're bound to be a success if you see yourself as being successful.

(如果你认为自己会成功，就一定会成功。)

7. be known as...　　以……(身分)知名

be known for...　　以……(事物)闻名

例: Oprah is known as a TV talk show host.

(欧普拉是位知名的电视脱口秀主持人。)

例: That shop is known for having the best squid balls in the entire city.

(那家店以拥有全市最好吃的花枝丸闻名。)

8. serve as...　　作为……之用

例: The scar on my arm serves as a reminder that I should never talk on the phone and cook at the same time.

(我手臂上的疤痕提醒自己不应该边讲电话边煮饭。)

9. now that...　　既然……

例: Now that you're married, I expect you to behave like an adult.

(既然你结婚了，我期待你的行为要有大人的样子。)

10. For example, S + V　　例如，……

= For instance, S + V

例: This book is full of useful tips. For example, in chapter two, you can learn how to start a conversation.

(这本书有很多有用的诀窍。例如在第二章，你可以学到如何打开话匣子。)

11. smuggle sth into...　　走私某物到……

smuggle sth out of...　　从……走私某物

例: Several men were arrested for trying to smuggle rare birds into the country.

(好几个人因走私稀有鸟类入境而遭逮捕。)

12. flush the toilet　　冲马桶

flush vt. & vi. 冲水

例: My roommate never flushes the toilet and it's really driving me crazy.

(我室友从来不冲马桶，真是让我抓狂。)

13. on the cutting edge　　走在尖端;处于最先进

例: The new factory uses equipment that is on the cutting edge.

(这家新工厂使用最先进的设备。)

文法一点灵

Located between Malaysia and Indonesia, Singapore is an island that's small in size but big in reputation.

注意:

本句原为 "Singapore is located between Malaysia and Indonesia, Singapore is..."，但如此一来造成两句在一起无连接词连接的错误句构。补救之道为将第一个子句照分词句构化简法变成分词词组，其法则如下：

a. 被化简的子句中，主词与主要子句的主词相同时，该主词要被删除，若主词不同时则要保留;

b. 之后的动词要变成现在分词;若该动词为 be 动词时，变成现在分词 being 后可予以省略。

因此将第一句中的相同主词 Singapore 去掉，is 变成现在分词 being 省略后，即成本句。

例: Realizing that he had misunderstood his wife, Ed apologized to her immediately.

(明白自己误会了太太，爱德立刻向她道歉。)

例: All things (being) considered, Lisa decided to go abroad to study rather than marry her boyfriend.

(全盘考虑后，莉莎决定出国念书而不和男友结婚。)

中文翻译

新加坡这个岛国位于马来西亚和印度尼西亚之间，面积虽小，名声却很响亮。虽然只有 683 平方公里，却是世界上最繁忙的港口之一，也是主要的金融中心。虽然该国的制药、金融和科技是目前吸引很多访客前来的主因，但新加坡的魅力还不只这些。

新达城是个庞大的商业区和会议中心，并且拥有全世界最大的喷泉：财富之泉。其整体是独特风水设计的一部分，从空中鸟瞰就像是一只手的手掌和手指。

对于喜欢夜间活动的人来说，新加坡夜间野生动物园有九百多只动物，而且开放到半夜。出了动物园，你一定还会看到其它令人惊异的动物，包括一种狮头鱼身的动物。这座称为鱼尾狮的塑像已经成为新加坡的标志了。

现在你知道一些在新加坡可以从事的活动，那不可以做的事情又是哪些呢?举例来说，嚼口香糖是犯法的，除非是为了医疗目的。只有持有执照的药剂师可以贩卖口香糖。非法偷渡口香糖到新加坡会面临一年有期徒刑或 218,000 元的罚款。在新加坡也别忘了冲马桶，要不然是会被罚 10,000 元的。

如果你准备好探索一个走在时代尖端的地方，而你的礼节也符合规定，新加坡会是个绝佳的目的地。

单字小铺

1. reputation n. 名声，声誉

2. square kilometer n. 平方公里

3. pharmaceutical a. 制药的

4. enormous a. 庞大的

5. commercial a. 商业的

6. convention n. 会议

7. palm n. 手掌

8. aerial a. 空中的

9. nocturnal a. 夜间的;夜行性的

10. symbol n. 象征

11. chew vt. 咀嚼

12. licensed a. 有执照的

license n. 执照

13. pharmacist n. 药剂狮

14. fine n. 罚款

15. manners n. 礼貌

16. destination n. 目的地

17. corruption n. 贪污，腐败

18. arena n.(竞争的)场所，舞台

the political arena　　政界

19. species n. 物种(单复数同形)

词组小铺

1. be ready to V　　准备好做……

2. in jail　　坐牢

= in prison

中文翻译&标准答案

1. 根据本文，新加坡以 _____ 更闻名于世。

(A) 无数商场和动物园

(B) 非法交易和贪腐

(C) 从空中鸟瞰形状像只手

(D) 在国际金融界的角色

题解: 根据本文第一段，新加坡面积虽小，名声却很响亮，是世界上最繁忙的港口之一，也是主要的金融中心，故选 (D)。

2. 夜间野生动物园是 _____。

(A) 一座晚上只看得到狮子的动物园

(B) 一座开放到半夜的动物园

(C) 新加坡的塑像与象征

(D) 九百种稀有动物居住的地方

题解: 根据本文第三段，新加坡夜间野生动物园有九百多只动物，而且开放到半夜，故选 (B)。

3. 什么情况下在新加坡嚼口香糖是合法的?

(A) 如果你有执照。

(B) 如果你缴罚款。

(C) 如果有特殊的医疗状况。

(D) 如果自己带入境。

题解: 根据本文第三段，嚼口香糖是犯法的，除非是为了医疗目的，故选 (C)。

标准答案: 1. (D)　2. (B)　3. (C)