常春藤生活英语【34】Megacities—Taipei超级城市─

Legend has it that Taipei City began with just one immigrant¹ nearly 200 years ago. On a dry lakebed, this man cleared some trees and bushes and built a farm. Soon, Taipei was rapidly growing in every direction. In 1949, two million people moved to Taiwan from China and the population began expanding quickly. This large amount of people helped turn Taipei into a world-class city.

Almost 50 years ago, farming made up 33 percent of Taiwan's economy. Nowadays, that figure is at two percent and falling fast. Most of the world only knew about China back then and had never even heard of Taiwan. Now, Taipei is known for producing semi-conductors, a necessary part in all kinds of computers. Taipei has found its place in the world because of these fingernail-sized chips. Very few places have come so far so fast. This month, National Geographic² Channel looks at Taipei's rise in Megacities—Taipei.

传说台北市的发迹，是源自于近两百年前仅仅一位移民者而已。在一个干凅的湖床上，这名男子把树木、树丛清理干净，然后盖了一座田。不久，台北便朝各方面迅速发展。1949年，两百万人自中国迁移到台北，人口开始快速增加。大量的人口帮助台北转变成世界级的城市。

大约五十年前，农业占了台湾经济活动的百分之三十三。如今，这个数字只剩下两个百分比，而且还在快速下降中。当时世界上大部分国家只知道中国，根本没听说过台湾。现在，台北因制造各种计算机所需的半导体而名闻遐迩。因为这些指甲般大小的芯片，台北已在世界上找到立足之地。很少有地方能这么快就有这么长远的发展。本月份的国家地理频道，将在《超级城市——台北》中一探台北的兴盛。

Building Your Vocabulary

1.rapidly　adv. 很快地，迅速地
The maple³ leaves turned red rapidly this year.
今年枫叶很快就转红了。

2.expand　vi. 扩展；增加
Our business is going to expand.
我们即将拓展生意。

Phrases for Learning⁴

1.legend has it + that 子句　　据说……
Legend has it that this house is haunted⁵.
据说这间房子闹鬼。

2.turn A into B　　将 A 转变成 B
The freezer turns water into ice.
冷冻库将水结成冰。

3.make up...　　构成∕占了……
Water makes up 70 percent of the human body.
人体百分之七十是由水分所构成的。

4.be known for...　　以……闻名
Tainan is known for its temples.
台南以庙宇闻名。

参考字词

1.immigrant　n. 移民
2.lakebed　n. 湖床
3.economy　n. 经济
4.semi-conductor　n. 半导体
5.fingernail　n. 手指甲
6.chip　n. 芯片
7.megacity　n. 人口百万以上的城市；大都市

Grammar Check

Taipei has found its place in the world because of...
（因为……，台北市台北已在世界上找到立足之处。）

以下为您区分 because of 跟 because 的不同：
1."because of"在句中表『因为∕由于』，为词组介词，接受词后形成介词词组，作副词，使用时常置于句首或句尾，用以修饰句中动词或主要子句。

I like Leo because of his good looks.
（我因李奥帅气的外表而喜欢他。）

2.because 则为副词连接词，用以连接两个子句。

I like Leo because he is handsome.
（我喜欢李奥，因为他很帅。）

1 immigrant   

adj.(从国外)移来的，移民的；n.移民，侨民

参考例句：

• Life in the USA was very hard for almost every new immigrant.美国的生活几乎对每一个新移民都很艰难。
• I'd like to obtain some information about applying for an immigrant visa.我想取一些申请移民签证的资料。

2 geographic   

adj.地理学的，地理的

参考例句：

• The city's success owes much to its geographic position. 这座城市的成功很大程度上归功于它的地理位置。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Environmental problems pay no heed to these geographic lines. 环境问题并不理会这些地理界限。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

3 maple   

n.槭树，枫树，槭木

参考例句：

• Maple sugar is made from the sap of maple trees.枫糖是由枫树的树液制成的。
• The maple leaves are tinge with autumn red.枫叶染上了秋天的红色。

4 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

5 haunted   

adj.闹鬼的；受到折磨的；令人烦恼的v.“haunt”的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• There was a haunted look in his eyes. 他眼中透露出忧虑的神色。
• The country is haunted by the spectre of civil war. 内战仿佛一触即发，举国上下一片恐慌。