A Rabbit’s Foot and a Piece of a Wood Unit 6 A Rabbit’s Foot and a Piece of a Wood

Reading Reading Reading Task 1/8 1/8 Pick out the examples of superstitions that are mentioned in the reading. Reading Task Dear Diary, I can’t believe Jonathan popped the question today! I’m engaged! I was so happy that I called Angela and asked her to be my bridesmaid. She screamed with me and said “yes” immediately. And, oh, I MUST lose ten pounds before the wedding! I’ve got to be a perfect bride!

  I was so happy that I called Angela, asking her to be my bridesmaid. 當對等連接詞 and 連接兩個主詞相同的獨立子句時，可省略第二個子句中的主詞和連接詞 and，並將其動詞改為分詞，形成分詞構句。例：  Stuart got out of the bed, and went to the bathroom to brush his teeth.  Stuart got out of the bed, going to the

 have got to V 必須… (= have to V)  You’ve got to return the books on time or you will be fined.

Reading 2/8 What this woman wrote in her diary probably sounds familiar－inviting the bride’s close friends to be her bridesmaids. However, the superstition behind this custom may not be that well-known. In Roman times, people believed that evil spirits might attend a wedding ceremony and hurt the bride.

 動名詞片語 inviting the bride’s close friends…在此作主詞(即what所引導的名詞子句)之同位語。  What this woman wrote in her diary probably sounds familiar－inviting …  複合關係代名詞 what 在此引導名詞子句，作句中主詞，後方應搭配單數動詞。  感官動詞後方除了可直接加上形容詞作主詞補語外，還可以加上 like + N(P)，例：  The man’s explanation sounds reasonable to me.  When I am sick, everything tastes like soap.  動名詞片語 inviting the bride’s close friends…在此作主詞(即what所引導的名詞子句)之同位語。   …it was believed that evil spirits…

Reading 3/8 As a result, bridesmaids tried to fool these unwanted visitors by dressing the same as the bride. This is just one common superstition. Can you imagine how many others are involved in our everyday activities?

 As a result, bridesmaids tried to fool these unwanted visitors by dressing the same as the bride.   Hence, in order/so as to fool these unwelcome visitors, bridesmaids dress the same as the bride.  unwanted adj.不受歡迎的，不需要的  As a famous singer, the woman often attracts unwanted attention from the media.  The orphan boy felt alone and unwanted, especially when he saw other children spending time with their parents.  介係詞 by 在此譯作「藉由… 」，後方需搭配名詞(片語)或動名詞(片語)，例：  Veronica increased her vocabulary by reading English novels and newspaper.

 Can you imagine how many others are involved…  Can you imagine such a strange thing?  I can’t imagine breaking up with my girlfriend.  Imagine that you are walking on the moon.  疑問詞how在此引導子句，作動詞imagine的受 詞。此處為一間接問句，其詞序應同述句， 即主詞 how many others 置於be動詞前方。  不定代名詞others在此表示other common suprestitions。

Reading 4/8 A superstition is a belief that one event results in － or prevents－another, when the two are in no way related. Take a rabbit’s foot, for example. Have you ever thought about the reason why a rabbit’s foot is considered lucky in many Western countries? One saying is that rabbits, unlike most other animals, touch the ground with their back feet first when they are running.

 . . . that one event results in ─or prevents─ another, when the two are in no way related.  that在此引導名詞子句，作前方名詞 a belief 的同位語，加以補充說明。這種同位子句的句子結構完整，主詞(one event)與受詞(another)缺一不可，與關係子句的情況不同。  result in sth 造成，導致 (= lead to)  不定代名詞 another 在此指前方已提及的名詞，即another event。  連接詞when在此並非用於引導表時間的副詞子句，而是讓步子句，意近於 although。  I enjoy reading the novel, when I have read it three times.  代名詞 the two 在此表示 the two events。  in no way為副詞片語，意義類似於 not at all，用來表示否定。例：  Rick’s performance is in no way a success/ not a success at all.

 take在此本身即可譯作「以…為例」，後方加上for example 為插入語，因此應加上逗號為佳。  …why a rabbit’s foot is considered lucky…  關係副詞why在此引導形容詞子句，修飾先行詞 the reason。所謂關係副詞是指有連接詞作用的副詞，這些關係副詞引導形容詞子句，修飾先行詞。常見的關係副詞包含where, why, when等。  consider + O (+ to be) + OC表「把…看做… ，認為…是… 」，其受詞可以是人或物，受詞補語可為形容詞或名詞，例：  Howard considered the case unsolved/a myth.

其它可表示「視A為B」的慣用片語尚有： regard/take/see/view/think of/refer to A as B

 One saying is that rabbits, unlike most other animals, touch the ground . . .  that 在此引導名詞子句，作主詞 one saying的補語。  unlike為介系詞，引導後方名詞片語形成介系詞片語，為插入用法，亦可移至 rabbits 前面，修飾 that 子句中的主詞 rabbits。

Reading 5/8 Westerners, thus, consider this fact unusual and even magical. However, this superstition is not based on any scientific proof. Similarly, Americans usually say “Knock on wood” or actually do this for good luck, since they want to prevent tree spirits from affecting their luck. It’s clear that these are just two situations where people superstitiously associate one event with another.

 It’s clear that these are just two situations where people…   Clearly/Obviously, these are just two . . .  關係副詞 where 在此引導形容詞子句，修飾先 行詞 two situations。所謂關係副詞是指有連 接詞作用的副詞，這些關係副詞引導形容詞 子句，修飾先行詞。

Reading 6/8 Aside from superstitions for good luck, some more long-practiced customs have grown out of fears that are related to superstitions. Superstition-based customs are what most members of a society usually do to deal with the unknown. In Taiwan, for instance, the word for the number “four” sounds like the word for “death.”

 Aside from superstitions . . . have grown out of fears that are related to superstitions.   Apart from In addition to superstitions… have developed from fears related to superstitions.  aside from 除…之外 (還) (= apart from)  Aside from the money, you also need to devote a lot of time to the project aside from 及 apart from 也有 except for 「除…之外」之意，例：  Aside/Apart from the wife, everybody knows her husband has an affair.

 Superstition-based customs are what most members  Superstition-based customs are what most members . . . to deal with the unknown.  N + V-en可形成一複合形容詞，此結構中，名詞為動詞的受詞，例：  handmade 手工的 (= made by hand)  time-proven 歷經時間證明的 (= proven by time) ② 複合關係代名詞 what 在此引導名詞子句，作主詞 superstition-based customs 的補語。 ③ 介系詞 to 在此表示目的，即 in order to。 ④ 定冠詞 the 加上形容詞可形成名詞，若指事物時，為抽象名詞，應視為單數；若指人時，則為複數名詞，表示具有該類特質的人，例：  The mysterious usually arises my curiosity.  The rich (= rich people) are not always happy.

Reading Because of its association with 7/8 Because of its association with death, the number four has long been considered an unlucky number by Taiwanese. The reason why people in the West often say “Bless you” when a person sneezes is also superstition-based. This phrase is used because some Westerners used to believe that devils might enter one’s body when a person sneezes.

 Because of its association with death, the number four has long been considered an unlucky number by Taiwanese.   Taiwanese have long considered the number four/thought of the number four as an unlucky number because it is connected with death.  because of後方接名詞(片語)，作副詞片語用。此由從屬子句because + S + be/V簡化而來，寫作訣竅在於能否成功將動詞名詞化。起步可先找出與「動詞或形容詞」相對應的「名詞」。例：  The plant withered because it lacked water.  The plant withered because of lack of water.

關係副詞(=有連接詞作用的副詞) why 在此引導形容詞子句，修飾先行詞 the reason。  情態助動詞 used to用於指「過去經常發生，但現在已經不會」的情況，其否定寫作 didn't use to，例：  Erica used to take a shower after she got up, but now she showers before she goes to sleep.  Lisa didn't use to skip her breakfast.  Did you use to do exercise regularly?

Reading 8/8 Nowadays, because of changing ideas, some superstitious customs have been practiced in different ways. An artificial rabbit’s foot, for example, is often used instead of a real one to avoid the killing of rabbits. However, many people still find comfort in following superstition-based customs. Though people are unable to predict the future, they still hope for a chance to try to control it.

 . . . used instead of a real one to avoid the killing of rabbits.  instead of sb/sth 取代…，代替… (=in place of sb/sth)  Instead of buying second-hand textbooks, Annie bought new ones.  代名詞 one 在此指前方提及的名詞 rabbit‘s foot。  介系詞 to 在此表示目的，即 in order to、so as to。  avoid + N/V-ing 避免…  If I go home late, I won't be able to avoid (having) a fight with my mom.

 Though people are unable to predict . . . hope for a chance . . .  be unable to 沒有能力… (↔ be able to)  Because of the power failure, we were unable to turn on the lights.  hope for sth 期盼…  The family of that badly-injured patient could do nothing but hope for a miracle.