對某些青少年而言，熱愛拼字可能會讓他們名利雙收。
For elementary and junior high school students, spelling bees can begin as an exciting game in English class. If they _(1)_ themselves to spelling, a student may be able to end up hanging out with the president. Students are usually given a list of words that they need to memorize before a classroom spelling bee. At the beginning of a bee, all students stand at the front of the classroom, and _(2)_ they misspell a word, they go back to their desk. The last student standing is the winner.
Most schools in English-speaking countries have an annual school-wide bee to try to find the top spellers in each grade level. Usually, the winners of school spelling bees will then go on to a regional bee, where _(3)_ thecompetitiveness becomes fierce. Most students then hire a tutor because if they win a regional bee, they are _(4)_ for the "Super Bowl" of spelling bees, Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Scripps competitors spend hundreds of hours studying the roots and etymologies of words, as well asanalyzing the foreign languages that English is _(5)_, including Spanish and Italian. In recent years, homeschooled students have won several Scripps bees, prompting _(6)_ from the angry parents of students who go to public and private schools. They figure that homeschoolers have an advantage over their children. The homeschoolers have responded by saying that they do have extra hours to practice spelling because they don''t have any travel time. The winner of this grueling televised competition is _(7)_ with US$35,000 in cash and US$5,000 in prizes. The winner each year also gets a chance to meet and have his or her p icture taken with the President of the United States.
1. (A) confine (B) devote (C) submit (D) express
2. (A) once (B) lest (C) whether (D) unless
3. (A) in the least (B) on the contrary (C) at this level (D) from then on
4. (A) sensible (B) comparable (C) eligible (D) available
5. (A) kicked off (B) engaged in (C) filled out (D) derived from
6. (A) apologies (B) complaints (C) expectations (D) transcripts
7. (A) rewarded (B) reflected (C) reserved (D) refunded
- If they devote themselves to spelling, a student may be able to end up hanging out with the president.
理由:
a. (A) confine vt. 侷限
confine oneself to + N 限制某人在……（範圍）內
例: The kung fu master doesn''t confine himself to a single fighting style.
（那位功夫大師不將自己侷限在某種功夫招式。）
(B) devote vt. 使專心，致力於
devote oneself to + N/V-ing
= dedicate oneself to + N/V-ing 某人致力於……
例: Mr. Su devoted himself to helping the poor in society.
（蘇先生致力於幫助社會上的窮人。）
(C) submit vt. 呈交
submit sth to sb 將某物呈交給某人
例: The accountant submits paperwork to the boss every week.
（會計每星期都會把文書呈給老闆過目。）
(D) express vt. 表達，陳述
express oneself 表達自己的意見、想法等
例: You can express yourself freely in this meeting.
（在此會議中你可以自由發表意見。）
b. "devote oneself to..." 為固定用法，且置入後亦符合語意，故選 (B)。 - At the beginning of a bee, all students stand at the front of the classroom, and once they misspell a word, they go back to their desk.
理由:
a. (A) once conj. 一旦
例: Once you get married, you can''t only think about your own happiness.
（一旦結婚，你就不能只為自己的快樂著想。）
(B) lest conj. 唯恐，以免
注意:
lest 引導的副詞子句中常使用助動詞 should，但 should 常予以省略。
例: We have been working hard lest we (should) miss the deadline.
（我們一直努力工作以免無法準時完工。）
(C) whether conj. 是否
(D) unless conj. 除非
b. 根據語意，可知應選 (A)，置入後表『一旦』拼錯了字，學生就得回到座位去。 - Usually, the winners of school spelling bees will then go on to a regional bee, where at this level the competitiveness becomes fierce.
理由:
a. (A) "in the least" 須與 not 並用，形成下列固定用法：
not...in the least 一點兒也不……
= not...at all
例: That was a long hike, but I''m not tired in the least.
（那段健行走了好久，但我一點兒也不累。）
(B) on the contrary 相反地
例: We thought it would rain yesterday. On the contrary, it was sunny.
（我們以為昨天會下雨。相反地，昨天陽光普照。）
(C) at this level 在這個階段／程度
例: Jim has been writing at this level for many years.
（多年來，吉姆的寫作能力一直在這個階段。）
(D) from then on 從那時起
b. 根據語意，可知應選 (C)。選項 (D) from then on 通常需配合過去式、現在完成式或現在完成進行式，故不可選。 - Most students then hire a tutor because if they win a regional bee, they are eligible for the "Super Bowl" of spelling bees, Scripps National Spelling Bee.
理由:
a. (A) sensible a. 合理的；理智的
(B) comparable a. 可相比的
A is comparable to B A 可與 B 相比
例: A small car is not comparable to a large one for comfort.
（在舒適性上，小車是無法與大車相比的。）
(C) eligible a. 有資格的
be eligible for... 有資格（獲得）……
例: Anyone who finds my lost dog will be eligible for a reward.
（凡是找到我走失的狗的人就能獲得一筆獎金。）
(D) available a. 可利用的；有空的
be available for... 有空從事……
例: Since I''m unemployed right now, I''m available for any job offer.
（因為我現在沒工作，因此我接受任何職缺。）
b. 根據語意，可知應選 (C)，置入後表有『資格』參加拼字比賽的超級盃。 - ..., as well as analyzing the foreign languages that English is derived from, including Spanish and Italian.
理由:
a. (A) kick off... 踢開……
(B) be engaged in... 從事／忙於……
例: That politician was engaged in various business activities.
（那名政治人物從事各種不同的商業活動。）
(C) fill out... 填寫……（文件、表格等）
= fill in...
(D) be derived from... 源自於……
例: The word hungry is derived from the Old English word hungrig.
（hungry 這個字是源自於古英語 hungrig。）
b. 根據語意，可知應選 (D)，置入後表參賽者也會分析『源自』其他國語言的英文。 - ..., prompting complaints from the angry parents of students who go to public and private schools.
理由:
a. (A) apology n. 道歉
(B) complaint n. 投訴，抱怨
(C) expectation n. 期待，預期
live up to one''s expectations 符合某人的期望
例: Tom finds it difficult to live up to his parents'' expectations.
（湯姆覺得要達到父母的期望是很難的一件事。）
(D) transcript n. 謄本；文字記錄
b. 根據語意，可知應選 (B)，置入後表引起了公私立學校學生家長的不滿而『投訴』。 - The winner of this grueling televised competition is rewarded with US$35,000 in cash and US$5,000 in prizes.
理由:
a. (A) reward vt. 報酬，獎勵
be rewarded with... 獲得……作為獎賞
例: The dog was rewarded with two treats after fetching the ball.
（那隻狗在接到球後獲得兩個點心做為獎賞。）
(B) reflect vt. 反省；反射
(C) reserve vt. 儲存；保留
(D) refund vt. 退還，歸還
b. 根據語意及用法，可知應選 (A)。
- spellbound a. 入迷的，出神的
hold sb spellbound 使某人著迷
例: All of the people were held spellbound as the magician did his trick.
（那位魔術師表演魔術時，所有人都入迷了。） - end up + 現在分詞 到頭來／最後……
例: Whenever I lie to my father, he ends up finding out the truth.
（每次我對父親撒謊，到頭來他都會發現真相。） - hang out with sb 和某人在一起
例: I like to hang out with my friends at the night market during the weekends.
（週末時，我喜歡和朋友一起逛夜市。） - memorize vt. 熟記，背誦
例: The witness memorized the license-plate number of the get-away car.
（目擊者把那輛逃逸的汽車車牌號碼記了下來。） - analyze vt. 分析
例: John''s job is to analyze the stock market.
（約翰的工作是分析股市。） - prompt vt. 激起；促使
prompt sb to V 促使／激勵某人（做）……
例: The recent study prompted thousands of people to stop using the drug.
（最近這項研究促使數以千計的人停止使用該藥物。） - have an advantage over... 比……佔優勢
例: Because of his experience, Ted has an advantage over Kent for the promotion.
（由於泰德的經驗，這次升遷他比肯特佔優勢。） - extra a. 額外的
an extra + 數字 額外／多出……（數字）
= an additional + 數字
例: Please set up more tables. We will have an extra 50 guests at the banquet.
（請多準備幾張桌子。筵席中我們會多出 50 位賓客。） - in cash 用現金
例: Credit cards are not accepted in that restaurant, so you have to pay your bill in cash.
（那家餐廳不收信用卡，所以你得用現金付帳。）
- spelling bee n. 拼字比賽
bee n.（為工作、娛樂或比賽而舉行的）聚會 - misspell vt. 拼錯
- regional a. 地區的
- competitiveness n. 競爭力
- tutor n. 私人的指導老師；家教
- root n. 字根；根源
- etymology n. 詞源
- homeschooled a. 在家自學的
homeschooler n. 在家自學者 - respond vi. 回應，回答
- grueling a. 累垮人的
- televised a. 電視轉播的
對於中小學生而言，拼字比賽一開始可能是英文課上刺激的遊戲。如果他們全心投入拼字的話，將來或許還有機會與總統碰面。在課堂的拼字比賽之前，學生通常會拿到一張表，上面列著他們得背下來的字。拼字比賽開始時，所有學生會站在教室前方，一旦拼錯了字，就得回到座位去。一直站到最後的那個學生就是獲勝者。
大部分英語系國家的學校每年都會舉行校際拼字比賽，以找出每一年級最厲害的拼字高手。通常學校拼字比賽出來的冠軍接著會參加地區性的比賽，而在這個階段，競爭變得更加激烈。大部分學生都會僱用指導老師，因為如果他們贏得地區性比賽，就有資格參加拼字比賽的『超級盃』，也就是斯克里普斯全國拼字大賽。
全國拼字大賽的參賽者會花數百個小時研讀字根和字源，也會分析源自其他國語言（包括西班牙文和義大利文在內）的英文。最近幾年，在家自學的孩子贏得數項斯克里普斯全國拼字大賽，引起了公私立學校學生家長的不滿而投訴。他們認為在家自學者比他們的小孩更具優勢。這些在家自學的人則回應由於他們不需往返學校，因此的確有較多的時間練習拼字。這項電視轉播的競賽相當耗費精力，但優勝者可得到美金 3 萬 5 千元的現金以及價值 5 千美金的獎品。而每年的優勝者都能有機會和美國總統見面及拍照。
標準答案: 1. (B) 2. (A) 3. (C) 4. (C) 5. (D) 6. (B) 7. (A)
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