Tales from the Tooth Fairy牙仙传奇

by Olivia Wycech

Wherever you are in the world, the tooth fairy, or tooth mouse, wants your teeth.
无论你在世界的哪个角落，牙仙或是牙鼠都想要你的牙齿。

As we get older, the idea of losing a tooth becomes rather unsettling. We long _(1)_ the days when losing one meant a visit from the tooth fairy instead of a visit to the dentist. The tooth fairy is a story of a _(2)_ figure that visits children while they sleep on the night they lose a baby tooth. The tooth fairy takes the tooth _(3)_ exchange for money left under the pillow. The story as Americans know it _(4)_ from an 18th century fairy tale, in which a mouse changes into a fairy and torments an evil king by hiding under his pillow and knocking out all his teeth. In several Hispanic and European countries, it is believed that rather than a tooth fairy, a tooth mouse visits and actually _(5)_ the teeth from children.
Even though the tooth fairy mostly visits children in Western countries, most cultures _(6)_ some sort of tradition when it comes to children losing their baby teeth. In Asia, when a child loses a tooth from the upper jaw, the children throw it onto the _(7)_ of their home. If the tooth comes from the bottom, it gets thrown to the floor. While doing this, the child must ask that the new tooth be that of mice, because their teeth grow for their _(8)_ lives. In Japan, children must throw lower teeth straight up and upper teeth straight down so that their new teeth come in as straight as possible. In the Middle East, teeth are thrown toward the sun for _(9)_. As with most traditions, tooth fairy traditions vary from country to country, but each provides _(10)_ to children about the loss of their baby teeth.

(A) purchases(B) comfort(C) evolved(D) entire(E) for
(F) superficially(G) in(H) strength(I) grateful(J) roof
(K) mythical(L) practice

1. We long for the days when losing one meant a visit from the tooth fairy instead of a visit to the dentist.
   我们都期待著掉牙齿的日子，那时掉牙齿表示牙仙会来探访我们，而不是我们得去看牙医。
   理由:
   a. 本题测试以下固定用法∶
   long for...渴望……
   They longed for a chance to speak.
   他们渴望能有说话的机会。
   b. 根据上述，(E) 项应为正选。
2. The tooth fairy is a story of a mythical figure that visits children while they sleep on the night they lose a baby tooth.
   牙仙是故事中的神话人物，　会在小孩子掉了乳牙的当天晚上睡觉时来探访他们。
   理由:
   a. 空格前有不定冠词 a，空格後有名词 figure（人物），得知空格应置形容词，以修饰 figure。
   b. 选项中为形容词的有 (D) entire（完全的）、(I) grateful（感谢的）及 (K) mythical（神话的），惟根据语意，(K) 项应为正选。
   c. mythical a. 神话的，虚构的
   Singapore's symbol is the Merlion, which is a mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish.
   新加坡的标是鱼尾狮，那是一种狮头鱼身的神话生物。
3. The tooth fairy takes the tooth in exchange for money left under the pillow.
   牙仙会把牙齿拿走，并在枕头底下留下钱作为交换。
   理由:
   a. 本题测试以下固定用法∶
   in exchange for...交换……
   I gave John my watch in exchange for his iPad.
   我把我的表送给约翰以换取他的 iPad。
   b. 根据上述，(G) 项应为正选。
4. The story as Americans know it evolved from an 18th century fairy tale, in which a mouse changes into a fairy...
   这个美国人都知道的故事是起源於十八世纪的一则童话，故事中有一苹老鼠化身为仙子……
   理由:
   a. 本句句首 The story 为主词，得知空格後应置不及物动词，与空格後的介词 from 形成搭配，故知空格应置 evolved 以形成下列固定片语∶
   evolve from...由……演化而来
   Many people believe that humans evolved from apes.
   许多人认为人类是由猿类演化而成。
   b. 根据上述，(C) 项应为正选。
5. ...it is believed that rather than a tooth fairy, a tooth mouse visits and actually purchases the teeth from children.
   ……据说实际上会探访小孩并跟他们买牙齿的是牙鼠而不是牙仙。
   理由:
   a. 空格前有副词 actually（实际上），空格後有作受词的名词词组 the teeth（牙齿），得知空格应置及物动词，以被 actually 修饰。
   b. 选项中为及物动词的有 (A) purchases（购买）、(B) comfort（安慰）及 (L) practice（实行），惟本句主词 a tooth mouse（牙鼠）为单数主词，需搭配第三人称单数动词，故 (A) 项应为正选。
   c. purchase vt. 购买
   The anti-virus software our company recently purchased has been very effective.
   我们公司最近买的防毒软体很有效。
6. ...most cultures practice some sort of tradition when it comes to children losing their baby teeth.
   ……大部份的文化说到小孩子掉乳牙都会实行某些传统。
   理由:
   a. 空格前有作主词的名词词组 most cultures（大部份的文化），空格後有作受词的名词词组 some sort of tradition（某些传统），得知空格应置及物动词。
   b. 选项中为及物动词的有 (B) comfort（安慰）及 (L) practice（实行），惟根据语意，(L) 项应为正选。
   c. practice vt. 实行；练习
   If you practice every week, your musical skills will improve.
   如果你每个礼拜练习，你的演奏技巧便会更加精进。
7. In Asia, when a child loses a tooth from the upper jaw, the children throw it onto the roof of their home.
   在亚洲，小孩子掉了上排的牙齿时，就会把它丢到屋顶上。
   理由:
   a. 空格前有定冠词 the，空格後有介词 of，得知空格应置名词。
   b. 选项中为名词的有 (B) comfort（安慰）、(H) strength（力量）及 (J) roof（屋顶），惟根据语意，(J) 项应为正选。
   c. roof n. 屋顶
   We watched the astonishing fireworks from the roof of the building.
   我们在大楼的屋顶观赏那场精采的烟火秀。
8. While doing this, the child must ask that the new tooth be that of mice, because their teeth grow for their entire lives.
   在做这个动作的同时，小孩子必须祈求他们的牙齿要像老鼠的牙齿，因为它们的牙齿会长一辈子。
   理由:
   a. 空格前有所有格 their（它们的），空格後有名词 lives（一生），得知空格应置形容词以修饰 lives。
   b. 选项中为形容词的有 (D) entire（完全的）及 (I) grateful（感谢的），惟根据语意，(D) 项应为正选。
   c. entire a. 完全的
   For his entire life, David has pursued nothing but fame and fortune.
   大卫终其一生追求的只是名利。
9. In the Middle East, teeth are thrown toward the sun for strength.
   在中东，牙齿则要丢向太阳以求取力量。
   理由:
   a. 空格前有介词 for，得知空格应置名词或动名词以作 for 的受词。
   b. 选项中符合上述的有 (B) comfort（安慰）及 (H) strength（力量），惟根据语意，(H) 项应为正选。
   c. strength n. 力量；体力
   Jason built up his strength by working out every day.
   杰森靠每天健身来增强体能。
10. As with most traditions, tooth fairy traditions vary from country to country, but each provides comfort to children about the loss of their baby teeth.
    就如同大部份的传统，牙仙的传统也是因国家而异，但每个国家的传统都会对那些掉了乳牙的小孩给予安慰。
    理由:
    a. 空格前有及物动词 provides（提供），得知空格应置名词或动名词以作 provides 的受词。
    b. 选项中符合上述的仅剩 (B) comfort（安慰），置入後亦符合语意，故为正选。
    c. comfort n. 安慰；舒适
    This car is far inferior to that one in comfort.
    就舒适度而言，这辆车比那一辆差多了。

1. unsettling a. 令人不安的
2. knock out...破坏……
3. Hispanic a. 西班牙语系的
4. jaw n. 下颚
5. as with...和……一样者

1. figure n. 人物
   Scott has become a figure known to everyone.
   史考特已成了一位知名人物。
2. change into...改变成……
   = turn into...
   Five years have passed, and the little girl I once knew has changed into a beautiful young lady.
   五年过去了，而那个我曾经认识的小女孩也变成了一位漂亮的小姐。
3. torment vt. 作弄；折磨
   I've been tormented by a sense of guilt ever since I broke Kenny's precious digital camera.
   自从我把肯尼的高价数位相机弄坏後就一直深受罪恶感折磨。
4. tradition n. 传统
   According to Chinese tradition, July in the lunar calendar is Ghost Month.
   根据中国传统，农历七月是鬼月。
5. when it comes to...谈到　说到……
   No one compares to Rachel when it comes to baking.
   说到烘培，没人比得上瑞秋。
6. come in出现；流行
   Long hair for men came in in the 1960s.
   男子留长发在 1960 年代相当流行。
7. vary from A to B从 A 到 B 各异
   My collection of books varies from historical novels to science fiction.
   我的藏书从历史小说到科幻小说都有。
8. provide vt. 提供
   provide sb with sth提供某人某物
   = provide sth for sb
   I'll provide you with everything you need for the mission.
   我会提供你这项任务中所需的一切。

牙仙传奇
无论你在世界的哪个角落，牙仙或是牙鼠都想要你的牙齿。
当我们渐渐长大，掉牙齿的想法会让我们变得很不安。

我们都期待著掉牙齿的日子，那时掉牙齿表示牙仙会来探访我们，而不是我们得去看牙医。牙仙是故事中的神话人物，　会在小孩子掉了乳牙的当天晚上睡觉时来探访他们。牙仙会把牙齿拿走，并在枕头底下留下钱作为交换。这个美国人都知道的故事是起源於十八世纪的一则童话，故事中有一苹老鼠化身为仙子，它躲在邪恶国王的枕头下并敲碎他所有的牙齿来作弄他。在有些西语系国家及欧洲国家，据说实际上会造访小孩并跟他们买牙齿的是牙鼠而不是牙仙。
虽然在西方国家中，牙仙大多都是探访小孩子，但大部份的文化说到小孩子掉乳牙都会实行某些传统。在亚洲，小孩子掉了上排的牙齿时，就会把它丢到屋顶上。如果掉的是下排的牙齿，就要丢到地上。在做这个动作的同时，小孩子必须祈求他们的牙齿要像老鼠的牙齿，因为它们的牙齿会长一辈子。在日本，小孩子要把下排牙齿往上丢，而上排牙齿则往下丢，如此一来他们的新牙齿就会长得很整齐。在中东，牙齿则要丢向太阳以求取力量。就如同大部份的传统，牙仙的传统也是因国家而异，但每个国家的传统都会对那些掉了乳牙的小孩给予安慰。
答案∶1. E2. K3. G4. C5. A6. L7. J8. D9. H10. B