常春藤生活英语【34】Megacities—Taipei　超级城市──台北

Megacities—Taipei　超级城市──台北

Legend has it that Taipei City began with just one immigrant 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 Geographic 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 maple 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 Learning

1.legend has it + that 子句　　据说……
Legend has it that this house is haunted.
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。）

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