Would you dig up a dead ancestor and dance with their bones? 你會把死去的祖先挖出來，還與他們的骨頭共舞嗎？
The African island of Madagascar has one of the most unusual cultural festivals in existence on the planet. Malagasy, as the _(1)_ of the people of Madagascar are called, celebrate their family ties with a very unique ritual. Every seven years or so, they open up the family graves to bring out the remains of their dead ancestors and wrap them in new cloth. After much preparation and expense, they carry the corpses high in the air while dancing with them _(2)_ joyous music. The extremely happy _(3)_ is called Famadihana, which is also known as turning of the bones. A few traditional Malagasy beliefs are _(4)_ the heart of Famadihana. One is that people are created not from mud but from the bodies of their ancestors. Malagasy therefore _(5)_ their relatives in high regard. According to another traditional belief, the dead do not leave for good until their bodies have completely returned to the earth. They also believe that their ancestors are able to communicate with the living. Famadihana is how the Malagasy shower their ancestors with love and _(6)_. It is perhaps surprising that Famadihana is not an ancient practice. Its origins have been _(7)_ back to only the 17th century. Not all Malagasy believe their ancestors are capable of communicating with the living, though. Despite having their doubts about the ritual, those who are more educated and less traditional continue to _(8)_ the custom since they consider it to be valuable in strengthening family ties. The energy and enthusiasm of Famadihana is naturally a time for putting asidefamilial, generational, and _(9)_ conflicts. Highly symbolic and _(10)_ to the Malagasy, the custom shows no signs ofdying out.
(A) occasion (B) affection (C) tribal (D) majority (E) meaningful (F) at (G) support (H) to (I) hold (J) traced
Malagasy, as the majority of the people of Madagascar are called, celebrate their family ties with a very unique ritual. 理由: a. 空格前有定冠詞 the，空格後有介詞片語 of the people of Madagascar（馬達加斯加人），得知空格應置名詞。 b. 選項中為名詞的有 (A) occasion（時機；場合）、(B) affection（影響；感情）、(D) majority（大部份）和 (G) support（支持），惟 (D) 項置入後符合語意，故為正選。 c. majority n. 大多數 the majority of... 大部份的…… The majority of people interviewed prefer TV to radio. 大部份的受訪者都比較喜歡看電視勝過聽廣播。
After much preparation and expense, they carry the corpses high in the air while dancing with them to joyous music. 理由: a. 本題測試下列固定用法： dance to the music / beat 隨著音樂／節奏起舞 Some people just can't dance to this slow music. 有些人就是無法隨著這種緩慢的音樂起舞。 b. 表『隨著』掌聲、音樂聲或節奏時應使用介詞 to。但若 dance 與 with 並用時，受詞則應當是人。 dance with sb 與某人共舞 The boys competed with each other for the first dance with the class beauty. 男孩們爭相要和班花跳第一支舞。 c. 根據上述，(H) 項應為正選。
The extremely happy occasion is called Famadihana, which is also known as turning of the bones. 理由: a. 空格前有形容詞 happy（快樂的），空格後有 be 動詞 is，得知空格應置名詞以作為本句的主詞。 b. 選項中為名詞的有 (A) occasion（時機；重大活動）、(B) affection（影響；感情）以及 (G) support（支持），僅 (A) 項置入後符合語意，故為正選。 c. occasion n. 時刻；重大活動（和介詞 on 並用） on occasion 偶爾 = occasionally adv. Everyone should take a break from work on occasion. 每個人工作時應該偶爾要休息一下。
A few traditional Malagasy beliefs are at the heart of the Famadihana. 理由: a. 本題測試下列固定用法： be at the heart of... 是……的重心 The gangster was at the heart of the car theft ring. 該幫派份子是這個偷車集團的主謀。 ＊ring n.（不法）集團 b. 根據上述，(F) 項應為正選。
Malagasy therefore hold their relatives in high regard. 理由: a. 本題測試下列固定用法： hold sb in high regard 備受尊敬，器重某人 The professor is held in high regard due to his contributions to this field of research. 由於那位教授對這研究領域的貢獻而備受尊敬。 b. 根據上述，(I) 項應為正選。
Famadihana is how the Malagasy shower their ancestors with love and affection. 理由: a. 空格前有對等連接詞 and 以及名詞 love（愛），得知空格應置名詞以形成對等。 b. 選項中的名詞尚有 (B) affection（影響；感情）和 (G) support（支持），惟 (B) 項置入後符合語意，故為正選。 c. affection n. 感情 have an affection for... 深愛著…… The core of filial piety is to respect and care for the elderly with affection. 孝道的核心就是用心敬重老年人並關懷他們。 ＊filial piety 孝道 Peter has a deep affection for his grandchildren. 彼得深愛著他的孫兒們。
Its origins have been traced back to only the 17th century. 理由: a. 本題測試下列固定用法： be traced back to... 追溯至…… My father's antique record player can be traced back to the late 19th century. 我爸爸的古董電唱機可以追溯至十九世紀末期。 b. 根據上述，(J) 項應為正選。
... those who are more educated and less traditional continue to support the custom since they consider it to be valuable in strengthening family ties. 理由: a. 空格前有引導不定詞片詞的 to，可知空格應置原形動詞。 b. 選項中符合上述的僅有 (G) support（支持），置入後亦符合語意，故為正選。 c. support vt. & n. 支持；支撐 The building is supported by six huge iron beams. 這棟建築物是由六根巨大的鐵橫樑所支撐起來的。
The energy and enthusiasm of the Famadihana is naturally a time for putting aside familial, generational, and tribal conflicts. 理由: a. 空格前有形容詞 familial（家族的）、 generational（世代間的）以及對等連接詞 and，空格後有名詞 conflicts（衝突），得知空格應置形容詞和前面兩個形容詞形成對等以修飾 conflicts。 b. 選項中為形容詞的有 (C) tribal（部落的）和 (E) meaningful（有意義的），惟 (C) 項置入後符合語意，故為正選。 c. tribal a. 部落的 Each of the tribes has distinctive tribal traditions and cultures. 每個部落都有其獨特的部落傳統與文化。
Highly symbolic and meaningful to the Malagasy, the custom shows no signs of dying out. 理由: a. 空格前有形容詞 symbolic（象徵性的）以及對等連接詞 and，得知空格應置形容詞以形成對等。 b. 選項中為形容詞的僅剩 (E) meaningful（有意義的），置入後亦符合語意，故為正選。 c. meaningful a. 有意義的 meaningless a. 無意義的 Some people think my old watch is not worthy of a second glance, but it is meaningful to me. 有些人對我的這支舊錶不屑一顧，但它對我卻是意義深遠。 Prior to our meeting, life was boring and meaningless to me. 在我倆相遇之前，生活對我而言是無趣而且沒有意義的。
ancestor n. 祖先
family ties 家族關係，家族間的牽絆
unique a. 與眾不同的；獨特的
ritual n. 儀式；習慣
remains n. 遺體（恆用複數）
expense n. 消耗；支出
corpse n. 屍體
relative n. 親戚
the living 在世者（= living people） the dead 亡者（= dead people）
practice n. 做法
educated a. 受過教育的
enthusiasm n. 熱忱，熱情
familial a. 家庭的
generational a. 世代的
conflict n. 衝突，爭執
in existence 存在 The museum is home to the oldest Hebrew manuscript in existence. 這間博物館保存現今最古老的希伯來文手稿。
bring out sth （把某物）搬出來；發揮某物 Sometimes dreadful experiences bring out the best in you. 有時候，可怕的經驗會激勵出你最好的一面。 ＊dreadful a. 可怕的
for good 永遠地，永久地 = forever We are finished for good! I don't ever want to see your face again. 我們之間玩完了！我再也不想看到你的臉。
shower vt. 大量給予 shower sb with sth 將某物大量給予某人 = shower sth on sb The parents constantly showered attention on their children. 父母親經常對孩子付出大量的關愛。
be capable of N/V-ing 能夠…… Billy Sunday is capable of holding his breath underwater for five minutes. 比利．桑代能夠在水中憋氣長達五分鐘。
strengthen vt. 加強；鞏固 = reinforce vt. Drinking milk every day helps strengthen bones. 每天喝牛奶有助於強化骨骼。
put aside... 將……擱在一邊 = put away... We put aside our differences for the good of the whole team. 為了整個團隊的利益，我們把自身的歧見放在一邊。
symbolic a. 象徵（性）的 be symbolic of... 是……的象徵 In many cultures around the world, snakes are symbolic of evil. 在世界上的許多文化中，蛇都象徵著邪惡。
show no signs of N/V-ing 毫無……的跡象 show signs of N/V-ing 顯示出……的跡象 The dog showed no signs of hostility as I approached it. 當我靠近那隻狗時，牠毫無敵意。 Martin showed some early signs of the disease. 馬汀出現了這種疾病的一些早期症狀。
dig up... / dig...up 找出……，揭露……
communicate with sb 與某人溝通
die out 消失，滅盡
與屍共舞 你會把死去的祖先挖出來，還與他們的骨頭共舞嗎？ 非洲的馬達加斯加島存在著一項這個星球上最不尋常的文化節慶。大多數馬達加斯加人被稱為『馬拉加西』（Malagasy），他們會以一種非常獨特的儀式來慶祝他們家族間的牽絆。每七年左右，他們就會挖開祖墳，把死去先人的遺體搬出來並以新布包裹。經過一番準備及人力消耗之後，家族的人會將屍體抬在空中，並隨著歡愉的音樂和屍體一同起舞。這項極為歡樂的重大活動被稱之為『翻屍節』，也可稱為『翻骨節』（turning of the bones）。 幾種馬拉加西的傳統信念是翻屍節的重心。其中一項信念便是，人不是由泥中而生，而是從自己祖先的屍體而生。馬拉加西人因而對於他們的親屬極為尊崇。而根據另一項傳統的信仰，死者直到完全回歸於塵土之前，並不會永遠離去。馬拉加西人同時也認為他們的祖先能與活著的人進行溝通。翻屍節也是馬拉加西人將愛與感情大量地傳達給祖先的方式。翻屍節並不是一種古老的做法，這也許會令人感到很驚訝。因為它的起源僅能追溯至十七世紀。 但並不是所有的馬拉加西人都認為他們的祖先能與活著的人進行溝通。儘管他們對這項儀式有所疑慮，但那些受過較高教育以及沒那麼傳統的人還是繼續支持著這項傳統，因為他們認為這個儀式對於加強家族間的牽絆非常重要。翻屍節的精神及熱情很自然就把家族間、世代間及部落間的衝突都放到一邊。對馬拉加西人來說，翻屍節極具象徵且有意義，因此這項傳統毫無式微的跡象。
答案：1. D 2. H 3. A 4. F 5. I 6. B 7. J 8. G 9. C 10. E
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