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The House Always Wins 誰是贏家？
by Marcus Maurice |
Blackjack, baccarat, and poker are just three of the hundreds of games played in casinos.
二十一點、百家樂和撲克牌只是數百種賭場遊戲中的其中三種。 |
Casinos have been around for as long as people have had the desire to gamble, which is a very, very long time. The term casino comes from the Italian word casa, which means house. The first casinos were buildings built for _(1)_ in villages and included dancing, drinking and, of course, gambling.
Nowadays, casinos are a multi-billion dollar industry. Las Vegas has been home _(2)_ legalized gambling in the US since 1931, and for many years it was the biggest gambling town in the world. Over the past few years, though, Macau has overtaken Las Vegas in terms of profitability. With so many Chinese people now _(3)_ money to blow, it seems as though Macau will continue to get bigger for many years to come.
The inside of a casino is a psychological minefield for the _(4)_ gambler. There are no clocks or windows, and all the important places, like bars and bathrooms, are all _(5)_ in random corners. Casinos tend to give away free drinks, free rooms, free tickets to fancy shows, and just about anything else _(6)_ so that customers will gamble their money away in their establishments. The casino business is a fierce one, and competition for high rollers is non-stop.
Going to a casino is great fun, but don't bet money you cannot afford to lose. Since casinos have the slight _(7)_ in every game, there is an old adage that states, "The house always wins." This means that while people might win money on one hand, one night, or even go on a hot streak, eventually that same person will dump his or her money back into the casino.
1. (A) pleasure (B) complaint (C) discovery (D) protection
2. (A) with (B) up (C) upon (D) to
3. (A) by having (B) are having (C) have (D) having
4. (A) liberal (B) average (C) irregular (D) sufficient
5. (A) strengthened (B) confessed (C) disturbed (D) scattered
6. (A) defensive (B) flexible (C) imaginable (D) habitual
7. (A) edge (B) expansion (C) output (D) mischief
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- The first casinos were buildings built for pleasure in villages and included dancing, drinking and, of course, gambling.
最早的賭場是在村落裡建立來提供樂趣的建築物，裡面包括了跳舞、喝酒，當然還有賭博。
理由:
a. (A) pleasure n. 樂趣
take pleasure in... 喜愛／樂於從事……
= take delight in...
Sandy takes pleasure in criticizing other people.
珊蒂喜歡批評別人。
(B) complaint n. 投訴；抱怨
make a complaint about... 投訴……；抱怨……
If you want to make a complaint about poor service, please dial this number.
你若要投訴服務不佳，請撥這個電話號碼。
(C) discovery n. 發現
Many people mistakenly believed that the world was flat before Christopher Columbus' discovery.
在哥倫布發現之前，許多人都誤以為地球是平的。
(D) protection n. 保護，防護
The article aims to emphasize the importance of environmental protection.
這篇文章旨在強調環保的重要性。
b. 根據語意，(A) 項應為正選。
- Las Vegas has been home to legalized gambling in the US since 1931...
從 1931 年起，拉斯維加斯一直是美國合法賭場的所在地……
理由:
a. 本空格測試以下固定用法：
be home to... 是……的所在地／大本營
This river is home to several species of fish.
這條河是數種魚類的棲息地。
b. 根據上述用法，(D) 項應為正選。
- With so many Chinese people now having money to blow, it seems as though Macau will continue to get bigger for many years to come.
現今澳門有這麼多中國人有錢可花，它的規模似乎在未來許多年都還會持續擴大。
理由:
a. 本空格測試情狀介詞片語的固定用法：
with + 受詞 + 過去分詞／現在分詞（均作受詞補語）
注意:
在本句構中用過去分詞時表被動狀態，用現在分詞時則表主動狀態。
Sally sat in the sofa with her eyes closed.
莎莉閉著眼睛坐在沙發上。（眼睛被閉起來）
The old man sat in his rocking chair with a cat sleeping on his lap.
這名老人坐著搖椅，有隻貓睡在他的大腿上。（貓主動睡覺）
b. 根據上述用法，(D) 項應為正選。
- The inside of a casino is a psychological minefield for the average gambler.
對一般賭客而言，賭場內部是一種心理上的地雷區。
理由:
a. (A) liberal a. 開放的
Many elderly people are conservative, whereas younger people are usually more liberal.
許多老年人很保守，而年輕人通常比較開放。
(B) average a. 一般的；普通的
An average human generates the energy equivalent to a lightbulb.
一般人一天產生的能量相當於一百瓦的燈泡。
(C) irregular a. 不規律的；不規則的
Henry's irregular eating habits resulted in a stomach ulcer.
亨利不規律的飲食習慣導致胃潰瘍。
(D) sufficient a. 充份的，足夠的
be sufficient for... 對……是足夠的
This amount of money will be sufficient for our living expenses.
這筆數目的錢將足夠應付我們的生活開支。
b. 根據語意，(B) 項應為正選。
- There are no clocks or windows, and all the important places, like bars and bathrooms, are all scattered in random corners.
賭場裡沒有時鐘或是窗戶，而且所有重要的地方，像是酒吧和浴室，都隨機散佈在各個角落。
理由:
a. (A) strengthen vt. 加強，鞏固
Doing push-ups is a great way to strengthen your arms.
做伏地挺身是強健手臂的大好方法。
(B) confess vt. & vi. 坦承
confess to sb + that 子句 向某人坦承……
Peter confessed to his mom that he had stolen her money.
彼得向他媽媽坦承他偷了她的錢。
(C) disturb vt. 妨礙，打擾
The students were charged with disturbing the peace.
學生們因妨礙安寧而遭起訴。
(D) scatter vt. 分散，散佈
The children scattered their toys all over the house.
那些孩子們把玩具扔得房子裡到處都是。
b. 根據語意，(D) 項應為正選。
- Casinos tend to give away free drinks, free rooms, free tickets to fancy shows, and just about anything else imaginable so that customers will...
賭場往往會發送免費的飲料、免費的房間、精彩節目的免費入場券，還有其他任何你想像得到的東西，好讓客人在……
理由:
a. (A) defensive a. 防禦的
Don't be so defensive. My comments weren't meant to offend you.
防衛心別那麼強。我說的話並沒有要冒犯你的意思。
(B) flexible a. 有彈性的
These pants are made with a very flexible material, so they will fit people of all sizes.
這條褲子是用相當有彈性的布料製成的，因此各種身材的人都可以穿。
(C) imaginable a. 想像得到的
For me, the most terrifying thing imaginable is a baby that won't stop crying.
對我來說，我能想像最可怕的東西就是哭個不停的嬰兒。
(D) habitual a. 習慣性的
Do you know Robert is a habitual liar?
你知道羅伯特是個習慣說謊的人嗎？
b. 根據語意，(C) 項應為正選。
- Since casinos have the slight edge in every game, there is an old adage that states...
由於賭場在每一種遊戲都有少許的優勢，因此古諺有云……
理由:
a. (A) edge n. 優勢
The ruling party holds the edge in the election.
執政黨在選舉中佔有優勢。
(B) expansion n. 擴張
The company's financial problems are interfering with its plans for expansion.
該公司的財務問題妨礙了它擴大經營的計劃。
(C) output n. 生產；產量
These measures will allow us to double our product output.
這些措施將會讓我們產品的產量加倍。
(D) mischief n. 惡作劇
Michael was punished by his father for his mischief.
麥克因為惡作劇而被他爸爸處罰。
b. 根據語意，(A) 項應為正選。
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- desire n. & vt. 渴望；欲望
It was my desire to experience different cultures that brought me to Africa.
就是這一股想體驗不同文化的渴望使我來到了非洲。
If a student desires to become a journalist, he or she can get experience by writing for school publications.
學生若想當記者，可以藉由撰寫校刊獲取經驗。
- legalized a. 合法的
legalize vt. 使合法
Sam participated in a campaign whose aim is to legalize certain drugs.
山姆參加了一項以讓某些藥品合法化為目標的活動。
- overtake vt. 超越，趕上
三態為：overtake, overtook, overtaken。
I don't think any other cell phone will overtake the iPhone as my favorite.
我不認為有任何手機能超越 iPhone 成為我的最愛。
- random a. 隨機的
A survey is supposed to be a random sampling of the public's overall opinion.
民調應當是大眾整體意見的隨機抽樣。
- tend to V 往往……；傾向……
Andy tends to bite his nails when he's nervous.
安迪緊張時往往會咬指甲。
- fancy a. 精彩的；高級的
David likes to show off his fancy sports car whenever he can.
大衛只要有機會就喜歡炫耀他新買的高級跑車。
- fierce a. 激烈的
There is fierce competition between the two leading car manufacturers.
這兩家領導品牌的汽車製造商之間競爭非常激烈。
- dump vt. 傾倒；拋棄
Alex turned his girlfriend's life upside down when he dumped her two weeks before the wedding.
艾力克斯在婚禮前兩星期甩了他女友，將她的生活搞得天翻地覆。
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- blackjack n. 二十一點（一種紙牌遊戲）
- baccarat n. 百家樂（一種紙牌遊戲）
- casino n. 賭場
- profitability n. 利潤；收益
- psychological a. 心理的
- minefield n. 地雷區（引申為需小心應付的事情）
- establishment n. 機關；公司
- a high roller 豪賭的人
- adage n. 諺語；格言
- a hot streak （撲克牌）連勝
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- in terms of... 就……而言
- give away... / give...away 送出／發送……
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誰是贏家？
二十一點、百家樂和撲克牌只是數百種賭場遊戲中的其中三種。
從人們有賭博的欲望以來，賭場便一直存在，而這是很久很久以前的事了。『賭場』（casino）這個名詞來自於義大利文中的 casa 這個字，意思指的是房子。最早的賭場是在村落裡建立來提供樂趣的建築物，裡面包括了跳舞、喝酒，當然還有賭博。
時至今日，賭場成了資本額數十億元的產業。從 1931 年起，拉斯維加斯一直是美國合法賭場的所在地，而有許多年它都是世界上規模最大的賭城。然而，在過去幾年，澳門在獲利方面已超越了拉斯維加斯。現今澳門有這麼多中國人有錢可花，它的規模似乎在未來許多年都還會持續擴大。
對一般賭客而言，賭場內部是一種心理上的地雷區。賭場裡沒有時鐘或是窗戶，而且所有重要的地方，像是酒吧和浴室，都隨機散佈在各個角落。賭場往往會發送免費的飲料、免費的房間、精彩節目的免費入場券，還有其他任何你想像得到的東西，好讓客人在賭場裡把錢賭個精光。賭場業是競爭相當激烈的一項行業，而且競相爭取那些揮金如土的客人是沒完沒了的。
去賭場很好玩，但下注的錢不要超過自己所能負擔的能力。由於賭場在每一種遊戲都有少許的優勢，因此古諺有云：『莊家永遠是贏家。』這意味著雖然人們可能會贏了一把、一整晚，或甚至是連勝不止，但他（她）最後終將會把錢輸回給賭場的。
答案： 1. A 2. D 3. D 4. B 5. D 6. C 7. A |
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