今天的英文閱讀測驗一開頭就出現了 Zheng He，所以文章主題一定和 Zheng He鄭和有關，同學們可能一時不知道那是鄭和，不過句子說了，是一位中國著名的探險家，這樣就很好猜了吧！文章裡到處都是線索，掌握主題後，就可以輕鬆作答囉！
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Zheng He is perhaps China’s most famous explorer. For
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twenty-eight years he sailed more than 50,000 kilometers and visited
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over thirty countries. In seven expeditions, from 1405-1433, he and
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his Grand Fleet sailed all over the South Pacific, Indian Ocean, the
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5
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Persian Gulf, around Egypt, and as far as east Africa. It may be that
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some ships even sailed as far as Australia. The discovery near the
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coast of Australia of a Chinese ship built in this period and reports
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from native Aborigines suggest this is true.
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Zheng’s voyages established Chinese diplomatic and trade
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relations throughout Asia and Africa. China was the greatest power at
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the time, and many countries wanted to trade. However, not
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everyone welcomed the Chinese. On the third voyage (1409-1411),
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Zheng fought against the King of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and took
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him back to China as a prisoner. In Indonesia, the fleet defeated a
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powerful Chinese pirate who was later brought back to China for
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execution.
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The seventh and final voyage was the largest, with over 100
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ships. However, in 1433, Zheng died while attempting to return home
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from India. Soon after, the days of these great sea adventures
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ended. Whereas Emperor Yonglo supported exploration, Emperors
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after him did not. Because of political changes in China, all
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expeditions were stopped indefinitely. All trade with other countries
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stopped, and even the records of Zheng’s voyages were burned.
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Twenty-eight stone steps lead to Zheng He’s tomb. Divided into
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four sections of seven steps each, they represent Zheng’s seven
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journeys, and the twenty-eight years he spent traveling.
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After the time of Zheng’s death, Chinese influence over the
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region declined, opening the door for the rise of European nations. In
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1498, Vasco da Gama, the Portuguese sailor, reached China’s
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favorite trading city of Calicut (a city in India). So began a period of
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Asian colonization by European naval powers.
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( ) 1. On which voyage did Zheng He organize the largest fleet?
(A) The first. (B) The third. (C) The fifth. (D) The seventh.
( ) 2. According to the article, what is the most important achievement of Zheng He’s expeditions?
(A) He discovered Africa.
(B) He made China known to the West.
(C) He expanded China’s trade relations with other countries.
(D) He defeated the American Indians.
( ) 3. Why did China’s sea expeditions end after Zheng He’s death?
(A) Some countries did not want to trade with China.
(B) Emperor Yonglo no longer supported the expeditions.
(C) No one as capable as Zheng He could lead the expeditions.
(D) Emperor Yonglo’s successor did not support the expeditions.
( ) 4. According to the author, what event after Zheng’s death is most influential in history?
(A) Records of Zheng’s voyages were burned.
(B) China’s trade with other countries was stopped.
(C) Da Gama became the first western sailor who visited India.
(D) The beginning of Asian colonization by Western naval powers.
英銘老師：閱讀測驗是很多考生畏懼的英文題型之一，其實閱題測驗的的解題並不難，因為外國人寫文章都愛用破題法，只要看第一段即可知道文章大概在講什麼內容。例如在此篇文章的第一段中，有提到“Zheng He” (鄭和)，所以文章一定跟“鄭和”有關。
第1題：鄭和在第幾次航行時最大的艦隊？根據文章的第17行，可得知第七次也是最後一次是最大的，因此答案是(D)。
補充：
voyage v. n. 航(旅)行 (sometimes)
Terry planned to voyage across the Atlantic.
Terry計畫航行穿越大西洋。
The voyage took three years to finish.
這次航行花了3年才完成。
fleet n. 艦(機、車)隊 adj. 快速的 v. 掠過 (often)
Pearl Harbor is the headquarters of the United States Pacific Fleet.
珍珠港是美國太平洋艦隊的總部。
Yvette is slim and fleet- footed.
Yvette身材苗條而且跑得快。
A crow fleeted over the top of the house.
一隻烏鴉掠過屋頂。
第2題：根據這篇文章，什麼是鄭和最大的成就？根據文章的第9行至第10行，得知鄭和在全亞洲及非洲建立了外交及貿易的關係，所以答案是(C)。
補充：
expedition n. 探險(隊)、迅速 (always)
Who organized the expedition to the Himalayas?
誰在安排去喜馬拉雅山的探險？
The injured man was sent to the hospital with expedition.
那傷者被迅速地送往醫院。
expand v. 展開、擴張、膨脹、詳述 (always)
The robin expanded its wings and flew away.
那隻知更鳥展開翅膀飛走了。
Christopher has been thinking of expanding his business to Europe.
Christopher一直想擴展他的生意到歐洲去。
Most substances expand when they are heated.
大多數物質遇熱則膨脹。
Could you expand on the incident a little further?
請你再進一步詳細說明這個事件好嗎？
defeat v. n. 戰勝、失(挫)敗
Edgar defeated his rival and defended his title.
Edgar擊敗了他的對手，捍衛自己的冠軍頭銜。
Ethan was disappointed by his defeat.
失敗讓Ethan感到失望。
第3題：為什麼在鄭和過世之後中國的探險也結束了？根據文章的第20行至第21行，得知永樂皇帝支持探險，但他的繼任者卻不支持，故答案為(D)。
補充：
successor n. 繼任者 (often)
The president has designated his son as his successor.
總裁已指定兒子作為他的繼任者。
同義：heir, inheritor, heritor.
第4題：根據作者的意見，在鄭和過世之後，在歷史上有最大影響的是什麼事？根據文章的第30行與第31行，“So began a period of Asian colonization by European naval powers”(開始了歐洲海軍強權殖民亞洲的階段)，所以答案是(D)。
補充：
influential adj. 有影響的 (always)
The most influential invention in the twentieth century is the computer.
在二十世紀最有影響力的發明就是電腦。
colonization n. 殖民(地化) (sometimes)
The British colonization of Ireland began in the twelfth century.
愛爾蘭的英國殖民始於十二世紀。