A movement of 25 a few millimeters (mm) of the earth's crust is a sign of possible earthquakes.
答案:(B) even
語意「甚至只是幾毫米的移動,都是可能發生地震的徵兆」,even(甚至)加強語氣,強調小幅度移動的重要性;yet(然而)、rather(相當)、indeed(的確)都不合。
四個都是很常見的副詞,中文一翻好像都能塞。indeed 最容易被放行,因為「的確」是個萬用詞,讀過去不太會卡;rather 也很誘人,因為它長得像國中背過的 quite a few(相當多),你可能會下意識覺得 rather a few 也是「相當多」。落差有兩層:第一,rather a few 不是標準說法;第二,本句要講的是「量很小」,不是「量很多」,方向剛好相反。這題鑑別度 52,分開的就是有沒有讀出「小量卻有大意義」這個語氣 —— 讀出來的人直接鎖定 even,沒讀出來的人只能比較四個中文翻譯。
先把本句的邏輯量一遍:前面是 a movement of ___ a few millimeters(地殼只移動幾公釐,量很小),後面是 is a sign of possible earthquakes(是可能地震的徵兆,意義很大)。「小到這種程度,竟然都算數」,這種「連……都」的語氣,英文用 even。劍橋 English Grammar Today 把 even 歸在聚焦副詞(focusing adverb)底下,功能是標出「超出你預期」的那一項,位置就擺在它要強調的那一項前面 —— 這裡要強調的是 a few millimeters,所以 even 就緊貼在它前面,位置完全吻合。還原驗算:把 even 讀成「連……都」再走一次 ——「地殼連幾公釐的移動都是可能地震的徵兆」,通。篇內對照更直接:同一段的 this cannot be treated as a trivial finding in science(這在科學上不能被當成無關緊要的發現),trivial 就是「微不足道的」,作者一路在鋪「量小、但別小看」,even 正好接在這條線上。
yet(然而;還沒):當副詞表示「尚未」時擺在否定句或疑問句的句尾,像 He hasn't arrived yet.;表示轉折時站在兩個子句之間,不會插進 of 和 a few 的中間。rather(相當;寧可):修飾形容詞或副詞(rather cold 相當冷),或者用在 would rather V(寧願做某事),它的工作不是標「連……都」。indeed(的確、確實):用來加強已經說出口的話,多半擺句尾或句首,像 It was cold indeed.;它加強的是已經說出口的那句斷言,不是「小到超乎預期」的量。
even if/even though(即使/雖然)、even so(即使如此)、a sign of(……的徵兆)、would rather V(寧願做某事)、not yet(尚未)、quite a few(相當多)
India is shrinking. A new analysis of satellite-based data has given precisely the rate 21 which the country is losing size as it pushes northward against the Himalayas. According to the analysis, the 22 between India's southern and northern tips shrinks by 2 cm every year. As India's size decreases, the thickness of the Himalayas increases. 23 the shrinking continues, India will disappear in 200 million years. There would only be a vast mountain range along the southern coast of China.
The Indian plate's 24 movement is not new. However, this cannot be treated as a trivial finding in science. A movement of 25 a few millimeters (mm) of the earth's crust is a sign of possible earthquakes. Such dangers are now obvious in India, where the movement of the plate continues.