Tea and coffee contain caffeine, a substance that can make you active. 26 you do not feel fully engaged after you wake up in the morning, drinking coffee at breakfast can mean the 27 between a productive day and never arriving at work.
答案:(D) difference
【句型】the difference between A and B 字詞搭配「A跟B之間的差別」,表示喝咖啡可能是「有活力過完一天」跟「根本到不了辦公室」之間的關鍵差異;gap、line、connection都不是這個字詞搭配的正確用字。
本題大考中心未公布逐題答對率,以下不談數據,只談觀念。
四個選項都能接在 between 前面湊出一個名詞,而 gap between(兩者之間的差距)看起來也說得通。這一格要看那兩樣東西是「有落差」還是「根本相反」。
四個選項都是名詞,可見這一格考的是搭配與語意。先看 between 後面接的是什麼:a productive day and never arriving at work(有生產力的一天,以及根本沒去成公司)——這是兩個完全相反的結果,不是同一件事上的程度落差。要說「是 A 與 B 之間的關鍵差別」,固定說法是 mean the difference between A and B,填 difference。整句是「早餐喝杯咖啡,可能就是有生產力的一天與根本到不了公司之間的差別」。這個說法帶著「關鍵就在這裡」的味道,與 84 年第 39 題收過的 make a difference to(對……造成影響)屬於同一組說法——difference 在這兩個說法裡都不是「差異」的字面義,而是「關鍵、影響」。
gap(差距):the gap between 講的是同一個尺度上的距離(the gap between rich and poor 貧富差距),但「有生產力」與「沒去成公司」不是同一把尺上的兩點。line(界線):the line between A and B 是「A 與 B 的分界」(the line between right and wrong 是非的界線),語意偏向劃分而不是「造成關鍵影響」。connection(關聯):方向相反,這兩個結果之間不是有關聯,是互相排斥。
mean the difference between A and B(是 A 與 B 的關鍵差別)、make a difference(造成改變)、the gap between(……之間的差距)、the line between(……的界線)、a diet pill(減肥藥)、the main ingredient(主要成分)。
Tea and coffee contain caffeine, a substance that can make you active. 26 you do not feel fully engaged after you wake up in the morning, drinking coffee at breakfast can mean the 27 between a productive day and never arriving at work.
Caffeine is also the main ingredient in many "diet pills." It boosts metabolism, thereby 28 the body to burn more calories. If you take a 29 to a different time zone, caffeine can help you overcome jet lag. Most hotels have coffee and tea service in the room for this very reason.
Every individual handles caffeine differently. For some people, a single cup of coffee in the morning will make them feel nervous and 30 them up all night. Other people can down five cups and be perfectly calm.