Standing proud in the savannah with their red blankets and painted shields, the Maasai people are one of the widely known symbols of East Africa. Their unique style, as remarked by Karen Blixen, author of Out of Africa, “has grown from the inside, and is an expression of the race and its history.”
The Maasai are a semi-nomadic group in Kenya and northern Tanzania, wandering in bands and living almost entirely on the meat, blood, and milk of their herds. Over the years, the fearless tribesmen have stood strong against slavery, and resisted the urging of the Kenyan and Tanzanian governments to adopt a more modern lifestyle. In fact, they are one of the few tribes that have retained most of their traditions. Up until recently, the only way for a Maasai boy to achieve warrior status was to single-handedly kill a lion with his spear.
Maasai clothing varies with age, gender, and place. The most recognizable piece of clothing is the shúkà, a sheet of fabric worn wrapped around the body. Red is a popular color, and women generally opt for checked, striped, or patterned pieces of cloth. Young men wear black for several months after their circumcision, a ritual signifying their coming of age. A Maasai warrior is rarely seen without his spear and shield. In Blixen's words, “their weapons and finery are as much a part of their being as are a stag's antlers” (a male deer's horns).
Beadwork is an important part of Maasai culture. Beaded jewelry is made by women, and is famous for its complexity. Natural materials such as clay, shells, and ivory were used before trading with the Europeans in the 19th century. They were then replaced by colorful glass beads, allowing for more detailed beadwork and color patterns. Multicolored beadwork is popular among both men and women. Each color holds a special meaning: White stands for peace, green for land and production, while red—the most favored color among the Maasai—is the symbol of unity and bravery.
第 35 題的選項是圖像，根據文章內容，有裹著毯子，有拿著盾牌，所以正確答案是 B。
36. What can we learn from the passage about the Maasai people?
(A) They have been urged by governments to leave behind their traditions.(B) They resist foreign influence because they were enslaved in the past.
(C) A boy has to kill a lion by himself before becoming an adult.
(D) A Maasai woman is usually good at beadwork and farming.
37. Which of the following is true about Maasai clothing and beadwork?
(A) Striped and patterned cloth is preferred by young adults.
(B) Young men cannot wear black until they become warriors.
(C) Colorful glass jewelry became popular after the 19th century.
(D) The color of the shúkà represented one's importance in the tribe.
38. Why does the author quote Blixen's comment at the end of the third paragraph?
(A) To explain how Maasai warriors hunt for deer in the wild.
(B) To exemplify the types of weapons used by Maasai warriors.
(C) To emphasize that weapons are an inseparable part of a Maasai warrior's outfit.
(D) To show the similarities between the behavior of a Maasai warrior and that of a male deer.
35. B 36. A 37. C 38. C
第一段第一句
Standing proud in the savannah with their red blankets and painted shields, the Maasai people are one of the widely known symbols of East Africa.
穿著紅色毯子拿著色彩鮮麗的盾牌，神色自豪的站在非洲熱帶草原的馬賽人，是最常見的西非象徵。
💡主旨 馬賽人的衣著特色是常見的西非象徵
🔍找出主詞與動詞
主詞： the Maasai people
動詞： are
🚫排除干擾：為什麼它們不是動詞？
Standing： V-ing，不能當動詞。
painted： 因 painted shields 由 and 與 red blankets 連接； red blankets 是名詞無疑， painted shields 也必須是名詞，故 painted 是 p.p.，當形容詞用。
🍀詞彙解析
standing proud：要描述的是站立時臉上的神態而非如何站立，故用形容詞 proud。
🧩長句解析：拆解與組裝
🪛拆解 本句可拆為兩個簡單句
第一句（馬賽人的形象）The Maasai people stand proud in the savannah with their red blankets and painted shields.
第二句（核心句） The Maasai people are one of the widely known symbols of East Africa.
🧵組裝
將 第一句 轉為 分詞構句：
Step 1. 它的主詞 The Maasai people 與 核心句 的相同，因此，省略主詞。
Step 2. 將動詞 stand 改為 standing。
Step 3. 置於核心句之前，並以逗號與核心句隔開。 即完成。
第一段第二句
Their unique style, as remarked by Karen Blixen, author of Out of Africa, “has grown from the inside, and is an expression of the race and its history.”
如同遠離非洲一書的作者，凱倫布利克森，所說，他們的獨特風格是發自內在，是他們種族和歷史的一種表達。
💡主旨 他們的衣飾風格是源於其民族與歷史。
🔍找出主詞與動詞
主詞： style
動詞： has grown（現在完成式 have/has + pp）和 is，兩者由 and 連接
🚫排除干擾：為什麼它們不是動詞？
remarked： 是 插入語 "as remarked by ..."，［as + p.p.］中的 p.p.。
🍀 天外飛來一筆 插入語
as + p.p.”插入語，意為 ［如所 …］，例如， as pointed out by Dr. Johnson ，as stated above，as mentioned previously 等。
插入語 是 天外飛來一筆，無關句子的結構。
🪻同位語
... by Karen Blixen, author of Out of Africa... 中
author of Out of Africa 是 Karen Blixen 的 同位語，補充說明後者的身分，也無關句子的結構。
🌼引號 " " 用以表示引號內的文字是直接引用他人的文字。
🧩長句解析：拆解與組裝
🪛 拆解
忽略 插入語、同位語，和引號，本句即變成相對單純的結構， 可拆成兩個簡單句。
Their unique style has grown from the inside, and is an expression of the race and its history.
（第一句）Their unique style has grown from the inside.
（第二句）Their unique style is an expression of the race and its history.
🧵組裝
兩句地位相等，故以 and 連接。再者，兩者主詞相同，故可省略第二句的主詞，即成。
☀️第一段主旨 馬賽人的服裝富含有自己的民族特色。
第二段第一句
The Maasai are a semi-nomadic group in Kenya and northern Tanzania, wandering in bands and living almost entirely on the meat, blood, and milk of their herds.
馬賽人是肯亞及坦尚尼亞北部地區的半遊牧民族，他們成群結隊地在草原上遊走放牧，而且幾乎只靠所放牧的牲畜維生，吃它們的肉、血和奶。
💡主旨 馬賽人放牧為生
🔍 找主詞和動詞
主詞：The Maasai
動詞：are
🚫排除干擾：為什麼它們不是動詞？
wandering： V-ing，不能當動詞
living：V-ing，不能動詞。
🍀詞彙解析： in bands
in： 在此用以表示 [人或物是以某種方式安排或劃分]，例如
They sat down in a circle. （圍坐成一圈）
The chairs were arranged in rows of ten. （每十張排成一列）
band： 在此指 [因共同興趣或目的而聚在一起的一群人]。
故 wandering in bands ，是指 以群體（如家族）為單位，一群群各自遊走
🍔 live on + 某物，意為［以某物為生，靠吃某物而活］
🧩長句解析：拆解與組裝
🪛拆解 本句可拆為三個簡單句
第一句 （核心句）The Maasai are a semi-nomadic group in Kenya and northern Tanzania.
第二句 （描述生活 1）The Maasai wander in bands.
第三句 （描述生活 2）The Maasai live almost entirely on the meat, blood, and milk of their herds.
🧵組裝
Step 1. 以 and 連結第二句和第三句，並且，兩句主詞相同，故可省略第三句的主詞，成為 The Maasai wander in bands and The Maasai live almost entirely on the meat, blood, and milk of their herds.
Step 2. 將以上結果 做成 核心句的 分詞構句：
1. 兩者主詞相同，故可省略分詞構句的主詞
2. 分詞構句裡的動詞（包括 wander 和 live）是主動語態，故改為V-ing
3. 將結果架接到核心句之後，以逗號隔開，即成。
The Maasai are a semi-nomadic group in Kenya and northern Tanzania, The Maasai wandering in bands and The Maasai liveing almost entirely on the meat, blood, and milk of their herds.
