2010/08/30

This Day in History August 30… 歷史上的今天8月30日

On this date in 1797, the creator of one of literature's most famous monsters was born to Mary Wollstonecraft and William Godwin in London. Mary Shelley's mother died when she was very young, but she grew up cherishing her mother's memory. Shelley was educated at home, and although her education was limited, she was exposed to many different subjects. Writing was at first just a hobby for Shelley until inspiration for her most successful novel came. At age 18, Shelley began writing Frankenstein. It is one of the most well-known stories in the world and Shelley's greatest success.
1797年的今天, 文壇上最著名怪物之一的創造者出生於倫敦,她的母親是瑪莉.吳爾史東克拉芙特,父親是威廉.戈德溫。瑪莉.雪萊的母親在她很小的時候就去世了,但她在成長 過程中非常珍惜對母親的記憶。雪萊在家裡接受教育,雖然受教有限,但她卻接觸許多不同的科目。一開始寫作只是她的嗜好,直到後來她文思泉湧,寫下自己最成功的一部小說。18歲時,雪萊開始撰寫《科學怪人》。這部小說是世上最有名的故事之一,同時也是雪萊最成功的著作。

知識大補帖

《科學怪人》(圖,資料照片)的故事主要是在描述一個名叫弗蘭肯斯坦(Frankenstein)的科學家(scientist),他計劃靠自己的力量創造一個生命,目的是想打造一個完美的人類。於是他從墳場(charnel house)挖出屍塊,再以專業知識進行挑選,將還能使用的部分拼成人型,並賦予他生命。不久,弗蘭肯斯坦便發現這是個嚴重的錯誤,他製造了一個怪物,於是,他開始追殺這個怪物,怪物也本能地逃亡,導致雙方發生了許多衝突(conflict)。

單字片語

◎monster
n. 怪物
◎be born to/of + 夫婦/某人
是某對夫婦/某人所生
例:The successful businessman was born of a poor couple.
(這名成功商人是一對貧窮的夫婦所生的。)
◎cherish
vt. 珍愛,珍惜
例:I cherish the time I spend with my parents.
(我十分珍惜和父母相處的時間。)
◎be exposed to + N/V-ing
接觸……;暴露於……
例:Children should not be exposed to too much violence on TV.
(孩子不該接觸過多電視暴力。)
◎hobby
n. 嗜好
例:Joe cultivated his hobby of gardening and eventually turned it into a career.
(喬養成從事園藝的嗜好,最後還把它變成職業。)
◎inspiration
n. 靈感
例:I couldn’t write anything due to my lack of inspiration.
(我寫不出任何東西,因為我缺乏靈感。)

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