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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20712815
＊新聞標題
Mayan prophecies： Life after the (non) end of the world
＊標題解說
‧ prophecy：預言（名詞）prophecies（複數型）
a statement that something will happen in the future, especially one made by somebody with religious or magic powers
to fulfil a prophecy (= make it come true)
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/prophecy
＊內文解析
■ 儘管所有瑪雅世界末日的預言滿天飛，世界很可能不會在星期六早上結束 。當日子照樣過的時候，信徒將如何應付？
Despite all the predictions of Mayan apocalypse, the world will probably not end by Saturday morning. How will the believers cope when life carries on?
‧ cope：妥善處理應付（動詞）
to deal successfully with something difficult
同義詞：manage
I got to the stage where I wasn't coping any more
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/cope
■ 時鐘在午夜敲響，神聖的日子到來，又再一次，末日未能如期來到。
The clock strikes midnight, the hallowed date arrives and, once again, the apocalypse fails to turn up on schedule.
‧ hallowed：神聖的，受到敬重的（形容詞）
respected and important
同義詞：sacred
one of the theatre's most hallowed traditions
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/hallowed
‧ apocalypse：世界末日（小寫）
the destruction of the world
Civilization is on the brink of apocalypse.
the Apocalypse [singular]：聖經上說的世界末日，大寫（名詞）
the end of the world, as described in the Bible
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/apocalypse
‧ turn up：發生（動詞片語）to happen, especially by chance
He's still hoping something (= for example, a job or a piece of luck) will turn up.
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/turn_1#turn_1__234
■ 每次一群信徒都陷入困惑的狀態因為全部耗盡的死亡和毀滅現象並沒有發生。
Each time a group of believers has been left bewildered at the absence of all-consuming death and devastation.
‧ 簡化來看：X has been left bewildered at Y
X 被陷入對Y的困惑狀態
X= a group of believers (重點在 a group 所以動詞用 has been left..)
Y= the absence of all-consuming death and devastation.
全部耗盡的死亡和毀滅現象並沒有發生
‧ absence：從缺（名詞）
the fact of somebody/something not existing or not being available;
a lack of something
The case was dismissed in the absence of any definite proof.
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/absence
‧ bewilder：使困惑（動詞）to confuse somebody
She was totally bewildered by his sudden change of mood.
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/bewildered#bewilder
‧ 人be left bewildered：人被留在困惑的狀態
‧ leave：不是離開，是留在某個狀態（動詞）
to make or allow somebody/something to remain in a particular condition,
place, etc
leave somebody/something (+ adjective) Leave the door open, please.
The bomb blast left 25 people dead.
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/leave
‧ all-consuming：耗盡所有精力的（形容詞）
taking up all of your time or energy
an all-consuming love of jazz
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/all+consuming
BBC 另一篇報導以精選圖片報導世界如何度過瑪雅末日
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-20810686
‧ In pictures：End of the Maya Long Count calendar
‧ in pictures： 以圖片說明的報導
‧ the Maya Long Count calendar：瑪雅人的長曆法
‧ calendar：一般的理解是日曆，在此應該理解成：曆法（名詞）
a system by which time is divided into fixed periods, showing the beginning
and end of a year
the Islamic calendar
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/calendar
■ 在墨西哥和中美洲舉行多項儀式，以紀念在瑪雅人的長曆法中一個時代的結束。
Ceremonies have been held across Mexico and Central America to mark the end of an era in the Maya Long Count Calendar.
‧ 簡化來看：X have been held across Y to mark the end of an era in Z.
X= Ceremonies
Y= Mexico and Central America
Z= the Maya Long Count Calendar.
‧ ceremony：慶典儀式（名詞）ceremonies（複數型）
‧ ceremonies have been held：儀式已經被舉行，已經舉行儀式
‧ mark the end of an era：紀念一個時代的結束（動詞片語）
‧ era：紀元（名詞）
a period of time, usually in history, that is different from other periods
because of particular characteristics or events
the Victorian/modern/post-war era
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/era
■ 在秘魯一個巫師日出時在利馬進行防止世界終結的儀式。
A shaman in Peru performed a ceremony intended to prevent the world coming to an end at sunrise in Lima.
‧ 簡化來看：
X performed a ceremony (that was) intended to do Y at Z in Lima.
X= a shaman in Peru
Y= prevent the world from coming to an end 防止世界來到末日終點
Z= sunrise 日出時 (at sunrise)
‧ shaman：巫師（名詞）
a person in some religions and societies who is believed to be able to
contact good and evil spirits and cure people of illnesses
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/shaman
‧ prevent something from happening：防止某事發生（動詞片語）
to stop somebody from doing something; to stop something from happening
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/prevent
‧ perform a ceremony：執行儀式，舉行儀式（動詞片語）
■ 有些人認為在法國Pyrenees（比利牛斯山脈）Bugarach，是世界末日時一些少數在地球上能倖免於難的地方。
Some people believe Burgarach, in French Pyrenees, is one of the few places on earth to be spared in the apocalypse.
‧ 簡化來看：
Some people believe X is one of the few places on earth to be spared in Y.
X= Burgarach, in French Pyrenees,
Y= the apocalypse
‧ spare：免於不死，災難（動詞）spare somebody/something
(from something) (formal) to allow somebody/something to escape
harm, damage or death, especially when others do not escape it
They killed the men but spared the children.
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/spare_2
＊字彙整理
世界末日過了，眾人還活著，我們藉此學學談論末日預言的用語：
‧ 預言：prophecy（名詞）prophecies（複數型）
‧ 免於不死，災難：spare（動詞）
‧ 執行儀式，舉行儀式：perform a ceremony（動詞片語）
‧ 防止某事發生：prevent something from happening（動詞片語）
prevent the world from coming to an end
‧ 儀式已經被舉行，已經舉行儀式：ceremonies have been held
‧ 紀念一個時代的結束：mark the end of an era（動詞片語）
‧ 妥善處理應付：cope（動詞）
‧ 神聖的, 受到敬重的：hallowed（形容詞）
‧ （聖經上說的）世界末日：the Apocalypse（名詞）
‧ 人被留在困惑的狀態：人be left bewildered（動詞片語）
‧ 瑪雅人的長曆法：the Maya Long Count calendar（名詞）
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