英语听力精选进阶版 7129

Background: 12个大型恶魔雕塑被新安置在泰国曼谷国际机场，众人都在讨论此举背后的原因到底是为了美观还是为了迷信。相关人士说这些颜色鲜亮的雕塑每个都有6米多高，它们是仿照多年前在皇宫地下室发现的雕塑雕刻而成的。将这些雕塑放在机场是想更好地给他们一个展示自己的机会。但有报道说机场工作人员抱怨这些恶魔给机场带来的坏运气。

You would have thought it hard to miss one six-metre-high scowling¹ demon² let alone twelve. But the authorities at Bangkok's main airport say they are relocating their spirit statues to the check-in area, where they are thought more likely to be noticed and appreciated by passengers.

Local media are reporting the real reason for the move is that airport staff had come to believe the figures, collectively worth almost $1m, had brought them bad luck.

Last year the airport was blockaded for eight days by political protestors, resulting in a big loss in earnings³. But moving the statues is not a matter to be taken lightly. Buddhists⁴ believe the demons⁵ to be symbols of anger, strength and power.

Some astrologers are warning that shifting them to a new location might bring more bad luck and have suggested a safer option might be simply to turn them around to face a different direction.

GLOSSARY⁶ 词汇表

authorities 官方 

spirit statues 神像 

check-in 办理登记手续 

airport staff 机场工作人员 

blockaded 封锁 

earnings 盈利 

Buddhists 佛教徒 

demons 恶魔 

astrologers 占星家 

shifting 挪动

Questions and Answers

1. How tall are the statues? 

They are around 6 metres in height.

2. Where are they being moved to? 

The check-in area of the airport.

3. How much are they worth? 

Nearly $1m in total.

4. What do Buddhists believe they represent? 

Anger, strength and power.

1 scowling   

怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• There she was, grey-suited, sweet-faced, demure, but scowling. 她就在那里，穿着灰色的衣服，漂亮的脸上显得严肃而忧郁。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Scowling, Chueh-hui bit his lips. 他马上把眉毛竖起来。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

2 demon   

n.魔鬼，恶魔

参考例句：

• The demon of greed ruined the miser's happiness.贪得无厌的恶习毁掉了那个守财奴的幸福。
• He has been possessed by the demon of disease for years.他多年来病魔缠身。

3 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

4 Buddhists   

n.佛教徒( Buddhist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Jesuits in a phase of ascendancy, persecuted and insulted the Buddhists with great acrimony. 处于地位上升阶段的耶稣会修士迫害佛教徒，用尖刻的语言辱骂他们。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史
• The return of Saivite rule to central Java had brought no antagonism between Buddhists and Hindus. 湿婆教在中爪哇恢复统治后，并没有导致佛教徒与印度教徒之间的对立。 来自辞典例句

5 demons   

n.恶人( demon的名词复数 )；恶魔；精力过人的人；邪念

参考例句：

• demons torturing the sinners in Hell 地狱里折磨罪人的魔鬼
• He is plagued by demons which go back to his traumatic childhood. 他为心魔所困扰，那可追溯至他饱受创伤的童年。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 glossary   

n.注释词表；术语汇编

参考例句：

• The text is supplemented by an adequate glossary.正文附有一个详细的词汇表。
• For convenience,we have also provided a glossary in an appendix.为了方便，我们在附录中也提供了术语表。