Fun 風箏樂趣多
One of the cheapest and easiest ways for people of all ages to have fun is to fly a kite. It requires little skill and almost no money, and kites can even be built using materials found at home. The first kites appeared in China in the fifth century BC and were made from silk and bamboo. Paper kites gained in popularity around 549 AD, and soon after, they were introduced to India. Finally, explorers brought them to Europe in the 13th century.
The popularity of kites spread around the world, and so did their cultural impact. In India and many Middle Eastern countries, a sport called kite fighting is popular. By using the strings from their own kites, competitors try to capture their opponents’ kites and bring them to the ground. Kites have also been used to advance science. In 1752, Benjamin Franklin used one to prove that lightning carried electricity. Even the Wright brothers used kites in their experiments during the time now known as the golden age of kiting, leading to manned flight. However, with the development of airplanes, kites are now simply used for fun.
中譯
對各個年齡層的人來說，最省錢簡便又能享受樂趣的方式之一就是放風箏。放風箏不需要什麼技巧又幾乎不用花錢，甚至用家裡找得到的材料就能做成風箏。西元前五世紀時，第一個風箏出現在中國，這個風箏是由絲和竹子所製成。大約在西元 549 年時，紙風箏開始流行起來，不久後，這些風箏被引進印度。最後，十三世紀時探險家把這些風箏帶到了歐洲。
風箏在世界各地都受到歡迎，而風箏的文化影響力也同樣散布至全世界。在印度和許多中東國家，有一種十分風行的運動叫做鬥風箏。參賽者藉由使用他們自己風箏上的線，來試圖抓住對手的風箏並把它們拉下來。而人們也運用風箏來促使科學進步。1752 年時，班傑明•富蘭克林用風箏證明了閃電挾帶著電流。甚至在現今為人所知的風箏黃金時期，萊特兄弟也在實驗中使用了風箏，因而產生了載人的飛航。然而，隨著飛機的發展，現在風箏只作為娛樂之用。
生活必備字詞：
1. BC、AD的用法：
“公元”，常用AD（Anno Domini的缩写，意为“主的生年”）；
“公元前”：英文是BC，即Before Christ ，也就是耶稣基督诞生以前。
A.D 可在数字前也可在后，B.C只可以在数字后。
2. silk [sɪlk] n. 蠶絲，絲；絲織物（品），綢布[U]
3. bamboo [bæmˋbu] n. 竹，竹子[C][U]
4. gain in popularity 開始流行／受歡迎／愈來愈受歡迎
How did Christianity gain in popularity?
（基督教是如何愈來愈受到歡迎？）
5. soon after 不久之後／在……後不久
Soon after the fire we found another house in which to live.
（火災之後不久我們找到另外一棟房子住。）
He arrived soon after three.（三點才過他便到了。）
6. opponent [əˋponənt] n. [C] 對手；敵手，反對者 opponents
He easily defeated his opponent in the election.
（選舉中他輕易地擊敗了對手。）
7. lightning [ˋlaɪtnɪŋ] n.[U] 閃電，電光
The little girl is afraid of thunder and lightning.
（這小女孩害怕雷聲和閃電。）
8. be known as + 身分（意思是 代表主詞=主詞）
be known for + 某種原因（事件）
Taiwan is also known as Formosa.
Taiwan is known for its beautiful sceneries.
字體：小 中 大
