Historically, France as a nation has been predominantly Roman Catholic. These days, however, France is largely secular in terms of its culture, with many of its citizens having long turned their backs on traditional forms of religion. With this reality in mind, we may wonder why a church — specifically Notre-Dame de Paris sitting on the small island in the middle of the river Seine — remains so deeply rooted in the hearts of Parisians.
When a fire caused great damage to Notre-Dame on April 15th, 2019, Parisians were horrified and shocked to see the destruction of their beloved “lady” (notre-dame being the French word for “our lady”). Sure enough, from the moment the fire was eventually put out, the French government began making plans for its reconstruction. So, given France’s secularism, what is it that makes Notre-Dame, a religious building, so beloved?
Notre-Dame’s popularity partially arises from the publication of “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame” by Victor Hugo in the 19th century. However, construction on the Notre-Dame de Paris began back in 1163 and took more than 100 years to complete. Since its completion, the Gothic cathedral has been forced to move with the times on several occasions, including two World Wars. Despite being attacked during times of political and religious upheaval, it has continued to stand tall throughout the centuries. The fact that it was effectively turned into a food storage space for a few years during the French Revolution shows the incredible ability of the cathedral to adapt to any situation in order to ensure its survival.
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It is clear that for the people of Paris, Notre-Dame is so much more than just a church. It is part of the fabric of the French capital and, therefore, an important backdrop in a city they believe to be the cultural center of the world. Though consumed by flames just a few years ago, Notre-Dame will undoubtedly recover and live on.
歷史上，法國一直以來都是個以羅馬公教為主的國家。然而現今，法國這個國家就其文化而言，很大程度上是沒有宗教的，許多市民長期以來都背棄了傳統的宗教形式。考量到此一事實，我們也許會想知道是什麼原因讓一座教堂—特別是坐落在塞納河中間小島上的巴黎聖母院—仍舊深植於巴黎人心中。
2019年4月15日，當一場大火對巴黎聖母院造成極大損害時，巴黎人們看到他們心愛的「女士」（notre-dame在法文意為「我們的女士」）遭受的毀壞感到震驚與驚愕。果然，從大火最終被撲滅的那一刻起，法國政府就開始製定重建計畫。那麼，鑑於法國的世俗主義，是什麼讓巴黎聖母院這座宗教建築如此備受喜愛呢？
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巴黎聖母院的知名度部分源自於維克多‧雨果在十九世紀出版的《鐘樓怪人》。然而，巴黎聖母院的建造始於西元1163年，歷時超過一百年才完工。自建成以來，這座哥德式大教堂有幾次被迫隨著時代變遷，其中包括兩次世界大戰。儘管在政治和宗教動亂時期遭到攻擊，但幾個世紀以來它一直巍然屹立。它在法國大革命期間實際被改作糧倉好幾年，此一事實展現了這座大教堂為確保其繼續存在而能適應任何情況的絕佳能力。
顯而易見的是，對於巴黎人來說，巴黎聖母院不僅僅是座教堂。它是交織成法國首都基本結構的一部分，因此是他們認定為世界文化中心的一座城市之中重要的背景。雖然幾年前被大火吞噬，但巴黎聖母院多半會復原並繼續存在。
What Did You Learn?
1. What is the main purpose of the passage?
(A) To criticize French attitudes towards religious traditions.
(B) To explain how popular The Hunchback of Notre-Dame is.
(C) To investigate what caused the fire that destroyed Notre-Dame de Paris.
(D) To detail some background on Notre-Dame de Paris and its current status.
2. Which of the following is closest in meaning to “secular” in the first paragraph?
(A) Closely related to France and French culture.
(B) Associated with the French’s ancient tradition.
(C) Not directly connected to religious values or practices.
(D) Strongly influenced by political beliefs and standards.
答案
1. (D) 2. (C)
Word in Use
1. specifically adv. 具體來說；特別
The doctor advised Hank to eat lightly. Specifically, he should avoid fatty foods.
醫生建議漢克吃清淡點。具體來說，他應避免吃高脂肪的食物。
2. rooted a. 根深蒂固的
be (deeply) rooted in. . . 深植於……
Although the soldier died in the war a while ago, his heroic contribution still is rooted in people’s minds.
這位軍人雖然在不久前戰死沙場，但其英勇的貢獻仍深植人心。
3. horrified a. 非常震驚的
Helen was horrified to hear that her uncle was diagnosed with lung cancer.
海倫聽到她叔叔被診斷罹患肺癌的消息感到非常震驚。
4. destruction n. 毀壞，破壞
The earthquake last September caused serious destruction to the railway lines.
去年9月的地震對鐵路軌道造成嚴重破壞。
5. popularity n. 知名度，受歡迎
The talk show’s popularity owes much to the host.
該脫口秀受到歡迎和其主持人有很大的關係。
Practical Phrases
1. in terms of. . . 就……而言
The old apartment is better than the new one in terms of access to public transportation.
就公共交通的便利性而言，這棟舊公寓比新的好。
2. turn one’s back on. . . 某人背棄……
The president promised that she wouldn’t turn her back on the minorities who voted for her.
該名總統承諾她不會背棄投票給她的少數群體。
3. put out. . ./put. . . out 撲滅／熄滅……（火、香菸等）
The rescue team successfully put out the fire and saved the people trapped in the building.
救難隊成功將火撲滅並救了困在這棟大樓裡的人們。
4. adapt to. . . 適應……
Jenny just moved abroad for work, so she needs some time to adapt to her new life.
珍妮剛為了工作搬到國外，所以她需要一些時間來適應新生活。
聽文章朗讀及講解: https://ivy.pse.is/455bfu
本文出自常春藤解析英語雜誌: www.ivy.com.tw
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