閱讀測驗是許多考生的障礙和困擾，但是當你擁有答題技巧後，這都不會是問題，反而是你得分的關鍵。例如在此篇文章的第一段中，有提到” Scandinavia” (斯堪的納維亞)、”inhabitant” (居民)、” the 9th century”(第9世紀) 、”increase”(增加)，所以文章一定跟”在第9世紀，斯堪的納維亞人口增加的原因”有關。
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At the end of the 8th century Scandinavia had hardly more than
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two million inhabitants. But from the beginning of the 9th century its
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population began to increase significantly. There were several
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reasons for this: on the one hand the climate was getting better; it
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became warmer and thus harvests were becoming more abundant,
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the people better fed and stronger. The mortality rate of the old and
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infants during winter had also decreased. As the years went by,
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unoccupied Scandinavian territory became harder and harder to find.
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To these demographic factors certain features of Viking life must
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be added: such as polygamy, which produced a large number of
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children, the obligation for young men to seek their fortune
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elsewhere, and Viking laws, which used exile as a punishment for
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criminals. There were, therefore, many reasons to take to the sea
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and chance one’s arm beyond one’s native shores.
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The Vikings were a bold people, who welcomed risks and who
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had a passion for voyaging abroad. In the 11th century, not far from
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their coasts, a great trade route was opening up, passing through the
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ports of Frisia (now Holland) and the Rhine valley. This route became
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the crossroads of all commercial exchange in northern Europe.
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The Vikings, attracted by all the goods which were beginning to
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pass so close to them, took more and more interest in the trade.
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Eventually this interest led to piracy and plunder.
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( ) 1. The growth of Scandinavian population in the 9th century mainly lies in _____.
(A) the stability of the climate (B) the increase of food
(C) the decrease of old people (D) the expansion of the territory
( ) 2. According to the passage, which of the following statements is true about the Vikings?
(A) They practiced being married to only one person at a time.
(B) A family usually had many children.
(C) Young people had to stay in their hometown to work.
(D) They put the criminals in jail.
( ) 3. According to the passage, the Vikings were _____ people.
(A) skeptical (B) cruel (C) brave (D) smart
( ) 4. The purpose for the author to mention the “great trade route” is to explain _____.
(A) the Vikings’ interests in transportation
(B) the prosperity of Frisia
(C) the beginning of commercial exchange in northern Europe
(D) the adventure spirit of the Vikings
英銘老師：閱讀測驗是很多考生畏懼的英文題型之一，其實閱題測驗的的解題並不難，因為外國人寫文章都愛用破題法，只要看第一段即可知道文章大概在講什麼內容。例如在此篇文章的第一段中，有提到” Scandinavia” (斯堪的納維亞)、”inhabitant” (居民)、” the 9th century”(第9世紀) 、”increase”(增加)，所以文章一定跟”在第9世紀，斯堪的納維亞人口增加的原因”有關。
第1題：在第9世紀，斯堪的納維亞人的人口增加，最主要的原因為何？根據文章的第3行至第6行，可得知氣候變佳，所以收成也好，食物的供應就充足，因此答案是(B)。
補充：
harvest (often)
1. n. 收穫(割)、收成、成果
The journalist asked the farmer about this year's harvest.
記者問農民今年收割的情況如何。
Many people are threatened with starvation as a result of drought and poor harvests. 很多人因乾旱和歉收而受到饑餓的威脅。
The new plane is the harvest of twenty years' research.
這種新飛機是二十年研究的成果。
2. v. 收割(穫)
Mrs. Walker will show you how to harvest corn.
Walker太太會向你展示怎樣收穫玉米。
abundant adj. 充足的、豐富的 (often)
Food here is abundant and delicious. 這裡的食物很充足，而且味道鮮美。
Natural resources are abundant in this country.
在這個國家，自然資源豐富。