學習內容
For some, Friday the 13th is a combination of the
worst number on the worst day of the week.
對有些人而言，13號星期五是最不吉利的數字遇上最不吉利的一天。
Must cultures have some superstitions about
numbers or dates. In the West, there is one combination that is feared above all
others—Friday the thirteenth. It appears in novels and has even given its name
to an entire series of successful horror movies. The day even affects the
economy since as many as 20 million Americans change their habits on
this unluckiest of days.
大多數文化對數字或日期都有一些迷信。在西方，有一種組合比起其他組合都要來的令人害怕—13號星期五。這個日子出現在小說中，甚至有一系列賣座的恐怖電影以它為名。這一天甚至能影響經濟，因為有多達兩千萬美國人在這最不吉利的一天改變他們的習慣！
Both the number 13 and Friday have long been seen as unlucky.
Including Judas the traitor, 13 is the same number as Jesus and his disciples.
It has a similar association in Norse myths, where the trickster god
Loki is usually given the number 13. Friday is also associated with bad
luck because Jesus was crucified on a Friday, and many Christians
believe it to be a bad omen to start journeys or new projects on Friday.
一直以來，數字13和星期五都被視為不吉利。包含叛徒猶大在內，耶穌和他門徒的總數是13。在北歐神話中，這個數字有著類似的關聯，因為奸詐之神洛基通常會和數字13扯上關係。星期五也和厄運有所關聯，因為耶穌被釘上十字架那天是星期五，因而許多基督徒認為再星期五踏上旅途或開始新計劃是不好的兆頭。
Even so, the belief that the thirteenth day of any month
is especially unlucky if it falls on a Friday is far more recent than you
think. The idea only became widespread in the early part of the 20th
century. Some people attribute the start to a novel called
Friday, the Thirteenth, which is about a banker who tricks people into
believing something bad will happen on that date. Nevertheless, no one is
exactly sure of its true origin.
即使如此，任何月份的第13日落在星期五這天特別不吉利的這課看法，其實是最近才發生的事。這個觀念在20世紀初才開始流行。有些人認為這是始於一本名為『13號星期五』的小說，裡面談的是一個專門騙人說這天會有壞事發生的銀行家。話雖如此，還是沒有人能完全確定這個觀念的起源為何。
However it came about, the superstition has taken
hold across the West. Ironically, accident figures from some
countries suggest that Friday the thirteenth is safer than many other days,
perhaps because fewer people are out and those that are try to be more careful.
不論這個想法是怎麼來的，這個迷信在西方廣為流行。而諷刺的是，一些國家的意外事故顯示，13號星期五這天比起其他許多日子都來得安全，許是因為這天比較少人外出，而在這天外出的人也都更小心謹慎吧。
※as many as
+ 數字 + 複數名詞 數目多達… ； as much as + 不可數名詞
數量多達
例句：As many as 250 people escaped the burning building. 有多達250人從那棟著火的建築物中脫險。
※be seen as + N /
adj. 被視為… ＝ be viewed
as N / adj. = be regarded as + N /
adj. = be looked upon as + N /adj. = be thought of as + N /adj.
例句：Dr. Hyde
is seen as a leader in his field of medicine.
Hyde醫生被視為他那個醫學領域的龍頭。
※be
associated with… 和...有關聯；和...聯想在一 起
例句：Water is associated with purity and cleanliness. 水總是和純淨聯想在一起。
※attribute
A to B 把A歸因於B
例句：We attribute our success at the book fair to all our employees’ hard
work. 我們把書展的成功歸因於全體同仁的努力。
※trick sb
into + V-ing 欺騙某人(做)…
； trick sb out of sth
從某人身上騙走某物
例句：John
tricked me into lending him NT$2,000.
John使詭計騙我借他兩千元。
※come
about 發生
例句：Do you know how
this tragedy came about? 你知道這場悲劇是怎麼發生的嗎？
※take
hold 大肆掀起；盛行起來
例句：A distrust of
Middle Eastern people took hold in the US after the 911 attacks. 911攻擊事件後，對中東人的不信任席捲全美。
combination 組合(n.) traitor 叛徒(n.)
superstition 迷信(b) disciple 門徒、信徒(n.)
myth 神話(n.) trickster 騙子(n.)
crucify 把...釘死在十字架上(v.) omen 徵兆、預兆(n.)
widespread 普遍的(adj.) origin 起源(n.)
ironically 諷刺地(adv.)
