新科學家精讀：學會「分享蛋糕」如何阻止不公平的美國競選

THE method to fairly split a cake between two people is tried, tested and mathematically proven. One person cuts the cake and the other chooses which slice they get. To get the biggest piece of cake possible, the cutter must split it fairly resulting in no hard feelings between the two eaters.

word & expression

1. fairly

• adv. 公平地

He has always treated me very fairly.

他待我一直很公正。

all fairly 所有相當；都比較；所有公平

fairly paid 公平薪酬；相當支付；支付公平

• adv. 相當地

Statistical analysis is a means of arriving at a fairly reliable forecast.

統計分析是一種相當可靠的預測方法。

relatively, simply, comparatively, equally, reasonably

fairly well 相當不錯； 較好；相當好

used fairly 合理使用

2. spilt

• v. 分離；使分離；劈開；離開

In a severe gale the ship split in two.

在一次強勁的大風中那艘船斷成了兩半。

leave, quit

split up 分裂，分離

split second 一剎那；極快的

split hairs 斤斤計較，在小事上爭論不休；作無益的、瑣碎的分析

split off 分離；分裂

• adj. 劈開的

The Kremlin is deeply split in its approach to foreign policy.

克里姆林宮在對外政策的看法上嚴重分歧。

cloven, cleft

split type 拼合式

split share 分割股

• n. 劈開；裂縫

The plastic-covered seat has a few small splits around the corners.

那個有塑料套的座位的角邊周圍有幾處小裂縫。

crack, cleavage

3. slice

• n. 薄片；部分

Try to eat at least four slices of bread a day.

每天盡量吃至少4片麵包。

proportion, part, portion, percent , integral

a slice of 一片，一份

thin slice 薄片

slice of bread 麵包片

time slice 時間片；時間片段；時間區分

• v. 切下；把…分成部分；將…切成薄片

Helen sliced the cake.

海倫把蛋糕切成了薄片。

chip off, chip out

slice off 切開；割掉

4. result in

• 導致，結果是

The unsatisfiedness of the workmen resulted in a strike.

工人的不滿引起了一場罷工。

issue in, make for

---

In US politics, however, cutting states into electoral districts doesn』t have a similarly fair method. The political party in charge often decides where the electoral lines are drawn and does so in such a way as to gain an advantage – a process called gerrymandering.

word & expression

1. electoral

• adj. 選舉的；選舉人的

The Mongolian Democratic Party is campaigning for electoral reform.

蒙古民主黨正在正在發起選舉改革的運動。

constituent

electoral system 選舉制度

electoral college 總統選舉團（由各州選舉人選出的538名選舉人組成的選舉團履行選舉總統和副總統職責）

electoral law 選舉法

2. gain an advantage

• 取得優勢

He concluded that what Nokia needed was a technological shift, something Nokia could grasp first and use to gain an advantage.

他得出的結論是，諾基亞最需要的是技術革新，這是諾基亞最有把握抓住並加以利用的優勢。

gain an advantage over 勝過；優於

gain an advantage of 勝過

gain an advantage over competitors 獲得競爭優勢

3. gerrymandering

• 傑利蠑螈
• 指選區劃分之方式是專為某方選舉利益而設計的。
• 兩大基本策略主軸：儘可能極大化己方票源的有效使用，儘可能極小化對方票源的有效使用。

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Now, Ariel Procaccia, Wesley Pegden and Dingli Yu at Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania have devised a way to extend the cake cutting technique to redrawing electoral districts to make the system fairer. 「It leverages the competition of the two parties. They can both act in their own self-interest and still result in an outcome that is mathematically fair,」 says Procaccia.

word & expression

1. devise

• vt. 設計；想出；發明

We devised a scheme to help him.

我們想出了一個計劃來幫助他。

design, engineer, style, project, frame

• n. 遺贈

2. extend

• v. 延伸；擴大；推廣；伸出

A table extended from the front of her desk to create a T-shaped seating arrangement.

一張桌子從她的辦公桌前端伸出，形成T型的座位排列。

reach, spread, range, enlarge, push

extend ones business 擴大其營業

3. redraw

• vt. 重畫

They have redrawn the countrys boundaries along ethnic lines.

他們以種族為界重新勾畫了該國的國界。

repaint

4. leverage

• v. 利用
• n. 手段，影響力；槓桿作用；槓桿效率

His position as mayor gives him leverage to get things done.

他的市長身份使他有能力辦成一些事情。

instrument, shift, road, tool, resort

financial leverage 財務槓桿；財務槓桿作用

leverage ratio 槓桿比率；槓桿率；資本充足率

leverage effect 槓桿效應，舉債經營效果

operating leverage 營業槓桿作用；營業槓桿

5. self-interest

• n. 私利；利己主義

Their current protests are motivated purely by self-interest.

他們目前的抗議純粹是受私利驅使的。

• expedience, individualism

---

With the approach, one political party draws an electoral map that divides the state into the agreed number of districts. The second party then chooses one district to freeze so that no more changes can be made to it by either side. It then redraws the rest of the map. Once the new map is complete, the first political party freezes one of the new districts, and redraws the rest of the map again. This continues until every district in the state is frozen. In Pennsylvania, for example, this would require 17 cycles as there are 18 districts.

word & expression

1. approach

• n. 方法；途徑

We will be exploring different approaches to gathering information.

我們將探索收集信息的不同方法。

method, way, system, mechanism, medium

new approach 新方案；新做法

an approach to 學習...的入門；學習...的途徑

basic approach 基本方法

• n. 接近

the festive spirit that permeated the house with the approach of Christmas.

…隨著聖誕節的臨近而瀰漫在這所房子里的節日氣氛。

• v. 接近

When I approached, they grew silent.

當我走近時，他們變得沉默了。

come near to, draw near

2. freeze

• v. 凍結；冷凍；僵硬；使…凍住；使…結冰

They want the government to freeze prices.

他們要政府凍結物價。

rigidize

freeze in 用冰凍上；冰封

freeze up 凍結；怯場

freeze to death 凍死

• n. 凍結；凝固

The trees were damaged by a freeze in December.

那些樹被12月的一次冰凍凍壞了。

solidification, coagulation

credit freeze 信用凍結

3. complete

• vt. 完成

Peter Mayle has just completed his first novel.

彼得·梅爾剛完成他的第一本小說。

accomplish, carry out, achieve, perform, fulfil

complete with 包括，連同

• adj. 完整的；完全的；徹底的

The resignation came as a complete surprise.

該辭職來得十分意外。

whole, thorough, full, absolute, total

complete system 完整系統；完備系

complete product 完全積

complete information 完整信息；完全情報

complete success 完全成功；徹底的勝利

4. continue

• v. 繼續，延續；仍舊，連續

Outside the building people continue their vigil, huddling around bonfires.

在樓外，人們圍聚在篝火旁繼續守夜。

run on, carry on with

continue with 繼續做

continue to do 繼續做某事

continue doing 一直做（同一件事）

to be continue 未完待續

5. require

• vt. 需要；要求；命令

The rules also require employers to provide safety training.

這些規定也要求僱主們提供安全訓練。

lack, exact, desire, order, command

6. cycle

• n. 循環；周期

...the life cycle of the plant.

…植物的生命周期。

circle, revolution, rotation, round

life cycle 壽命周期；生存期

cell cycle 細胞周期

development cycle 開發周期

• n. 自行車/v. 騎自行車

We supply the travel ticket for you and your cycle.

我們為您和您的自行車提供旅行票。

bike / ride a bike

• v. 使循環；使輪轉

circumrotate

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To make this applicable to the real world, some mechanism would need to account for the Voting Rights Act, which protects voting rights for racial minorities, says Joshua Douglas at the University of Kentucky. Procaccia and Pegden say this could be checked after the process is finished, in the same way that new districts are checked now.

word & expression

1. applicable

• adj. 可適用的；可應用的；合適的

What is a reasonable standard for one family is not applicable for another.

對一個家庭合理的標準對於另一個家庭並不適用。

becoming, shaped, likely, possible, meet

applicable scope 適用範圍

if applicable 如果適用；若可以

applicable law 適用的法律；準據法

2. mechanism

• n. 機制；原理，途徑；進程；機械裝置；技巧

Theres no mechanism for punishing arms exporters who break the rules.

對於違反規定的軍火出口商還沒有懲罰機制。

theory, element, technique, skill, machinery

market mechanism 市場機制；市場調節作用

reaction mechanism 反應機理

incentive mechanism 激勵機制

3. account for

• 對…負有責任；對…做出解釋；說明……的原因

The gene they discovered today doesnt account for all those cases.

他們今天發現的那種基因解釋不了所有的那些情況。

bear responsibility for, be obligated to

• （比例）占

Computers account for 5% of the countrys commercial electricity consumption.

電腦佔了這個國家商業用電的5%。

4. the Voting Rights Act

• 選舉權法案
• 保護少數族裔的選舉權利

5. racial

• adj. 種族的；人種的

the protection of national and racial minorities.

…對少數民族和少數種族的保護。

ethnic, tribal

racial discrimination 種族歧視

racial prejudice 種族偏見

racial segregation 種族隔離

6. minority

• n. 少數民族；少數派

Local authority child-care provision covers only a tiny minority of working mothers.

地方政府提供的兒童保育服務只惠及了極少數上班族母親們。

ethnic minorities, nonage

ethnic minority 少數民族

minority nationality 少數民族

national minority 少數民族

7. process

• n. 過程，進行；方法，步驟；作用；程序

There was total agreement to start the peace process as soon as possible.

全體同意儘快啟動和平進程。

going on, course, system,method, approach

process of …的過程

in the process 在過程中；在進行中

production process 生產流程

• vt. 處理；加工

Patients took more than two hours to be processed through the department.

病人們花了兩個多小時才走完那個科室程序。

manufacture, cope with

• vi. 列隊前進
• adj. 經過特殊加工（或處理）的

【句子精講】

The political party in charge often decides where the electoral lines are drawn and does so in such a way as to gain an advantage –a process called gerrymandering.

後置定語

• 在句中可以充當定語，對名詞起修飾、描繪作用，還可以充當表語、賓語補足語等
• 形容詞作定語修飾名詞時，一般放在被修飾的名詞之前，稱作前置定語。但有時也可放在被修飾的名詞之後，稱作後置定語。
• 用法

① 當形容詞修飾由every-、some-、any-、no-加body、one、thing等構成的複合不定代詞時須後置。

Have you ever met anyone famous ?

你曾經見過名人嗎？

注意：若something 前面有定冠詞修飾，形容詞不用後置。

There , on the table , was the mysterious something that they had been looking for.

看，在桌子上，正是他們一直孜孜以求的神秘的東西。

② 形容片語作定語須後置，其功能相當於一個定語從句。

Students brave enough to take this adventure course will certainly learn a lot of useful skills .

敢於選這門冒險性課程的學生一定會從中學到很多有用的技能。

③ 兩個形容詞用and 或or連接作定語，進一步說明被修飾名詞的作用，此時須後置。

Power stations , large and small , have been set up all over the country .

大大小小的水電站已經在全國各地興建起來了。

④ 形容詞else常位於不定代詞或疑問代詞後作定語。

Anything else I can do for you ?

我能為你做些別的事情嗎？

⑤ 形容詞比較等級結構修飾名詞時須後置。

The Smiths need a car garage twice larger than this one .

史密斯夫婦需要一個比這個大一倍的車庫。

⑥ 「基數詞+表示時間或度量單位的名詞+形容詞」結構可用來修飾名詞，起定語作用。此時，該類結構的片語須後置。

Yesterday , a Mr Brown , 28 years old , came to visit you .

昨天，一位二十八歲，自稱是布朗先生的人來拜訪過你。

⑦ 部分以a-開頭的表語形容詞，如：alive , alike , alone , awake 等，有時也可以作定語修飾名詞。此時，須將該形容詞置於被修飾的名詞之後。

She was the only person awake at that night 她是那天晚上惟一一個醒著的人。

⑧ 形容詞responsible 作「可信賴的；可靠的」解時，作前置定語；作「有責任的；應負責的」解時，須作後置定語。

He is a responsible man .

他是一個可以信賴的人。

⑨ 形容詞present 作「現在的；目前的；現存的」解時，作前置定語；作「出席的；在場的」解時，須作後置定語。

The present international situation is excellent .

當前的國際形勢一片大好。

⑩ 形容詞worth構成的片語作定語時，常常後置。

In 1626 the island of Manhattan was bought from local Indians , Natives Americans , for a handful of goods worth $24 .

曼哈頓島是於1626年從當地的印第安人（即美洲土著人）手中買來的，只花了價值約為24美元的為數不多的貨物。

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