lI. 文章摘要與命題 (20分)
Toronto Man’s Home Was a Castle
Once upon a time, in a not-so-faraway land, a knight of the realm
spent much of his fortune building a fairy-tale castle fit for royalty. With 98
rooms, 23 fireplaces, a 1,700-bottle wine cellar and plans for a 60-foot
indoor swimming pool complete with gold swans, Casa Loma, located on
the Davenport Hill in Canada, was built from 1911 to 1914. Its owner Sir
Henry Pellatt was so wealthy that he could control around 25% of Canada’s
economy. In 1923, Sir Henry--although never charged with wrongdoing –
was implicated in the complicated and interwoven dealings of the two
organizations that had led to Home Bank’s insolvency. Sir Henry would
never again be an influential member of the business community, and when
he died in 1939 at the age of 80, the man who had made millions was
broke.
At present, the Liberty Entertainment Group takes charge of Casa
Loma. When visiting the castle today, it is easy to imagine the grandeur that
once was. Recently, there have been some mysteries of Casa Loma that
draw the public’s discussion. By listening carefully it is possible to hear the
polite dinner chatter of honored guests in the family dining room. Or
perhaps the society ladies of Toronto have gathered for tea in the Palm
Room and the discussion is of orchids and palms. Or maybe Sir Henry and
his architect, Edward Lennox, are to be seen enjoying a relaxing game in
the billiard room.
The Garden Club of Toronto is currently restoring the extensive
gardens, and by exiting the castle from the Great Hall onto the vast
sweeping upper terrace, a visitor can catch a glimpse in these gardens of
some of the members of the Queen’s Own Rifles, Sir Henry’s military
regiment. Or maybe Lady Pellatt’s Girl Guides have gathered and the
gardens are alive once again with the high spirits of the young. In the winter, look for the glimmer of lights hanging in the lower garden. Sir
Henry’s staff may be playing a game of hockey on the flooded rink. In fact,
it is widely reported that Sir Henry, his wife Lady Pellatt, and the White
Lady have haunted the century-old castle. The White Lady was said to be a
maid working at Casa Loma, and a number of guests and staff have
witnessed her being dressed in white in the palace. As for Sir Henry and
Lady Pellatt, legend has it that the unwillingness to leave their loving house
had them haunt repeatedly.
Visitors are sure to marvel at some designs Casa Loma has. It was a
private home equipped with the first elevator of its kind. In addition, so
huge were those ovens in the castle that an entire ox could be cooked. Its
central vacuuming system, telephone exchange, secret passages, and
stairwells all showed the modern design of the castle in the early 1900s.
Lastly, Casa Loma has been the venue for movie-shooting such as The
Tuxedo, The Perfect Man, X-Men, and Cocktail, which starred Tom Cruise.
A Hollywood star, Richard Gere, even had his office in Chicago renovated
according to Oak Room in Casa Loma.
Adapted from “Toronto Man’s Home Was a Castle” by YVONNE BUTORAC
【題組】(2) Based on the passage, design 3 reading comprehension check questions, one of which shall be the pattern of competency-based type. (12分)