壹蘋派生活美語　人生不設線

　　The Measure is a novel that explores how people deal with their fate after discovering it. The story begins when mysterious wooden boxes appear on doorsteps across the world. Inside each box is a string whose length reveals when the person it is addressed to will die. As people start opening their boxes, society begins to fall apart. People with longer strings enjoy special privileges and opportunities, while those with shorter strings face fear and discrimination. The presence of the strings creates new problems for people. A doctor struggles with ethical issues about how to treat patients whose death dates are already known.

　　《人生不設線》是一部探討人們在發現其命運之後如何面對的小說。故事以世界各地的家門口出現神祕木盒為開端。每個盒子裡都有一條線，線的長度揭示了收件者的死亡時間。隨著人們開始打開盒子，社會開始分崩離析。擁有較長線的人享有特殊權利和機會，而擁有較短線的人則面臨恐懼及歧視。線的存在給人們帶來了新的問題。一名醫生在如何治療那些已知死期的病人的道德問題上掙扎。

生活必備字詞：

reveal　vt. 揭露，透露

fall apart　　瓦解；破裂

issue　n. 問題；議題

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本文節錄自《常春藤生活英語》雜誌，完整內容請見六月號。