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Reading Sparky always liked to draw. His kindergartenteacher once told him that he would be an artist some day, but Sparky soon discovered that success was not easy to achieve. In high school, he was the youngest kid in his class, which made him very shy. He was also a failed student, flunkingLatin, English, algebra, and physics.
Reading A drawing of his dog, Spike, was published when he was 15, but his high school yearbook decided not to print the sketches that he submitted during his senior year. Sparky always seemed to remember his disappointments more than his accomplishments.
Reading After graduating from high school, Sparky couldn’t help but continue drawing. However, before Sparky could begin his career as an artist, he was drafted into the army. Then, Sparky spent two years in Europe during World War Ⅱ. Still, he continued to work toward his dream, drawing sketches of daily life in the army in a notebook.
Reading When Sparky came home from the war, he drew comics for various publications, but it seemed like he was doomed to be a struggling artist. He even taught at an art school, where he met a red-headed woman named Donna Johnson.
Reading Sparky fell in love and wanted to marry her, but she decided to marry someone else before he could even propose. It appeared that Sparky was destined to be unlucky in love, too.
Reading In 1948, Sparky tried to have his comic strip Li’l Folks published, but the deal didn’t work out. He tried again a couple of years later and submitted some samples of Li’l Folks to other publishers. He hoped that they would publish his comic strips throughout the United States.
Reading Most of the characters in his comic strips were children, and all of them seemed to lose, no matter how hard they tried. Although the publishers liked Sparky’s drawings, they didn’t like the name of the comic strip and renamed it Peanuts. Sparky was not happy, but he had no choice but to accept the changed name after so many disappointing failures.
Reading On October 2, 1950, the first Peanuts comic strip appeared. Sparky named the main character after an old friend, Charlie Brown. In the comic strips, Charlie Brown never won anything. His baseball team always lost, he could never kick a football, and he never found the courage to talk to the red-headed girl he liked.
Reading Charlie Brown’s friends were often not very nice to him, either. Sparky let Charlie Brown have a daydreaming dog, Snoopy. He modeled Snoopy after his old dog, Spike, which Sparky once said was the smartest and most uncontrollable dog that he had ever seen. Something about these lovable losers appealed to people, and Peanuts became a massive hit around the world.
Reading Sparky, better known as Charles M. Schulz, believed that it was impossible to create humor out of happiness. So, his characters were always in misery, but they never gave up. Charlie Brown, who failed in everything, kept working hard no matter how badly things turned out.
Reading Fans admired his perseverance and always believed that he would somehow kick the football the next time, even though he never did. By reading Peanuts, people can find hope and learn that being a loser at one time in life does not necessarily mean that one will never succeed. Cultural Note
(1) once為副詞，表示「曾經」。once 還有「一次」之意。例： ‧I've been to Seattle once before. (2) some day表示「有一天」，也寫可 成someday。 ‧John hopes that he will have his own house some day. BACK
(1) the youngest表示「最年輕的，最 小的」，為形容詞最高級的用 法。 (2) which made...shy為非限定的關係 子句，修飾he was...in his class這 件事。 BACK
…made him very shy. make + O + OC (Adj/N/Vpp) make為不完全及物動詞，後面接上受詞後還須接受詞補語，表示「使…成為…」。受詞補語可以是形容詞、名詞或是過去分詞。例： ‧The basketball game makes Kevin nervous. ‧Judy's parents want to make her a teacher. ‧Ken cleared his throat and tried to make himself heard by the whole class. BACK
(1) failed為過去分詞作形容詞的用法， 詳細用法請參見本課句型解析一。 (2) flunking...physics為非限定的分詞 片語用法，原句可還原為...a failed student, who flunked Latin, English, algebra, and physics.。 BACK
After graduating from high school, Sparky couldn’t help but continue drawing. After graduating 原句為After Sparky graduated....。 After V-ing..., S + V.... 此為從屬連接詞引導從屬子句的延伸變化。當主要子句與從屬子句的主詞相同時，從屬子句的主詞便可省略，連接詞之後的動詞則改為現在分詞(V-ing)。例： ‧After finishing the experiment, we went to the movies. BACK
couldn’t help but + V表示「忍住…」，此片語之後必須接原形動詞，詳細用法請參見本課句型解析二。 BACK
continue + to V/V-ing表示「繼續…」。例： ‧Mandy continued to work/working after she got married. BACK
begin sb’s career as 表示「開始…的職業」，as表示「當作，以…的身分」。例： ‧Lillian began her career as an actress when she was twenty. BACK
...work toward his dream, drawing sketches of daily life.... → ...work toward his dream and drew.... 此為省略and的分詞構句，表後續動作。 BACK
it seemed like...的it為虛主詞，代替後面的that子句。seem like為「好像…」之意。例： ‧It seems like Steve is dating Rachel. BACK
struggling是由動詞struggle轉化成的形容詞，表示「辛苦掙扎的」，用來修飾後面的名詞artist，詳細用法請參見本課句型解析一。struggling是由動詞struggle轉化成的形容詞，表示「辛苦掙扎的」，用來修飾後面的名詞artist，詳細用法請參見本課句型解析一。 BACK
..an art school, where he met.... 關係副詞where引導子句，修飾先行詞an art school，為非限定用法。 BACK
red-headed為複合形容詞，表示「紅頭髮的」。 複合形容詞是由"Adj + N-ed"構成，常將形容詞與身體某一部位結合。例： gray-haired 頭髮灰白的 cold-blooded 冷血的 left-handed 左撇子的 long-legged 長腿的 BACK
...woman named Donna.... → ...woman who was named Donna.... 此為關係子句簡化的過去分詞片語，修飾前面的名詞。 BACK
fall in love with 愛上…，與…墜入愛河 ‧Jim fell in love with Kelly in high school and they got married this year. BACK
...Sparky tried to have his comic strip Li’l Folkspublished.... have為使役動詞，之後的受詞為被動接受動作者，故其後接過去分詞published；若受詞為主動接受動作者時，其後則接原形動詞。例： ‧I had my house painted last weekend. ‧My boss had me finish this report today. BACK
Most of the characters.... most為不定代名詞，其後可接複數可數名詞或單數不可數名詞。例： ‧Today is a national holiday and most of the shops are closed. BACK
...no matter how hard.... no matter how + Adj/Adv... →however + Adj/Adv... 此表「無論多…」，用來引導副詞子句。例： ‧No matter how cold it is, John's father goes swimming every morning. → However cold it is, John's father goes swimming every morning. ‧No matter how hard Sam tried, he could not solve the math problem. → However hard Sam tried, he could not solve the math problem. BACK
...he had no choice but to accept the changed name.... (1) have no/little choice but/other than to V表示「對…別無選擇，只好…」。 例： ‧My mother had no choice but to take my little sister to the market. (2) changed name表示「改過的名字」， 詳細用法請參見本課句型解析一。 BACK
...talk to the red-headed girl [he liked]. → ...talk to the red-headed girl whom he liked. 限定用法的關係代名詞受格可以省略，但若前面有介系詞時則不可省略。 BACK
not...either 表示「也不…」，用於否定句。例： ‧He can not speak French, and I can't, either. 句尾含有either的否定句子，可以改寫成 neither為首的句子，但主詞與動詞需倒裝。例： ‧Richard doesn't like chocolate, and Susan doesn't, either. → Richard doesn't like chocolate, and neither does Susan. BACK
Sparky let Charlie Brown havea daydreaming dog, Snoopy. (1) 使役動詞let後加原形動詞have。 (2) a daydreaming dog表示「作白日夢的 狗」，詳細用法請參見本課句型解 析一。 (3) Snoopy是a daydreaming dog的同位語。 BACK
Spike, which Sparky once said was.... 此為非限定的關係子句，用來修飾先行詞Spike，其中Sparky once said為插入語。 BACK
...the smartest and most uncontrollable dog that he had ever seen. the +形容詞最高級+ N + (that) + S + have/had + ever + Vpp.... 此句型為常見的形容詞最高級用法。ever是與過去經驗相較之下的加強語氣，常譯為「有生以來，有史以來」。例： ‧I think this is the most exciting baseball game (that) I have ever seen. BACK
Sparky, better known as Charles M. Schulz.... → Sparky, who was better known as.... (1) 此為省略關係代名詞who和be動詞的分詞 片語用法。 (2) be better known as表示「以…較為人所熟 知」，通常用於當一個人有兩個名字，而你 要介紹的是比較令人熟悉的那一個名字時。 be/become known as... 以…為大家所熟知 be known for 以…著稱、有名 ‧The Greek god Prometheus is known as the creator of humans. ‧The singer is known for her beautiful voice. BACK
Charlie Brown, [who failed in everything], kept working hard.... 關係代名詞who引導非限定的關係子句，修飾先行詞Charlie Brown。 BACK
keep + V-ing 表示「持續…，不 斷…」。其中省略了介系詞on，亦可 將此片語寫成keep on + V-ing。例： ‧Henry was punished by his mom because he kept making noise. BACK
the next time在此為時間副詞，此外，the next time也可當從屬連接詞，後接子句。例： ‧The next time you come, I will show you around the town. BACK
even though 表示「即使，縱然」。 even if與even though兩者皆為「即使…」之意，但even if所引導的副詞子句通常都是未發生的動作或未存在的狀態，子句中動詞多用假設語氣；even though所引導的副詞子句通常都是已發生的動作或已存在的狀態。even though也可以與although或though代換。例： ‧Even if it rains, we will go out. ‧Even though/Although/Though Jane was not happy, she smiled in front of others. BACK
...he never did. did在此代替前面kick the football這件事。 BACK
being a loser...為動名詞作主詞用， 後面所接的動詞必須是單數，所以 用does。 BACK
at one time表示「曾經，一度」， 同義詞有：once, in the past等。例： ‧Michael was at one time a pop singer; now he is a businessman. BACK
not necessarily表示「不全然地」。例： ‧What Daisy said is not necessarily true because she often tells lies. BACK
Cultural Note 1950年10月2日，美國社會正沉浸於大戰之後的激昂情緒，在那個時代，心情低落會被貼上反社會的標籤，而不是一種個人的情緒。
Cultural Note 就在這一天，一位名叫查爾斯‧休茲的27歲明尼蘇達漫畫家，在報紙的連環漫畫版為讀者介紹了一群小孩子，他們向彼此訴說這樣的真心話：「我感到深深的憂鬱，」在早期的連環漫畫中，名叫查理‧布朗的圓臉小子，對著跋扈的小女生露西這麼說。「我該怎麼辦才好呢？」「振作起來嘛！」露西建議著。
Cultural Note 這是報紙連環漫畫新的嘗試。20世紀中期，漫畫的主題多半是動作、冒險、諷刺戲謔、通俗喜劇、打打鬧鬧插科打諢之類，但休茲大膽的用自己的古怪個性，即一輩子充滿的孤獨、不安全感與自卑感，描繪他對於自己生活與當代的真實感受。
Cultural Note 他把簡潔的鋼筆線條、精準細膩的繪圖風格、巧妙的情節安排，以及對幽默感的細緻品味，帶進當時一般人避談的議題之中，像是信仰、排斥異說、憂鬱和絕望等。他創造的人物喜愛沉思，他們說起話來簡潔卻有力，而且對文學、藝術、古典音樂、神學、醫學、精神病學、運動及法律提出精闢的觀察。
Cultural Note 花生漫畫描繪真實世界的痛苦與 失落，但另一方面，就像瑞士漫 畫家史匹格曼(Art Spiegelman) 的觀察：「仍讓一切保持溫暖與 醺。」
