In many old castles in Europe, visitors often find a fantastic spiral staircase, which provides a captivating focal point as it winds up the building. This prominent structure actually has a long and rich heritage.
In the Old Testament, reference is made to spiral staircases in the Temple of Solomon, suggesting that they were already in use by around 1,000 BC. The oldest spiral staircase still standing today is at Trajan's Column in Rome. The staircase was built in 113 AD, with a total of 185 steps carved in stone and marble. Around this time, spiral staircases began to find much wider use in Roman architecture and across Europe.
Throughout the Middle Ages, winding staircases became a well-established feature of European castles, mainly for their advantages in helping to defend against attackers. To begin with, these staircases were quite narrow, so attackers would have to ascend one at a time, making it impossible to launch a mass attack. Also, the stairs were designed to turn clockwise upwards. This means that ascenders would have their right hand tight against the narrowest part of the staircases, close to the central pole, and as a result were unable to use their sword effectively. The attackers' challenge was further complicated by the uneven steps of the staircase, often strategically designed by the castle owners. The defenders, living in the castles, were familiar with the stair pattern and could retreat up them very swiftly; while the attackers were much more likely to stumble and fall, particularly in the dimly lit confines of the staircase.
Being associated with medieval castles and kings, spiral staircases gradually won popularity in European architecture, with new materials emerging to cope with customers' needs. In Victorian times, cast iron spiral staircases were popular for public buildings and homes for the rich. In the latter half of the 20th century, steel frames became cost-effective, and thus affordable for a much wider staircase market.
Then, steel spiral staircases as fire escape stairs appeared in many buildings. Today, spiral staircases come in a wide variety of materials: steel, wood, concrete, and recently even glass. The timeless appeal of their classical design makes spiral staircases a much-desired feature in luxury homes, offices, and public buildings nowadays.
39. Which question can the passage answer?
(A) Where was the first spiral staircase constructed?
(B) Who was the first designer of the spiral staircase?
(C) What is the world's most famous spiral staircase?
(D) Why is the spiral staircase popular in modern times?
40. What does “them” in the third paragraph refer to?
(A) Stairs. (B) Confines. (C) Attackers. (D) Defenders.
41. According to the passage, which is a correct time sequence of the materials used in making spiral staircases?
42. Which of the following statements can be inferred about spiral staircases in the Medieval Ages?
(A) The staircase was too narrow to allow any quick retreat.
(B) The clockwise design favored right-handed castle defenders.
(C) The uneven steps made it easier to ascend than descend the stairs.
(D) The staircase was dark enough for defenders to hide from attackers.
39. D 40. A 41. A 42. B
第一段第一句
In many old castles in Europe, visitors often find a fantastic spiral staircase, which provides a captivating focal point as it winds up the building.
在歐洲許多古城堡的遊客，常會發現夢幻般的螺旋樓梯，它蜿蜒而上整座建築，成為引人注目的焦點。
💡主旨：螺旋樓梯是古城堡引人注目的焦點
🔍找主詞和動詞
主詞： visitors
動詞： find
🚫排除干擾：為什麼它們不是動詞？
provides：其主詞是 which，關係代名詞，因此 provides 是關係子句的動詞，不是主要句子的。
captivating：V-ing，不能當動詞
winds：其主詞是 it，但 it 有附屬連接詞 as 冠頂，故 winds 是副詞子句的動詞。
🍀as it winds up the building as 在此是 附屬連接詞，[因為]，連接子句以說明原因
🎈深度比較：關係子句的 限定 vs. 非限定 用法
透過 Elon Musk（馬斯克）和 who cofounded 7 companies ，可理解逗號的威力：
🌹限定用法，用以限縮先行詞的範圍（無逗號）：
Elon Musk is a South African–born American entrepreneur who cofounded 7 companies.
說明：Elon Musk 是創辦了 7 間公司的南非出生企業家，而非任何南非出生企業家，故需用子句限定範圍（無逗號）。
🍃非限定用法，非用以限縮先行詞的範圍（有逗號）：
Elon Musk, who cofounded 7 companies, is the world's richest person now.
說明：大家都知道 Elon Musk 是誰，有無此子句無所謂（加逗號）。
🧩長句解析 拆解與組裝
🪛拆解
第一句（核心句）In many old castles in Europe, visitors often find a fantastic spiral staircase.
第二句（是焦點）The spiral staircase provides a captivating focal point.
第三句（迴旋而上）The spiral staircase winds up the building.
🧵組裝
Step 1. 把第二句化成 核心句 spiral staircase 的 關係子句：把第二句的 spiral staircase 改成 which，即可嫁接到核心句的 spiral staircase之後
In many old castles in Europe, visitors often find a fantastic spiral staircase which The spiral staircase provides a captivating focal point.
Step 2. 由於這關係子句不是限制哪一種 spiral staircase，因此需要作為非限定用法，亦即在 which 之前加入逗號，與其先行詞隔開
In many old castles in Europe, visitors often find a fantastic spiral staircase, which The spiral staircase provides a captivating focal point.
Step 3. 將第三句以 附屬連接詞 as 與 Step 2 的結果連接：
In many old castles in Europe, visitors often find a fantastic spiral staircase, which The spiral staircase provides a captivating focal point as the spiral staircase winds up the building.
Step 4. which 的先行詞 spiral staircase 跟 as 所接的子句之主詞相同，故將 as 後的子句之主詞改為 代名詞 it：
In many old castles in Europe, visitors often find a fantastic spiral staircase, which The spiral staircase provides a captivating focal point as it the spiral staircase winds up the building.
第一段第二句
This prominent structure actually has a long and rich heritage.
這種著名的架構實際上擁有悠久且豐厚的歷史傳承。
💡主旨： 螺旋樓梯歷史悠久深厚
🔍找主詞和動詞
主詞：structure
動詞： has
☀️第一段主旨： 歐洲古堡的螺旋樓梯悠久歷史，是觀光的焦點
第二段第一句
In the Old Testament, reference is made to spiral staircases in the Temple of Solomon, suggesting that they were already in use by around 1,000 BC.
《舊約聖經》有提到所羅門聖殿裡的螺旋樓梯，這意味著這類樓梯大約在西元前一千年就已經在使用了。
💡主旨：螺旋樓梯至少西元前1000年前就有在用了
🔍找主詞和動詞
主詞：reference
動詞： is made（被動語態 be-V + p.p.）
🚫排除干擾：為什麼它們不是動詞？
suggesting：V-ing，不能當動詞
were：其主詞是 they（指 spiral staircases），但 they 前有 that 冠頂，故 were 是 that 名詞子句的動詞。
use： 其前有 介係詞 in，故 use 是名詞，是介係詞片語 in use 的一部分。
🌺動詞片語 make reference to ［正式地、有根據地提到某事］， 不是隨口說
🛋️ The contract makes reference to the previous agreement signed in 2020.
合同援引了2020年簽的前一份協議。
本句使用 被動語態 reference is made to，除避開指明具體作者的麻煩外，最重要的
是營造「事實存在於文獻」的權威感。
🌹動詞片語 Refer to (指涉/對照) 即「把話題連結到某一具對應關係的對象」。
🛋️He referred to the plan. (指他把焦點導向那個計畫，或把計畫當作參考點。)
Although he didn't say her name, everyone knew who he was referring to.
雖然他沒說名字，但大家都知道他在指涉誰。
🧩長句解析：拆解與組裝
🪛拆解
第一句（核心句）In the Old Testament, reference is made to spiral staircases in the Temple of Solomon.
第二句（核心句的意涵）This suggests that they were already in use by around 1,000 BC.
🧵組裝
Step 1. 將 第二句 化作 核心句 的關係子句：第二句的 This 是指 核心句的內容，故可把This 改成 which，即可嫁接到核心句之末
In the Old Testament, reference is made to spiral staircases in the Temple of Solomon which This suggests that they were already in use by around 1,000 BC.
Step 2. 此關係子句的沒有限縮其先行詞範圍，故應使用非限定用法：在 which 前加上逗號
In the Old Testament, reference is made to spiral staircases in the Temple of Solomon, which This suggests that they were already in use by around 1,000 BC.
