本課改編自 Albrecht Dürer 的名畫《祈禱之手》(Praying Hands) 背後的感人故事——兩兄弟相互犧牲、追逐藝術夢想。
▶Behind every drawing is a story.
每一幅畫的背後都有一個故事。
句型分析
Behind every drawing介系詞片語（地方副詞）倒裝
is
a story
倒裝句：原句為 "A story is behind every drawing."，將介系詞片語 Behind every drawing 移至句首，形成「地方副詞前置倒裝」。這是文學修辭技巧，增加懸念感。
▶What lies beneath these two hands?
這雙手底下藏著什麼？
句型分析
What
lies
beneath these two hands
（疑問句）
lie (v.)「位於；存在」，三態：lie / lay / lain，注意不要與 lie「說謊」(lie/lied/lied) 或 lay「放置」(lay/laid/laid) 混淆。
▶What is the meaning behind Albrecht Dürer's famous drawing, Praying Hands?
阿布雷特．杜勒名畫《祈禱之手》背後的意涵是什麼？
句型分析
What
is
the meaning behind Albrecht Dürer's famous drawing
（Praying Hands 為同位語說明 drawing）
Praying Hands 是作品名稱（同位語）。Albrecht Dürer 為德國文藝復興時期著名畫家 (1471–1528)。
▶The story behind this work is just as touching as the image itself.
這幅作品背後的故事，與圖像本身同樣感人。
句型分析
The story behind this work
is
just as touching as the image itself
（as...as 同等比較）
as...as 同等比較：as + 形容詞 + as。just as 加強語氣「同樣地；一樣」。itself 反身代名詞強調 the image。
▶One of 18 children, Albrecht Dürer was born into a poor family struggling to make ends meet in a tiny German village.
阿布雷特．杜勒是十八個孩子之一，出生在德國一個小村莊裡一個勉強度日的貧窮家庭。
句型分析
One of 18 children（同位語）
Albrecht Dürer
was born into
a poor family
struggling to make ends meet in a tiny German village（現在分詞片語修飾 family）
make ends meet「使收支平衡；勉強度日」（本課片語）。struggling to... 現在分詞片語，修飾 a poor family，表示這個家庭的狀態。
▶He and his brother, Albert, shared a remarkable talent for art, and both dreamed of studying at an art school.
他和哥哥阿爾伯特共享著非凡的藝術天賦，兩人都夢想進入藝術學校就讀。
句型分析
He and his brother, Albert,
shared
a remarkable talent for art
/ both
dreamed of
studying at an art school
remarkable (adj.) 非凡的、傑出的（本課核心字彙）。dream of + V-ing「夢想做…」（片語）。
▶However, realizing that their family couldn't afford to do so at the same time, the brothers decided to leave it to fate by flipping a coin.
然而，兄弟倆體認到家裡無力同時供兩人就學，便決定以丟硬幣的方式聽天由命。
句型分析
However,
realizing that their family couldn't afford to do so at the same time（現在分詞構句＝Although they realized...）
the brothers
decided to leave
it
to fate by flipping a coin
afford to V「負擔得起；有能力做」（本課核心字彙）。leave it to fate「聽天由命」。flip a coin「丟硬幣」。
▶The winner would pursue his art studies, while the loser would support the winner by working in the mines.
贏的人繼續追求藝術學業，輸的人則到礦坑工作來支持贏的人。
句型分析
The winner
would pursue
his art studies
/ while
the loser
would support
the winner
by working in the mines
pursue (v.)「追求；從事」（本課核心字彙）。while 連接詞，表「而；然而（對比）」。by + V-ing「藉由…方式」。
▶Albrecht won the coin toss and devoted the next four years of his life to his passion.
阿布雷特贏得了丟硬幣，並把接下來四年的生命奉獻給他的熱情所在。
句型分析
Albrecht
won
the coin toss
and
devoted
the next four years of his life
to his passion
devote + 時間/精力 + to + N/V-ing「將…奉獻給…」（本課核心文法句型）。passion 熱情。
▶Meanwhile, his brother Albert worked his body to its limits in cruel, dangerous conditions underground.
與此同時，他的兄弟阿爾伯特在地底嚴酷、危險的條件下，將身體榨到極限。
句型分析
Meanwhile
his brother Albert
worked
his body
to its limits in cruel, dangerous conditions underground
Meanwhile「與此同時」，連接兩個同時發生的事件。work...to its limits「將…榨到極限」。underground 副詞「在地底」。
▶Rarely could he afford the luxury of taking a break.
他幾乎負擔不起休息的奢侈。
句型分析（否定副詞倒裝）
Rarely否定副詞置句首→倒裝
could
he
afford
the luxury of taking a break
Rarely + 助動詞 + 主詞「很少…」（本課重點文法：否定副詞倒裝）。原句：He could rarely afford the luxury of taking a break. take a break「休息一下」（本課片語）。
▶Fortunately, his sacrifice was not in vain.
幸運的是，他的犧牲並非徒勞。
句型分析
Fortunately,
his sacrifice
was
not in vain
sacrifice (n.)「犧牲」（本課核心字彙）。in vain「徒勞；白費」（本課片語）。not in vain = was worth it 是值得的。
▶Albrecht soon made a name for himself at the academy.
阿布雷特很快在學院裡闖出了名號。
句型分析
Albrecht
soon
made a name for
himself
at the academy
make a name for oneself「成名；闖出名號」（本課片語）。反身代名詞 himself 指主詞 Albrecht，不可省略。
▶Upon graduating, the rising young professional artist returned home in triumph and with gratitude.
在畢業後，這位嶄露頭角的年輕專業畫家帶著勝利與感恩之心返鄉。
句型分析
Upon graduating（介系詞片語＝When he graduated）
the rising young professional artist
returned
home in triumph and with gratitude
Upon + V-ing「一…就…」= As soon as he graduated。triumph (n.)「勝利；凱旋」（本課核心字彙）。in triumph「勝利地」。
▶A special dinner was served in his honor.
為了表彰他，一場特別的晚宴在他的榮耀下舉行。
句型分析（被動語態）
A special dinner
was served
in his honor
被動語態：was served（被舉辦）。in one's honor「為了紀念／表彰某人」。
▶After much eating and celebration, Albrecht rose to toast his selfless sibling.
在一番大吃大喝與慶祝之後，阿布雷特站起身來向他無私的兄弟舉杯致敬。
句型分析
After much eating and celebration
Albrecht
rose
to toast his selfless sibling（不定詞片語表目的）
celebration (n.)「慶典；慶祝」（本課核心字彙）。toast (v.)「舉杯致敬；祝酒」。selfless adj. 無私的。sibling n. 兄弟姊妹。
▶"It's time that you laid down your worker's tools, dear Albert," he announced.
「是時候放下你工人的工具了，親愛的阿爾伯特，」他宣布道。
句型分析
It's time（主要子句）
that you
laid down（假設語氣→過去式）
your worker's tools
It's time that S + 過去式「該是…的時候了」（本課重點文法句型）。用過去式表假設語氣。lay down「放下」（本課片語）。
▶"For now, Brother, I shall support you, and you too will be an artist!"
「從現在起，兄弟，我要支持你，你也將成為一名藝術家！」
句型分析
For now
I
shall support
you
/ you
too
will be
an artist
shall 第一人稱用法，表說話者的承諾與決心。too「也；同樣」置於主詞後，加強語氣。
▶As the people cheered, Albert held back his tears and showed his bruised hands.
當眾人歡呼時，阿爾伯特忍住了淚水，展示了他滿是傷痕的雙手。
句型分析
As the people cheered
Albert
held back
his tears
and
showed
his bruised hands
hold back「忍住；抑制」（本課片語）。bruised adj. 淤傷的；傷痕累累的。As 連接詞「當…的同時」。
▶The four years of labor had broken his bones and weakened his artistic touch.
四年的勞動已經折斷了他的骨頭，削弱了他的藝術觸感。
句型分析（過去完成式）
The four years of labor
had broken
his bones
and
weakened
his artistic touch
過去完成式 had + p.p.：表示在過去某時間點之前已完成的動作。weaken (v.)「削弱；使變弱」（本課核心字彙）。artistic touch「藝術手感；觸感」。
▶He sobbed, "I have prayed, Brother, but four years of working in the mines have damaged the bones in my hands."
他哽咽道：「我一直在祈禱，兄弟，但四年在礦坑的工作已經傷害了我手上的骨頭。」
句型分析
He
sobbed
/ I
have prayed
/ four years of working in the mines
have damaged
the bones in my hands
sob (v.)「哽咽；抽泣」。現在完成式 have + p.p.：表示過去動作對現在的影響。damage (v.)「損害；傷害」。
▶"Barely can I hold a paintbrush anymore."
「我幾乎再也無法握住畫筆了。」
句型分析（否定副詞倒裝）
Barely否定副詞置句首→倒裝
can
I
hold
a paintbrush
anymore
Barely + 助動詞 + 主詞「幾乎無法…」（本課重點文法：否定副詞倒裝）。barely (adv.)「幾乎不」（本課核心字彙）。原句：I can barely hold a paintbrush anymore.
▶"These broken hands will never paint again."
「這雙殘破的手永遠無法再作畫了。」
句型分析
These broken hands
will never paint
again
will never「永遠不會」，強烈的否定未來。這句是全文的情感高潮，表現阿爾伯特最深的遺憾。
▶Albert's ruined hands and ruined dreams are the beautiful subject of Praying Hands.
阿爾伯特毀壞的雙手和破碎的夢想，是《祈禱之手》美麗的主題。
句型分析
Albert's ruined hands and ruined dreams
are
the beautiful subject of Praying Hands
ruined (adj.)「毀壞的；損毀的」，由 ruin (v.) 衍生而來。主詞是複數（hands and dreams），動詞用 are。
▶For hundreds of years, this drawing has served as a symbol of gratitude to a brother.
幾百年來，這幅畫一直作為對兄弟感恩的象徵。
句型分析
For hundreds of years
this drawing
has served as
a symbol of gratitude to a brother
symbol (n.)「象徵」（本課核心字彙）。serve as「作為；充當」。For + 一段時間 + 現在完成式：表示延續至今的狀態。
▶It shows his goodness and support as well as his sacrifice of ambitions and talent.
它展現了他的善良與支持，以及他對抱負與才華的犧牲。
句型分析
It
shows
his goodness and support
as well as his sacrifice of ambitions and talent
as well as「以及；還有」= and also。ambition (n.)「抱負；雄心」（本課核心字彙）。A as well as B 強調 A，B 只是附加。
▶Those hands will be joined forever, in prayer, in devotion, and in love.
那雙手將永遠合在一起——在祈禱中、在奉獻中、在愛裡。
句型分析
Those hands
will be joined
forever, in prayer, in devotion, and in love
devotion (n.)「奉獻；摯愛」（本課核心字彙）。will be joined 被動語態，強調雙手永遠相連。三個 in... 構成排比（parallel structure），是文學修辭手法。