【英语趣味课堂】城市好还是乡村好-City or Countryside

Todd: So, Mark, I heard that you are going to be leaving Tokyo pretty soon.

 

Mark: I am. I'm getting out of the city.

 

Todd: Ah, man, so when you go back to America are you going to live in a big city like Atlanta or Birmingham?

 

Mark: Well, I from Birmingham, which is a kind of medium sized city, but there's a lot of access¹ to the countryside, cause Birmingham is a medium sized city but Alabama is very rural², so lots of mountains, lots of countryside and I'm actually looking forward to getting into that setting³ again. 

 

Todd:Oh, man. I don't know dude. I grew up on a farm, and I lived way out in the country growing up, and I can't stand the country now.

 

Mark: Really.

 

Todd: Yeah. I've lived in big cities: San Francisco, London, Bangkok, Tokyo.

 

Mark:But don't you miss like the, you know, fresh air, and the views. Don't you just tired of concrete⁴ jungles⁵, and buildings and.

 

Todd: Ah, that's true. I mean, when you're in the country, you have fresh air and you do have, you know, the beauty⁶, and this and that, but it's just boring. It's the same five people.

 

Mark:It is true, but actually I find it's harder to meet people in a big city, because there is so many people, so you're, nobody really cares to stop and talk to you because there is a million other people around, but if you're in a town, a small town, or out in the country, the few people you do meet, you form a good relationship⁷ with. 

 

Todd: Yeah, that's somewhat⁸ true, but there's just no energy. You know the countries slow. You can't just go to any restaurant at any time, you can't, you know, go see a museum, or go see a ball game or go to a nightclub and it's a just a lot of sitting around.

 

Mark:Well, that's true and, if I do, every time I go back to the country, I always miss those things, like a museum, and you know, concerts and things like that, but I'm just able to relax so much more when I'm out in a rural setting.

 

Todd: Well, I hope you have a good time.

 

Mark: Thanks.

1 access   

n.接近；达到；进入；入口，通路；微软（Microsoft）数据库处理软件

参考例句：

• There is no access to the street through that door.那个门不通向大街。
• The only access to the town is across the bridge.到镇上唯一的通路是经过一座桥。

2 rural   

adj.乡下的，田园的，乡村风味的

参考例句：

• He lived a rural life.他过着田园生活。
• We left the city for a rural home.我们离开城市，去农村安家。

3 setting   

n.背景

参考例句：

• The play has its setting in Vienna.该剧以维也纳为背景。
• Where and when a story takes place is called the setting.故事发生的地点和时间称为故事背景。

4 concrete   

adj.具体的，有形的；n.混凝土 ；v.用混凝土修筑，浇混凝土，凝结

参考例句：

• Could you give us a concrete case?你能不能给我们举个具体事例？
• We should make a concrete analysis of each specific question.对于每个具体问题要进行具体分析。

5 jungles   

n.（热带）丛林( jungle的名词复数 )；丛林音乐(20 世纪 90 年代初发端于英国的一种流行快步舞曲，歌词多涉柏油丛林，即城市生活)；乱七八糟的一堆事物；尔虞我诈的环境

参考例句：

• Therefore the jungles and the savannas know of no juvenile delinquency! 因此，丛林和荒原里没有“少年犯罪。” 来自辞典例句
• Forests and jungles have thick vegetation. 森林和热带雨林中有茂密的植被。 来自辞典例句

6 beauty   

n.美；美景；美好的人或事物

参考例句：

• We enjoyed the beauty of nature.我们欣赏大自然的美。
• She was famous for her beauty.她以美丽而出名。

7 relationship   

n.关系，联系；家属关系，亲属关系

参考例句：

• Is there any relationship between them?它们之间有联系吗?
• Robert has a friendly relationship with his customers.罗伯特和他的客户之间关系处得很好。

8 somewhat   

pron.一些，某物；adv.多少，几分

参考例句：

• The cake we made was somewhat of a failure.我们做的蛋糕不大成功。
• The two office buildings are somewhat alike in appearance.这两座办公楼在外形上有点相似。