【英语趣味课堂】旅游的高成本-High Cost of Tourism

Katia: Felipe, you have been to the Galapagos?

Felipe: No.

 

Katia: But you lived in Ecuador right?

 

Felipe: Yes, well you know the problem is that going on travel into the Galapagos is really expensive for us.

 

Katia: What do you mean for us? Is it expensive for Ecuadoreans?

 

Felipe: Yeah, for nationals, for people who live in Ecuador it's quite expensive because you know since the Galapagos attracts so many tourists every day, hotels and food and travel expenses are so expensive, so high so you know we cannot travel there because we cannot afford that but tourists, international tourists, can afford.

 

Katia: That's weird¹. But I had the idea that Galapagos it's part of Ecuador so I think a lot of Ecuadoreans would go there. So really who goes to the Galapagos?

 

Felipe: Well actually there's you know one out of ten Ecuadoreans maybe might have traveled to the Galapagos but it's just such a small amount of people. It's really sad that you know we have these beautiful islands in Ecuador and we can't travel there. So you know there are many, many tourists going there everywhere and they can afford that but we cannot afford and I think, I don't know, maybe the government or the ministry² of tourism should I don't know maybe lower the prices so that we can travel there. It's really sad.

 

Katia: But why do you think it's so expensive to travel there?

 

Felipe: Well because you know as I just mentioned, thousands of tourists go there everywhere and you know the island cannot afford to hold so many tourists every day so let's suppose that if prices are really low then more and more people will go there and there might be environmental problems or just pollution and you know those kind of problems. So people in the Galapagos and the strategy³ has been to you know to raise prices so that less people can go there and so that the environment is not jeopardized⁵.

 

Katia: That is true. I guess that makes sense but being from Ecuador and not being able to see your country, it doesn't make so much sense. I wonder how that can be solved?

 

Felipe: Well I don't really know but maybe you know we have other options. We can travel to the Amazon region⁶ which is maybe the same, as beautiful as Galapagos but you can travel to the highlands. Ecuador is quite a beautiful country. It's not only about the Galapagos. It's also about the different regions⁷, the people, the food, the culture that it has so I don't think that, but maybe I don't know the government should you know do something because you know people in Ecuador they want to travel to the Galapagos but it is really sad that we can't.

 

Katia: It is quite sad. Actually I believe Ecuadoreans should have more right than the tourists to go to Galapagos.

 

Felipe: You're right but sadly we don't have so yeah something should be done maybe.

 

Katia: Hopefully something will change.

 

Felipe: Yeah, I hope so also.

 

重点词汇：

 

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

nationals

 

For nationals, for people who live in Ecuador it's quite expensive

 

A 'national' of Ecuador is a person who is from Ecuador. Notice the following:

 

These rules only apply to nationals, not to foreign travelers.

All Peruvian nationals are expected to vote in every election⁸.

afford

 

We cannot afford that, but tourists can.

 

If you can 'afford' something, it means you have enough money to pay for it. Notice the following:

 

I never buy really expensive clothes, because I can't afford them.

We would love to get a new car, but we can't afford it right now.

... I don't know, maybe ...

 

The ministry of tourism should, I don't know, maybe lower the prices.

 

You can use the phrase 'I don't know' when you are thinking while you speak. You can also use this phrase if you want to say an idea, but you don't know if it is a good idea or if people will agree. Notice the following:

 

You could get her, I don't know, maybe some flowers.

She's about, I don't know, maybe 35 years old.

jeopardized

 

People can go there and the environment is not jeopardized.

 

When something is 'jeopardized,' it is put at risk or in a hazardous⁹ position. Notice the following:

 

He jeopardized his friendship with his best friend by lying.

Some bad choices can really jeopardize⁴ your future.

make sense

 

I guess that makes sense.

 

Something that 'makes sense' has good reasoning or is practical. Notice the following:

 

I'm trying to decide if it makes sense for me to go back to school at this point in my life.

I think it makes more sense for us all to drive together.

 

1 weird   

adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的

参考例句：

• From his weird behaviour,he seems a bit of an oddity.从他不寻常的行为看来，他好像有点怪。
• His weird clothes really gas me.他的怪衣裳简直笑死人。

2 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

3 strategy   

n.方法，策略，战略

参考例句：

• The only way to take the enemy position is by strategy,not by forceful attack.只可智取，不可强攻。
• Tactics differs from strategy.战术有别于战略。

4 jeopardize   

vt.危及，损害

参考例句：

• Overworking can jeopardize your health.工作过量可能会危及你的健康。
• If you are rude to the boss it may jeopardize your chances of success.如果你对上司无礼，那就可能断送你成功的机会。

5 jeopardized   

危及，损害( jeopardize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The soldier jeopardized his life to save his comrade. 这个士兵冒生命的危险救他的同志。
• The occasional failed project or neglected opportunity does not jeopardized overall progress. 偶然失败的项目或失误的机会并没有影响总的进展。

6 region   

n.地区，地带，区域；范围，幅度

参考例句：

• The students went to study the geology of that region.学生们去研究那个地区的地质情况。
• It is unusual to see snow in this region.这个地区难得见到雪。

7 regions   

n.地区( region的名词复数 )；[数学]区域；（艺术、科学等的）领域；行政区

参考例句：

• A flying doctor service operates in remote regions. 在偏远地区有飞行医生服务。
• More powers are gradually being devolved to the regions. 正逐步向地方下放更多的权力。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 election   

n.选举，选择权；当选

参考例句：

• There is no doubt but that he will win the election.毫无疑问，他将在竞选中获胜。
• The government will probably fall at the coming election.在即将到来的大选中，该政府很可能要垮台。

9 hazardous   

adj.(有)危险的，冒险的；碰运气的

参考例句：

• These conditions are very hazardous for shipping.这些情况对航海非常不利。
• Everybody said that it was a hazardous investment.大家都说那是一次危险的投资。