【英语趣味课堂】最喜欢西班牙的什么-What Do You Like Best in Spain?

Chris: Hi, Adelina. Tell me again, you're from Spain. Where exactly from Spain are you?

 

Ade: I come from the south, a region¹ called Andalucia.

 

Chris: As we say, Andalusia?

 

Ade: Yes.

 

Chris: Where is this, that's the south and then if you say south, everybody would think holiday, beach, staying up late, partying even.

 

Ade: Yeah, they are right. We know how to enjoy life. And actually it's a very like ... I don't know, but people go to island for summer holidays, but if they really want to know what the real Spain is, they should go to the south.

 

Chris: Of course, because since you're from the south, that's why you say that.

 

Ade: No, it's not because of that, it's because there is where the flamenco comes from, the bullfighting, and I don't know, we have more Spanish customs there.

 

Chris: Okay. Now, so if you would have to say to somebody, if you have to tell a tourist, instead of always going to the same cities like Mallorca, Benidorm, Tenerife, if you would say three really good places in your country, where would you send someone?

 

Ade: Well it depends what they like, if they are people who enjoy nature I will say ... I don't know, go to Granada and Sierra of Granada, name of Alpujarras, there you can find this little village, that they are so authentic². But Granada city also, they have a very nice castle name La Alhambra, is very, very beautiful. And you also have Sierra Nevada if you enjoy skiing and snowboarding. But if you are a city person I will recommend Barcelona of course, very nice in culture, in art, in shopping, in clubbing, is very, very nice city.

 

Chris: Well I hope you're not going to say football now.

 

Ade: No, no, no, not at all, I'm not a football girl.

 

Chris: Okay, so Granada of course in winter must be beautiful for skiing holidays and everything, but in summer it must be really too hot there.

 

Ade: Yes, it is, it's more a city to go and enjoy in winter time.

 

Chris: So you tell people to stay away from the beaches and visit the inside of the country?

 

Ade: Yeah, you can also go to the beaches. But I mean like the...

 

Chris: What beaches?

 

Ade: I don't know, Mallorca is very nice, Minorca, Ibiza, all the islands are actually, but the problem is that this is ... these islands are so focused on tourism that they actually lose the real taste of Spain. It's too focused on tourism, because for example, if you go to any place on Mallorca you will find all the restaurants with all the menus writing down in German, in English, in all the languages but Spanish. In my point of view, I don't think it's nice because you go to a place where it's sunny but you find actually the same food and the same language and the same lifestyle that you find in your country or for eating. I don't think it's nice to have a holidays like this.

 

Chris: So you mean that when you go somewhere you really want to know that you're in that place, so for example, if you're in China you want to see the menu in Chinese and that's it?

 

Ade: Why not.

 

Chris: Yeah, okay, you're right. Thank you.

 

重点词汇：

 

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

stay up late

 

Everybody would think holiday, beach, staying up late, partying even.

 

When you stay up late, you go to bed at a late time. Notice the following:

 

He loves staying up late and watching TV.

If I stay up late, I am tired the next day.

the real --

 

They really want to know what the real Spain is.

 

Here, real means the normal Spain, and not the image most people have of it through media and TV. Notice the following:

 

This is the real me, not my work image.

When I travel, I like to eat the real local cuisine³, not the stuff⁴ tourists are given.

authentic

 

They are so authentic. 

 

Authentic means natural and real. Notice the following:

 

Elllo is authentic English, not fake⁵ English.

Her Gucci purse is not authetic. It is fake.

focus on

 

It's too focused on tourism.

 

When you focus on something, you give it all your attention. Notice the following:

 

You need to focus on the test.

What are you focusing on?

In my point of view

 

In my point of view, I don't think it's nice.

 

'In my point of view' just means 'in my opinion.' This is a common phrase to say before you say your opinion. Notice the following:

 

In my point of view, the government should raise taxes.

I do not agree with your point of view.

1 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。

2 authentic   

a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的

参考例句：

• This is an authentic news report. We can depend on it. 这是篇可靠的新闻报道, 我们相信它。
• Autumn is also the authentic season of renewal. 秋天才是真正的除旧布新的季节。

3 cuisine   

n.烹调，烹饪法

参考例句：

• This book is the definitive guide to world cuisine.这本书是世界美食的权威指南。
• This restaurant is renowned for its cuisine.这家餐馆以其精美的饭菜而闻名。

4 stuff   

n.原料，材料，东西；vt.填满；吃饱

参考例句：

• We could supply you with the stuff in the raw tomorrow.明天我们可以供应你原材料。
• He is not the stuff.他不是这个材料。

5 fake   

vt.伪造，造假，假装；n.假货，赝品

参考例句：

• He can tell a fake from the original.他能分辨出赝品和真品。
• You can easily fake up an excuse to avoid going out with him.你可以很容易地编造一个借口而不与他一同外出。