英语PK台 第556期:去华盛顿玩玩(2)

 　　Dialogue 1

　　Jingjing and Mark are at the Washington Monument.

　　京晶和马克在华盛顿纪念碑下

　　Mark: Well Jingjing, what do you think? It's a lot less crowded than the White House.

　　马克：京晶，怎么样，这里比白宫人少多了。

　　Jingjing: It is a lot less crowded than the White House. There's a lot more open space at least.

　　京晶：可不是吗！人少太多了！这里至少还有更多的空地。

　　Mark: Would you like to try to get in?

　　马克：想不想试一下进去看看？

　　Jingjing: Yeah. Let's go see what we're dealing¹ with.

　　京晶：好，让我们去看看我们都需要应付些什么.

　　Mark goes to have a look and then comes back to talk with Jingjing.

　　马克去看了一下，回来继续和京晶说

　　Mark: Bad news: the lift is closed for repairs. There was an earthquake several years ago, and its still being fixed². The good news is not too many people want to climb all the stairs.

　　马克：坏消息，电梯关闭维修了。几年前发生过一场地震，这里还在修缮中。好消息是，没有太多人愿意一路爬上去。

　　Jingjing: Do you feel like getting a workout?

　　京晶：想要来一场锻炼吗？

　　Mark: I'm up for it, if you'd like to see a spectacular view.

　　马克：我行啊。如果你想看那壮观的景色。

　　Jingjing: It's probably worth it. Let's deal with security and get started on those stairs.

　　京晶：也许是值得的。我们先对付通过安检这事吧，然后开始爬楼。

　　Jingjing and Mark are climbing.

　　京晶和马克在爬楼中

　　Jingjing: Wow, it didn't look that tall from the outside. How much farther?

　　京晶：哇哦，外面看着没那么高啊！还有多远？

　　Mark: You know what? I didn't bother to check before we started. There was a big plaque³ with lots of information. I only remember some of it.

　　马克：你知道吗，我们开始爬楼之前我都没有费那个事去确认一下。那儿有一个大牌子上面有详细介绍，我只记得其中一些了。

　　Jingjing: Well, you'd be helping⁴ me keep my mind off my knees if you told me some of that stuff.

　　京晶：你最好帮我把注意力从膝盖（费力攀登）上移开，如果你能跟我讲讲那些怎么介绍的。

　　Mark: Sure. It took forty years to build this. Most of that time was a stall in construction though.

　　马克：没问题。这座纪念碑花了40年建成，其中大部分时候都是在建的台基状态。

　　Jingjing: Really, I heard it's still the tallest obelisk⁵ in the world.

　　京晶：是吗，我听说它仍然是世界上最高的方尖纪念碑。

　　Mark: Yeah, and it was the tallest structure in the world for just about one year.

　　马克：是的，它成为世界上最高的建筑也就维持了一年多时间。

　　Jingjing: Ha ha. It took such a long time to set a record for such a short time. What ended up being taller?

　　京晶：哈哈，花了那么长的时间来创造了一个记录，只保持了那么短的时间。那后来哪个比它更高呢？

　　Mark: The Eiffel Tower. Oh, look, there's more light up ahead. I think we're finally near the top.

　　马克：埃菲尔铁塔。瞧，前面更轻松了。我想我们终于快到顶了。

　　New words: 习语短语：

　　open space 没有太多人或建筑的开阔区域

　　(a big area, indoors or outdoors, that is not too crowded with people or objects)

　　what we're dealing with 我们正面对的，要处理

　　(what we're faced with)

　　deal with 面对，处理

　　(face, handle)

　　You know what? 你知道发生了什么吗？（通常用于告知对方坏消息之前引起对方注意）

　　(This is usually used before another sentence with some bad news. "You know what? I forgot to bring that book you wanted to borrow.")

　　keep my mind off something 让我不去想什么事情，为了让我的思绪从某事上解脱出来

　　(keep me from thinking about something)

　　obelisk 方尖纪念碑

　　(a tall, four sided, narrow tapering⁶ monument with a pyramid on the top)

　　set a record 创纪录

　　(do something better than ever before)

　　Dialogue 2

　　Jingjing and Mark are at the top of the Washington Monument.

　　马克和京晶站在华盛顿纪念碑顶

　　Jingjing: Wow, what an incredible view!

　　京晶：哇哦！这风景也太美了吧！

　　Mark: Yeah, we take for granted being able to go to the top of tall buildings. But people a hundred years ago only had this as their chance to be 170 meters off the ground.

　　马克：是呀，我们现在能登上高楼已经习以为常了。但是一百多年前的人们只有这一个机会上到离地170米的地方。

　　Jingjing: This and the Eiffel Tower, right?

　　京晶：这个和埃菲尔铁塔都是，对吗？

　　Mark: Yeah. It's too bad we can only see through these narrow slits⁷ in the stone.

　　马克：是的。很可惜我们只能从这些石头的窄缝里往外看。

　　Jingjing: Hmm, but the good thing is there aren't so many other tall buildings around. I can see the whole city.

　　京晶：嗯，不过好在周围没有太多其他的高楼，我能看见全城。

　　Mark: The land in Washington D.C. is at a pretty low elevation⁸. I read that they had to drain a swamp to build the city here.

　　马克：华盛顿地区的海拔挺低的。我读到过为了在这里建城需要抽干沼泽。

　　Jingjing: That would explain why there are so many lakes and waterways.

　　京晶：这就能解释为什么这里有许多湖泊与河渠。

　　Mark: Jingjing, come over to this side. You can see the Lincoln Memorial.

　　马克：京晶，到这边来，你能看见林肯纪念堂。

　　Jingjing: Wow, it looks so small from up here. And, when we were there just half an hour ago, it looked huge.

　　京晶：哇，从这个高度看，它看上去好小啊。而且，我们半小时前在那儿的时候，看着简直是巨大。

　　Mark: There's still one more side to view. Oh, the Capitol building is not that far away either.

　　马克：还有一面可以看风景呢。国会大厦也在不远处。

　　Jingjing: Would you like to head over there next?

　　京晶：你想不想接下来去那儿？

　　Mark: Sure, if you can put off eating until afterwards. We'll probably catch it in the afternoon light if we start walking soon.

　　马克：可以啊。如果你可以等去完以后再吃饭的话。如果我们马上就走，也许我们能赶在下午光线最好的时候游览它。

　　Jingjing: Alright. Let's get started on the way down those stairs.

　　京晶：好。那我们开始下去吧。

　　New words: 习语短语：

　　take for granted 习以为常，理所当然

　　(expect to be able to do something, or expect to see something most of the time)

　　elevation 海拔

　　(distance, from a point on the ground, from sea level—NOT used for height of buildings)

　　head over there 去……地方

　　(go over there, start making the trip casually)

　　put off 推迟 (postpone)

　　catch 赶上看 (see something or meet someone)

　　afternoon light 下午最适合摄影的光线

1 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

2 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

3 plaque   

n.饰板，匾，(医)血小板

参考例句：

• There is a commemorative plaque to the artist in the village hall.村公所里有一块纪念该艺术家的牌匾。
• Some Latin words were engraved on the plaque. 牌匾上刻着些拉丁文。

4 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

5 obelisk   

n.方尖塔

参考例句：

• The obelisk was built in memory of those who died for their country.这座方尖塔是为了纪念那些为祖国献身的人而建造的。
• Far away on the last spur,there was a glittering obelisk.远处，在最后一个山峦上闪烁着一个方尖塔。

6 tapering   

adj.尖端细的

参考例句：

• Interest in the scandal seems to be tapering off. 人们对那件丑闻的兴趣似乎越来越小了。
• Nonproductive expenditures keep tapering down. 非生产性开支一直在下降。

7 slits   

n.狭长的口子，裂缝( slit的名词复数 )v.切开，撕开( slit的第三人称单数 )；在…上开狭长口子

参考例句：

• He appears to have two slits for eyes. 他眯着两眼。
• "You go to--Halifax,'she said tensely, her green eyes slits of rage. "你给我滚----滚到远远的地方去！" 她恶狠狠地说，那双绿眼睛冒出了怒火。

8 elevation   

n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高

参考例句：

• The house is at an elevation of 2,000 metres.那幢房子位于海拔两千米的高处。
• His elevation to the position of General Manager was announced yesterday.昨天宣布他晋升总经理职位。