英语听力：自然百科 琅勃拉邦

 Hi, I'm Paddy Kim. In this edition we journey to Laos, what I would call "a real hidden gem¹ of a destination", located in Southeast Asia. We take you now to Luang Prabang. It's an ancient royal city that sits on the Mekong River, a place where you'll find that the spirit of Buddhism² is alive and well. 

 

The day begins as it has for hundreds of years. Here in this "City of the Golden Buddha³", as it's called, Buddhist⁴ monks⁵ gather in temples to pray and meditate⁶. Now if you can start your day early enough, you'll catch a sight that's definitely worth losing a bit of sleep for. At dawn, a stream of young monks carrying begging bowls through the streets, they collect bits of food and rice from women waiting on the roadside. Every morning, this silent ritual provides the monks with the simple breakfast, something they eat with great thanks. These are the kinds of timeless rituals that you see played out each day in Luang Prabang, the ancient royal capital of Laos. 

 

The best time to arrive in this beautiful city is probably during the dry and cool season which is between November and February. Once in Luang Prabang, check out the main road that passes by some of the city's most ornate temples and colorful signs of worship. Luang Prabang is a pretty small place and the best way to explore is on foot. You can walk literally⁷ every street and alley⁸ in town, and just about everywhere you go, you'll stumble onto a great photo opportunity. 

 

The Lao are very conservative when it comes to dress. So, if you do plan on visiting a monastery⁹, don't forget to cover up. Keeping a big scarf in your backpack will probably do the trick. Wearing sandals or shoes that you can slip on and off easily is highly recommended, since it is customary to take off your shoes before entering a Lao home or temple. 

 

For people looking for something a little off the beaten path, a glimpse of the secret is what makes Luang Prabang in Laos one of the most rewarding places to begin your search.

 

1 gem   

n.宝石，珠宝；受爱戴的人 [同]jewel

参考例句：

• The gem is beyond my pocket.这颗宝石我可买不起。
• The little gem is worth two thousand dollars.这块小宝石价值两千美元。

2 Buddhism   

n.佛教（教义）

参考例句：

• Buddhism was introduced into China about 67 AD.佛教是在公元67年左右传入中国的。
• Many people willingly converted to Buddhism.很多人情愿皈依佛教。

3 Buddha   

n.佛；佛像；佛陀

参考例句：

• Several women knelt down before the statue of Buddha and prayed.几个妇女跪在佛像前祈祷。
• He has kept the figure of Buddha for luck.为了图吉利他一直保存着这尊佛像。

4 Buddhist   

adj./n.佛教的，佛教徒

参考例句：

• The old lady fell down in adoration before Buddhist images.那老太太在佛像面前顶礼膜拜。
• In the eye of the Buddhist,every worldly affair is vain.在佛教徒的眼里，人世上一切事情都是空的。

5 monks   

n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The monks lived a very ascetic life. 僧侣过着很清苦的生活。
• He had been trained rigorously by the monks. 他接受过修道士的严格训练。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 meditate   

v.想，考虑，（尤指宗教上的）沉思，冥想

参考例句：

• It is important to meditate on the meaning of life.思考人生的意义很重要。
• I was meditating,and reached a higher state of consciousness.我在冥想，并进入了一个更高的意识境界。

7 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

8 alley   

n.小巷，胡同；小径，小路

参考例句：

• We live in the same alley.我们住在同一条小巷里。
• The blind alley ended in a brick wall.这条死胡同的尽头是砖墙。

9 monastery   

n.修道院，僧院，寺院

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• She was appointed the superior of the monastery two years ago.两年前她被任命为这个修道院的院长。