VOA常速英语2007年-Writer Finds Offbeat Destinations for the Holid

By Mike O'Sullivan
Los Angeles
21 December 2007

Most Americans spend time with their families over the holidays, but some enjoy traveling. Writer Chris Epting has found some unusual holiday destinations around the United States. He spoke¹ with VOA's Mike O'Sullivan in Los Angeles.

Epting says, if people are creative, they can find unusual destinations for Christmas. History lovers can visit the place where George Washington made a daring river crossing during the American Revolution. The dangerous journey near Trenton, New Jersey², marked a turning point in the war.

"Washington crossed the Delaware [River] on Christmas Day, 1776, so why not go to that spot? There's a wonderful plaque³ there by the river where he launched his boat. And you don't think of that as being necessarily Christmas-themed, but it did happen on that day," said Epting.

Epting, who writes books on unusual travel destinations, says visitors to New York can get a drink in a tavern⁴ where the writer O. Henry wrote a famous Christmas story in the early 1900s. The pub is called Pete's Tavern.

"And O. Henry went in there and sat at a table and wrote the story of 'The Gift of the Magi,' a wonderful holiday classic," said Epting. "You can go and sit at that table today, and they've got the story framed behind you as you sit. And on a wintry night, the fire is going, you can sit in this cozy⁵ little wonderfully rich wooden booth, and think about O. Henry writing that story right there."

For movie fans, an unlikely Christmas venue⁶ is the California resort town of Palm Desert. Amid the sage⁷ brush and cactus⁸, writer-director Frank Capra wrote the script of a classic Christmas movie, which starred Jimmy Stewart.

STEWART: "Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas."

EPTING: You can go where Frank Capra used to go and write. Back then, it wasn't a big resort. It was sort of a desert getaway for celebrities⁹, and it was very low-key. And his bungalow¹⁰ there is where he wrote, 'It's A Wonderful Life.' You don't have to go to stay there. There's a plaque outside, and the hotel is pretty nice of [about] letting you go and just take a picture of it, especially if no one is staying there. But his typewriter is in there on the desk."

People can visit the house in Cleveland where the film Christmas Story was shot.

St. Paul, Minnesota, boasts the world's biggest snowman, and Denver, Colorado, the biggest light display.

"Denver has gone over the top," said Epting. "It's almost like an arms race of cities that want to become the pre-eminent lighting¹¹ places for the holidays, and, to their credit, they've done a wonderful job. But, around the country, there are plenty of places, a lot of small towns and big cities alike, that love to adorn¹² their city."

Epting says New York has the world's biggest menorah to mark the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, and the Christmas tree cut each year for display at Rockefeller Plaza¹³ is famous for its enormous size.

People in California can visit what is known as the nation's Christmas tree in Sequoia¹⁴ National Park.

"And it's incredible," said Epting. "You know, sequoias are these large majestic¹⁵ trees. It's one of the largest living things on earth. And during the holidays up there, they usually get some nice snow. And they do Christmas ceremonies in the weeks leading up to the holiday, which are really nice and very traditional. And you're standing¹⁶ in this forest of giants. It's very peaceful and calm and tranquil¹⁷."

He says visitors to the other parts of the country can stop by towns called Santa Claus, Indiana, or Fort Christmas, Florida, which are also popular with holiday tourists.

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

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 tavern   

n.小旅馆，客栈；小酒店

参考例句：

• There is a tavern at the corner of the street.街道的拐角处有一家酒馆。
• Philip always went to the tavern,with a sense of pleasure.菲利浦总是心情愉快地来到这家酒菜馆。

5 cozy   

adj.亲如手足的，密切的，暖和舒服的

参考例句：

• I like blankets because they are cozy.我喜欢毛毯，因为他们是舒适的。
• We spent a cozy evening chatting by the fire.我们在炉火旁聊天度过了一个舒适的晚上。

6 venue   

n.犯罪地点，审判地，管辖地，发生地点，集合地点

参考例句：

• The hall provided a venue for weddings and other functions.大厅给婚礼和其他社会活动提供了场所。
• The chosen venue caused great controversy among the people.人们就审判地点的问题产生了极大的争议。

7 sage   

n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的

参考例句：

• I was grateful for the old man's sage advice.我很感激那位老人贤明的忠告。
• The sage is the instructor of a hundred ages.这位哲人是百代之师。

8 cactus   

n.仙人掌

参考例句：

• It was the first year that the cactus had produced flowers.这是这棵仙人掌第一年开花。
• The giant cactus is the vegetable skycraper.高大的仙人掌是植物界巨人。

9 celebrities   

n.（尤指娱乐界的）名人( celebrity的名词复数 )；名流；名声；名誉

参考例句：

• He only invited A-list celebrities to his parties. 他只邀请头等名流参加他的聚会。
• a TV chat show full of B-list celebrities 由众多二流人物参加的电视访谈节目

10 bungalow   

n.平房，周围有阳台的木造小平房

参考例句：

• A bungalow does not have an upstairs.平房没有上层。
• The old couple sold that large house and moved into a small bungalow.老两口卖掉了那幢大房子，搬进了小平房。

11 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

12 adorn   

vt.使美化，装饰

参考例句：

• She loved to adorn herself with finery.她喜欢穿戴华丽的服饰。
• His watercolour designs adorn a wide range of books.他的水彩设计使许多图书大为生色。

13 plaza   

n.广场，市场

参考例句：

• They designated the new shopping centre York Plaza.他们给这个新购物中心定名为约克购物中心。
• The plaza is teeming with undercover policemen.这个广场上布满了便衣警察。

14 sequoia   

n.红杉

参考例句：

• The sequoia national forest is at the southern end of the sierra nevada range.红杉国家公园位于内华达山脉南端尽头处。
• The photo shows the enormous general Sherman tree in California's sequoia national park.照片显示的是加利福尼亚州红杉国家公园内巨大的谢尔曼将军树。

15 majestic   

adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的

参考例句：

• In the distance rose the majestic Alps.远处耸立着雄伟的阿尔卑斯山。
• He looks majestic in uniform.他穿上军装显得很威风。

16 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

17 tranquil   

adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的

参考例句：

• The boy disturbed the tranquil surface of the pond with a stick. 那男孩用棍子打破了平静的池面。
• The tranquil beauty of the village scenery is unique. 这乡村景色的宁静是绝无仅有的。