书城外语玩转幽默英语
10943400000009

第9章 Travel and Transport旅游与交通

交通是一个城市最主要的部分。在城市里,主要的公共交通方式是公交车、出租车和地铁。在旅游和出门时,我们至少会用一种交通方式。坐飞机、出租车、地铁、公交车不仅方便自己的生活,也能让人发现生活的乐趣。

A:I am finding it difficult to get a train ticket home for the Spring Festival. Last year I stood for 25 hours from Beijing to Chengdu, so I need a seat this year. Any ideas?A:我发现春节的时候要想买一张回家的火车票实在太难了。去年我从北京一直站到了成都,整整25个小时。今年我得买张坐票。你觉得呢?B:The best thing to do is to try your own university first. They offer hard seats and their fee is only 5 yuan.B:最好的办法还是先在你们学校试试。在学校里可以订到硬座票,要5块钱的手续费。A:But my university is not on the Beijing Railway Bureau's list of 100 privileged colleges and universities. I can only apply as a member of a group and not as an individual. It is too much trouble so I'd rather try an agency or the railway station.A:可是我们学校不在北京铁路局的100所重点院校名单之列。我只能等着团体购票,不能独自购买,太麻烦了!我宁愿去车票代理点或者车站。B:Well, an agency may charge you between 20 to 30 yuan and sometimes they don't guarantee a ticket.B:代理点要收你20元到30元的手续费,而且有时候他们还不保证能买到票。A:I'd rather try the station but there is always a long queue and it takes ages to get a ticket.A:那我就去试试,可是那里得排大队,花好长时间才能买到票。B:I heard some of the students getting their friends to go with them to queue. That way you stand a better chance of getting a ticket!B:我听说有些学生叫上自己的朋友一起去排队,那样买到票的几率就会大一些。A:I don't really want to ask my friends to queue all day.A:我不想让我的朋友陪我排一整天的队。B:If you don't want to queue then you can always try a scalper!B:你要是不想排队,也可以试试找票贩子。A:If I can't get a ticket any other way then I will try that.A:要是我怎么都买不到票,我就会找票贩子的。B:You can try going online. I know there are a few sites that offer tickets.B:你可以试试在网上买。我知道有些网站可以在线购票。A:That's worth a try too. Thanks Bob.A:这倒值得一试。谢谢你。

A:Hey, where are you heading?A:嘿,你去哪儿?B:I am going to Wudaokou, and you?B:我要去五道口,你呢?A:Me too, I am going to take some food to my boyfriend. We can take the same bus, if you like?A:我也是,给我男朋友买点吃的。咱们可以坐同一辆车,怎么样?B:Sure, but why not let your boyfriend pay for a taxi, it is more convenient.B:好啊,但是干嘛不让你男朋友掏钱打车去呢?那多方便啊。A:Well, the taxi driver overcharges sometimes. The first day I came to Beijing, it cost me 60 RMB from the west train station to Beijing Normal University.A:出租司机有时候多要钱。我第一天来北京的时候,从北京西站打车到北师大,要了我60块!B:Oh, that is really bad. Here comes the bus.B:那么糟!车来了。A:Hey, granny, come and sit here.A:老奶奶,您坐这里吧。B:I never give up my seat if there are young men around. They should give up their seat.B:我身边要是坐着年轻的男士,我就决不让坐。他们应该先让。A:Come on, we give seats to old people out of respect. If others don't want to give up their seats it is because they have no manners.A:得了,我们给老人让座是出于一种尊敬。别人不想让座,是因为他们没有礼貌。B:Oh,last time,when I hurt my leg and B:记得上次,我把腿伤了,上车以后每个got on a bus,everyone saw I was limping but no one gave me a seat.I was so disappointed. 人都看见我一瘸一拐的,可就是没有人给我让座,我失望极了。A:I am sure next time you will get a seat when you are pregnant.A:我保证你怀孕的时候有人给你让座。B:Hey, what are you talking about?B:嘿!说什么呢你?

A:Which city has the best subway do you think?A:你觉得哪个城市的地铁最好?B:Well, I think subways are the same in every city. But Beijing is the oldest in China. Although it seems a little bit old fashioned, I still like Beijing best.B:我觉得每个城市的地铁都一样。但北京的是最老的。尽管有些跟不上时代,但我还是最喜欢北京的地铁。A:Oh, why do you say old fashioned?A:你为什么说跟不上时代了?B:Because the tickets are sold manually while the subways in other cities are automated. What's more, some subway stations have protective screens, as in Shenzhen. This will be safer for the passengers who are waiting for the train.B:因为其他城市都已经自动化售票了,北京还是人工售票呢。而且有些城市的地铁有保护屏,比如深圳。这对等车人来说就安全多了。A:Yes, that's really good. How about Shanghai's subway?A:嗯,确实不错。上海的地铁怎么样?B:Well, Shanghai's subway covers most of the city with five lines. And the second line goes under the Huangpu River and connects with Pudong and Puxi.B:上海的地铁有五条,覆盖了城市的大部分地区。二号线从黄浦江下面穿过,连接浦东和浦西。A:Really? A subway under water! That's different. Perhaps they should call that part submarine rather than subway! I would love to go on that.A:真的?在水下的地铁!这还真是与众不同。应该把那一段叫做水下隧道,而不是地铁。我想去坐一坐试试。B:Yes,me too!The first line was designed by a German but this one was Chinese designed.But Shanghai has the same design as Beijing.There are too many stairs in every station and B:我也想!一号线是由德国人设计的,但这条线是由中国人设计的。不过上海也有和北京同样的设计,就是每个站点和中转站都有好多楼梯,人们需要走很多路。transit stations.People have to walk a lot.A:Come on, don't be such a lazy bone!A:得了,别那么懒!

1.He stands a better chance of succeeding in the experiment.

stand a better chance of意思是“更有可能,大有希望”。相对的stand no chance of, 是“没有可能,没有希望的”意思。如:

She stands no chance of promotion.

她没有希望升职了。

2.He is a lazy bone.

他是个懒骨头。

a lazy bone意思是“懒骨头,懒惰的人”。写在一起lazybones 既可以用做单数也可以用做复数,也是“懒汉,懒骨头”的意思。

火车train

节日festival

费用fee

地铁railway

特权privilege

个人individual

代理agency

保证,担保guarantee

队列queue

票贩子scalper

方便的convenient

额外付费overcharge

正常的normal

尊重respect

礼仪manner

怀孕的pregnant

时尚fashion

自动的manual

自动化automate

保护的protective

屏幕screen

乘客passenger

链接connect

海下的submarine

电梯lift

潜力potential

楼梯stairs

设计design

覆盖cover

变迁,运输transit

千米kilometer

懒惰的lazy

骨头bone

一、翻译下列对话:

(一)Two Babies两个宝宝

Two babies were sat in their cribs, when one baby shouted to the other:

A:Are you a little girl or a little boy?

B:I don't know.

A:What do you mean, you don't know?

B:I mean I don't know how to tell the difference.

A:Well, I do. I will climb into your crib and find out.

After a few seconds he resurfaced with a big grin on his face.

A:You are a little girl, and I am a little boy.

B:You are ever so clever, but how can you tell?

A:It is quite easy really, you have got pink booties and I have got blue ones.

(二)Kids孩子

As I was trying to pack for vacation,my 3yearold daughter was having a wonderful time playing on the bed.

At one point, the child said “Mom, look at this!” and stuck out two of her fingers. Trying to keep her entertained, I reached out and stuck her fingers in my mouth and said“Mommy gonna eat your fingers!”

After a while I returned again and noticed my daughter was standing on the bed starting at her fingers with a devastated look on her face. I said, “What's wrong, honey?”

My daughter replied, “Where's my plasticine on my nail?”

二、根据所提供词或词组完成下列句子:

professor

university

improve

impossible

urge

chance

continueJack had gone to the(1)to study history. But at the end of his first year, his(2)asked him to leave the university. His father want to see the professor to (3)him to let Jack(4)his studies.

A:He is a good boy and if you let him pass this time, I am sure he will (5)a lot next year and pass the examinations at the end of it really well.

B:No, no, that is quite (6). Do you know, last month I asked him when Napoleon had died, he didn't know!

A:Please, sir, give him another (7). You see, I am afraid we don't take any newspaper in our house, so none of us even know that Napoleon was ill.

旅行是件让人身心愉快的事,旅行中的见闻更是千奇百怪。

A:Which city in China is the best one to visit?A:中国哪个城市最值得一去?B:That's difficult to answer because I think every city and area has its own special features. They say that Hangzhou, Dalian and Chengdu are the best cities to live in.B:这很难说,我觉得每一个城市和地区都有自己的特别之处。人们都说杭州、大连和成都是最适合居住的城市。A:Well, I prefer oldstyle China to modern cities. I think that many Chinese cities are becoming the same. All are glass and concrete and no discernable Chinesestyle architecture.A:嗯,与现代城市相比,我更喜欢老式的中国。我觉得中国的很多城市都趋于同样化。四处都是现代的高楼大厦,却没有清晰可辨的中国式建筑。B:Then Pingyao is the place for you! It is a traditional Chinese walled city. You will love it there.B:平遥古城肯定适合你!那是一个传统的中国砖墙小城,你肯定喜欢。A:You mean all the walls are still intact? Can I walk on top of them?A:你是说所有的城墙都完好无损?我可以在上面走吗?B:Sure. But the walls are about 6 kilometers long so you may prefer a pedicab.B:当然了。不过城墙有6千米呢,你最好还是叫辆三轮车。A:That sounds like a good idea. What's the city like inside?A:这个主意听起来不错。城里面是什么样的?B:There are about 3,000 courtyards although only 400 of them have been restored but it allows you to see what life would have been like in the past.B:城里大约有3 000个院子,尽管只有400个得到了修复,但你可以从中了解到过去的生活方式。A:That's more to my liking!A:正合我的胃口啊!B:You can also see some draft banks.B:你也可以看看票号。A:Draft banks! What are they?A:票号!是什么东西啊?B:Chinese banks used to deal only in silver,but in the early part of the 19th century they started to use paper drafts. This made it much easier and safer to transfer money around the county. One of the most famous banks is called Ri Sheng Chang, you can visit it.B:中国的银行过去只经营银子,但是在19世纪早期,便开始使用银票。这使得货币在国内的流通变得更加简便与安全。其中,最著名的票号叫做“日升昌”。A:I will definitely go there when I have a few days to spare!A:能抽出时间我一定去!

A:Of all the places in China I would love to visit I would have to say that Tibet would be my number one choice.A:在我想去的所有中国旅游胜地中,西藏是我的首选。B:It is funny you should say that because I tried to go there during the May holidays but all the train tickets were sold. I could have flown but with the new QingzangTibet railway opening up that just has to be the only way to travel!B:真有意思,你竟然这样说,我五一的时候想去,但火车票都卖光了,所以没有去成。我本可以坐飞机去,不过既然青藏铁路已经开通了,所以坐火车应该是最好的选择。A:I agree! I know it takes two days but at least you can say you have traveled across the roof of the world.A:我同意!我知道坐火车要花两天时间,但至少你可以说自己穿越了世界屋脊。B:And don't forget the marvelous views on the way. And then you arrive at Lhasa! I have a Tibetan friend and he says the best time to go is during one of their festivals.B:不要忘了一路上的壮观景色。然后就到了拉萨。我有一个藏族朋友,他说你最好赶在节日期间去那里。A:When are they?A:他们什么时候过节?B:There are at least nine major ones and B:西藏至少有九个大节日和一些小节日。several minor ones.If you ask at the travel agency I am sure they will tell you. 你问旅行社,他们肯定会告诉你的。A:It is really high up there. I hope I don't get altitude sickness!A:那里的海拔真的很高。但愿我不要有高原反应。B:Most people are OK, so you don't have to worry about that. You are more likely to get a tummy bug. My friend was telling me all about yak burgers!B:大多数人都能适应,所以你也不用担心。你很有可能会吃撑了胃。我的朋友给我介绍了好多次牦牛肉汉堡。A:Yak burgers! What is a yak?A:牦牛汉堡?牦牛是什么?B:It is a kind of long haired ox. Tibetans put yak butter in their tea as well as eating yak.B:是一种长毛的牛。藏民在茶里添加牦牛油,也吃牦牛肉。A:Yak! Yuk! I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole!A:牦牛!哈哈!我才不碰那东西呢!B:Come on! Be adventurous! When in Rome do as the Romans do!B:别啊!有点儿冒险精神好不好!入乡随俗嘛!A:I am not in Rome. I am in Beijing. So I won't do that.A:我没在罗马,我是在北京,所以不用随俗。

A:I really need a break during the May holidays. Have you any suggestion for somewhere that won't cost an arm and a leg?A:我五一假期得好好休息一下。你有什么好的建议吗?别太贵啊。B:You know it is one of the Golden Weeks and so that is when everyone travels. You will find that travel and accommodation are all more expensive then. I don't think you will find any cheap deals.B:你知道,黄金周的时候每个人都想出去。你会发现出行和住宿都特别贵。我可找不到便宜的地方。A:I still want to go somewhere. If I stay here on campus another week I will go barking mad!A:我还是想出去玩儿。再在学校里多待一周,我就该疯了。B:I know! We could go to the Goose and Duck ranch for the weekend.B:我知道。咱们周末可以去鹅和鸭农场。A:A poultry ranch?A:一个家禽农场?B:No,silly!It is a pub which owns a kind of holiday camp just outside Beijing.You can eat and drink as much as you like for only 500 yuan.B:不是,笨蛋!是一个京郊的小客栈,那里举办假日野营。只要500块,随便吃,随便喝。A:I don't just want to get fat and stagger around drunk all the time!A:我可不想发胖,也不想喝得醉醺醺的。B:They have all these activities like horse riding, archery, all kinds of sports and even paintball!B:那里还举办其他活动,比如骑马、射箭、各种运动,甚至还有彩弹游戏。A:Paintballing! I'd love to try that!A:彩弹!我很想试试!B:Yeah, me too! They even include transport from the pub and back so it is a real hasslefree holiday.B:嗯,我也想!他们甚至负责把我们送回来,这才是个无忧的假期啊。A:Count me in! Will you ring the pub and make us a booking for this weekend?A:算我一个!你用不用给他们先打个电话,预订一下这个周末?B:Sure! I will do that while you start packing.B:当然了!你开始收拾行囊的时候我就打。

1.Count me in!

count sb. in意思是“算某人一个”,比较口语化。如:

count him in.

算他一个。

2.This place costs an arm and a leg.

an arm and a leg 意思是“大笔钱”,cost an arm and a leg 就是“比较昂贵”。 如:

They cost an arm and a leg as luxury.

作为奢侈品,它们非常昂贵。

特征feature

风格style

混凝土concrete

建筑architecture

可辨认的,可识别的discernable

完好无损的intact

院子courtyard

储存restore

支票draft

银行bank

银silver

控制conduct

金融的financial

业务transaction

储藏室storeroom

无疑地definitely

西藏Tibet

屋脊roof

动听的marvelous

主要的major

代理商agency

小的minor

海拔altitude

生病sickness

肚子tummy

微生物,病菌bug

牦牛yak

汉堡burger

牛ox

藏民Tibetan

黄油butter

冒险的adventurous

罗马Rome

建议suggestion

住宿,膳食accommodation

叫,吠bark

家禽poultry

农场ranch

野营camp

醉醺醺的stagger

射箭archery

弹珠paintball

激烈争论hassle

活动activity

一、翻译下面段落:

His Fortune

生财之道

A young man asked an old rich man how he made his money. The old guy fingered his expensive wool vest and said:

Well, son, it was 1932, the depth of the Great Depression. I was down to my last nickel.

I invested that nickel in an apple. I spent the entire day polishing the apple and, at the end of the day, I sold the apple for ten cents.

The next morning, I invested those ten cents in two apples. I spent the entire day polishing them and sold them at 5:00 p.m. for 20 cents. I continued this system for a month, by the end of which I'd accumulated a fortune of $9.80.

Then my wife's father died and left us two million dollars.

二、根据所提供词或词组完成下列句子:

pardon

irritable

soup

taste

restaurant

assure

spoon

ingredients

After the recent stay in the hospital, paul was particularly(1), expecially regarding food. At a nearly(2)he stopped for a quick meal and the waiter provides a bowl of(3).

A:Waiter!

B:Yes, sir, is there something wrong?

A:The soup. (4)it.

B:I beg your (5), sir?

A:Taste it.

B:But, sir, I can (6)you that the soup is excellent.

A:Taste it.

B:Sir, the soup was made this morning of the finest(7).

A:Taste it.

B:All right, I will taste it.

Then after a pause.

B:Where is the(8)?

A:Ah, ha..