英语听力教程第三版(张民伦主编)Unit 4 Have a Nice Trip听力原文

Listen this way 听力教程第三册-4

Unit 4 Have a Nice Trip

Part I Getting ready Audioscript: ★ Australia is the world's largest island and its smallest continent. Its total area of 3 000 000 square miles is about the same as that of the continental United States (excluding Alaska).

★ The area of Nepal is about 54 000 square miles. Within its borders are five of the world's highest peaks.

★ Switzerland is a small, landlocked country, 15 944 square miles in area. It's bordered by France, Austria, and Italy.

★ More than 20 000 000 people live in Argentine. About 97 percent are of European stock. Most Argentines live on the eastern plains. Fewer than 19% live in the dry western and northwestern provinces. ★ Austria is 32 376 square miles in area. This makes it twice the size of neighboring Switzerland. There are about 7 150 000 people living in Austria. More than one third of the people live in or near Vienna, the capital city.

★ Colombia is the only country in South America with a coastline on both sides of the continent. It is a big country with an area of 439 828 square miles and about 16 300 000 persons live in Colombia.

★ Saudi Arabia's area is estimated to be about 830 000 square miles.

Almost all of Saudi Arabia's 7 000 000 people are Arabs. Today Saudi Arabia's vast oil resources are paying for the modernization of the country. Conditions there are changing more rapidly than they have for centuries.

★ Denmark proper has an area of only 16 575 square miles. It is the smallest of the Scandinavian countries -- Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. But Denmark's population of over 4 600 000 is greater than that of Norway and more than half that of Sweden.

Part II Canada

Audioscript:

Thank you for calling the Daily News Information line on Canada.

Canada is a huge country, second in size only to the former Soviet Union. Yet it has only 26 million people, which is less than half the population of the United Kingdom. It extends from the Great Lakes in the south to the majestic Rocky Mountains in the west, and the bleak Arctic Islands in the far north. A third of the country is covered by forest and there are also vast grasslands and countless lakes and rivers.

There are great variations in climate. Winters are extremely cold except in Vancouver which has a milder climate owing to its location on the west coast, so take a heavy overcoat and a fur hat. Canadian

summers are warm on the whole, especially inland, so you'll only need lightweight clothing.

A quarter of all Canadians, mainly those living in the province of Quebec in the east, speak French as their first language. In addition, there are half a million American Indians, a million Germans and smaller numbers of Italians, Ukranians and Inuit. Canada has two official languages: English and French, except in the province of Quebec where French alone is the official language. You'll find English spoken virtually everywhere apart from Quebec and if you plan to visit Quebec City, you'll definitely need a French phrasebook if you don't speak French.

Eating out is a pleasure in Canada and you'll find restaurants, coffee shops and snack bars to suit every pocket. Menus offer a wide choice with excellent seafood like Pacific salmon, lobsters and clams, meat dishes including moose steaks and beefsteaks, and also a range of ethnic foods. For the sweet course, the specialty/speciality is waffles, a kind of thick pancake, served with maple syrup. Beer is good but foreign wines, even those from neighboring America, tend to be quite dear and local wines are not particularly good.

Canada has some of the world's most modern shopping centers. Clothes tend to be slightly expensive by European standards but there

are some bargains to be had. Good buys include moccasins, a kind of soft leather shoe made by Indians, woolen gloves and sweaters, wood carvings, leather goods and maple syrup, of course.

The unit of currency is the Canadian dollar. Banking hours are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Thursday and till later on Fridays.

Have a good trip, and thank you for calling the information line. Part III Travelling around Australia Audioscript:

Nancy: Oh, David, hi! You know, I've been meaning to talk to you. I'm planning a trip to Australia, and I wonder if you could give me

some advice.

David: Sure! What... what do you want to know?

Nancy: Well, I thought I'd start my trip in Sydney. What should I see there?

David: Well, the most important thing to see, of course, is the harbor, which is the most beautiful in the world.

Nancy: Oh, right. Do they have boat trips?

David: Yeah, of course, they do. They have wonderful boat trips! The one ... the one that I recommend particularly is ... is a trip

around Have a Nice Trip the harbor in an old sailing ship. Nancy: Oh, that sounds like lots of fun!

David: Yeah. And, of course, then there's the Sydney Opera House, which ... which everyone knows about. And, uh, you can see ...

see wonderful things there ... concerts and opera and theater. Nancy: Oh, I definitely want to go there! Now what about places to stay? Can you recommend some place inexpensive?

David: Yeah, let me see ... Probably, of course, you know I don't stay in these places, but probably the most inexpensive place

would be ... would be a backpacker's hotel. There are lots of

those.

Nancy: OK, thanks. That sounds good. Uh, where should I go after Sydney?

David: After Sydney, let's see ... I'd recommend that you travel up the coast to the Great Barrier Reef, which is in North Queensland. Nancy: Right. I've heard a lot about it! But what is there to do there?

David: Well, you can go scuba diving and see the coral reef and the tropical fish up close ...

Nancy: You know I don't like to get wet.

David: Well, there ... there're always ... always these glass-bottom boats you can ... you can travel on. They're ... they're fabulous!

Yeah, and, uh, there're ... there are literally hundreds of islands

you can explore.

Nancy: Wow! And are there places to stay?

David: Yeah, sure. If you want to spend lots of money, you can stay at one of these fabulous resort hotels or, if you want to ... want to

do it on the cheap, you can ... you can go to a guesthouse,

which are much cheaper.

Nancy: Right. That sounds good. Well, what next?

David: Next, well, I guess you should ... should go inland to ... to Ayers Rock in Uluru National Park.

Nancy: Ayers Rock? What is that? How do you spell it?

David: It's ... it's Ayers Rock. It's ... it's spelled ... let's see, A-Y-E-R-S.

It's the largest rock in the world! You must know about it!

Nancy: No kidding! No, I've never heard of it! What do you do when you visit it?

David: Well, it's mainly hiking and trekking. You can ... you can walk right round the base of it if you like. [Huh!] It takes about ...

it's ... it's about five and a half miles, I guess, but [Wow!] it's

really well worth it. And, uh, there are cave paintings in the

rock, and the colors of the rock ... at... at sunrise and sunset...

are just fabulous!

Nancy: Sounds like I should bring my camera!

David: You sure should! Finally, let's see, I guess you should travel ...

travel north to visit the Kakadu National Park.

Nancy: Kakadu? How do you spell that?

David: K-A-K-A-D-U. It's ... it's a tropical forest where you can go hiking and see all sorts of wildlife ...

Nancy: Oh?

David: Oh, and there are some beautiful waterfalls there as well. Nancy: And do they allow camping there?

David: Yeah, there are lots and lots of campsites. The only thing is that you've got to watch out for the crocodiles!

Nancy: Ugh! Well, David, thanks a lot! You've been a big help! David: No problem.

Nancy: I can't wait to go!

Statements:

1. When David was in Sydney, he didn't stay there for night.

2. The Great Barrier Reef is in South Queensland in Australia.

3. From what Nancy says, one can know that she is fond of swimming.

4. In Uluru National Park, Nancy can see the largest rock in the world.

5. If Nancy likes to walk around the base of the rock, she has to walk about five miles.

6. Nancy will bring her camera with her when she travels in Australia.

7. There are no crocodiles in the tropical forest in Australia.

Part IV More about the topic:

The story of Denver Audioscript: :

Denver is the largest city and the capital of the western state of Colorado. There's a marker on the step in the State Capitol Building.

Standing there, you are exactly 1.6 kilometers above sea level, one mile high. Denver is known as "the-mile-high city", but it does not appear to be that high. This is because it is built almost completely on smooth flat land. Denver is the largest city of the Rocky Mountains. Many people believe it is actually in the Rocky Mountains. However, it is about 50 kilometers east of them.

The city of Denver has a population of about 470 000 people. This makes it the 26th largest city in the United States. The area around Denver has more than 1 600 000 people. City officials are proud of the fact that Denver receives more than 300 days of sunshine a year. Storms moving east across the country lose much of their strength in the Rockies. So Denver gets only about 3 5 centimeters of rain and snow a year. The nearby mountains, however, get a lot more than that.

Denver is the business and marketing center for all the Rocky Mountain area. It has more than 1 500 manufacturing companies. Food processing is the main manufacturing activity. Other factories make equipment for the defense, space, high technology and transportation industries. Gold production is also important. Denver is home to companies that control half the gold produced in the United States.

The computer and communications industries have become increasingly important in recent years. Denver has the third highest

number of high technology jobs in relation to the population. The area also has become a center for companies that do business in other countries. This is true throughout the western states. In fact, more jobs in the American west are linked to foreign trade than in any other part of the country.

Tourism is also an important industry in Denver. For example, the Colorado History Museum shows the history of the native American Indians, gold miners and other people who moved to Colorado. The Denver Museum of Natural History shows Indian objects and examples of local wildlife. Many visitors to Colorado and the Rocky Mountains use Denver's new international airport, which opened in 1995. It was the first major new airport built in the United States in 21 years. It cost almost 5 000 million dollars. It is the largest airport in North America, almost 90 000 passengers land at Denver International Airport each day.

There is a lot to see and do in Denver. The State Capitol Building is in the center of the city. The top is covered with more than 500 g of gold. On a clear day, a visitor to the Capitol can see for a distance of almost 250 kilometers. 87 years ago, city officials began to purchase land to make sure it would be protected from development. Today, the city owns 8 000 hectares. On this land, Denver has built the largest city

park system in the nation. Finally, there's Larama Square. It is a business area that is said to look like Denver of the early 1900s. Larama Square is filled with old buildings, gas lights and vehicles pulled by horses. It is a part of the new Denver that lives in the past.

Part V Do you know ...? Audioscript:

1.-- This country is an island, and it has a very small population,

and most of the population live in the capital city.

-- Is it a very dry country?

-- Um -- no.

-- Is it in the Caribbean?

-- No, it isn't.

-- Is it in the Pacific?

-- No.

-- Is it in Europe? (Uh, huh)

-- Is it divided into two halves?

-- No.

-- Is it very popular for tourists?

-- Not really, no.

-- Is it in the Mediterranean?

-- No.

-- Is it in the Atlantic?

-- Um, yes, I think so.

-- It's not Iceland, is it?

-- Yes.

2.--This country is quite a large country. It has changed its capital

since the Second World War, and it's famous for its jungles.

-- Is it an African country?

-- No, it isn't.

-- Is it a South American country?

-- Yes.

-- Sorry, did you say it was large or small?

-- Er, pretty large, (large)

-- Does it have a newly built capital?

-- Yes, it does.

-- Brazil?

-- Brazil. That's correct.

3.-- This is a small country. It's mountainous and it has a small

population.

-- Is it in Europe?

-- No.

-- Is it in Asia?

-- No.

-- South America?

-- No.

-- Africa?

-- No.

-- North America?

-- No.

-- Is it a hot country?

-- Slightly hotter than Britain.

-- Does it have a dry climate or ... ?

-- No, it has a very wet climate.

-- A small population, you said?

-- Yes.

-- Is it an island country?

-- Yes.

-- Divided into two islands?

-- Yes.

-- Is it New Zealand?

-- Yes.

Part VII Watch and enjoy Videoscript:

Dan Cruickshank:

Over the past month, I've traveled through the Americas from Peru to New York. My next stop is another of the world's great modern cities.

In little more than 200 years, Sydney has gone from being a dumping ground for British convicts to a confident metropolis, with a number of potential treasures I'm keen to see. I've come to Sydney to seek my treasure. To find the treasure that captures the extraordinary history, the spirit of this city and this nation. There are several contenders.

The first one is obvious -- The Sydney Opera House. It's the great Australian icon and one of the most celebrated buildings of the 20th century.

The Opera House was designed in 1957 by a Danish architect, Jorn Utzon. The Opera House was one of the most memorable buildings of the 20th century. Its forms are so strong. They're like a symbol for the city. These great shells one upon the other, incredibly powerful. The influences are complex. Utzon looked at many things. He'd been to Mexico, seen Mayan architecture. He loved the platform. I'm on the platform now. The shells rise from -- rise from the platform. Below are sort of the service parts of the buildings, and these great steps, again from the great Mayan temples in Mexico. So he's thinking

of ancient sacred buildings. Utzon also took inspiration from nature. He needed to make the structure easy to build. His solution was ingenious. The shape of each of these shells originates from one form -- a sphere. If one takes an orange and one cuts it into components, I'm now creating the surface of the shells on a miniscule scale. And these surface shapes of standard geometrical form are the basis of the shell structure of the city Opera House, you see. Incredible this use of nature, use of simple forms, use of powerful elemental geometry, use of modern building materials -- concrete, all very ingenious, to create emblematic building, which sums up the city, which has captured the imagination of the world, which says Sydney.

My heart sinks when I enter the Opera House. It seems like another building. The imaginative design of the exterior has not been repeated inside. It's all because in 1966 Uzton walked off the project after rows over the design and escalating budget. The consequences of Uzton's resignation were, well, tragic really. The fact is the relationship between the inside and the outside is, er, what shall one say -- unresolved, unsatisfactory. It's good in parts, but not as good as it ought to be and that's very sad. A masterpiece has been flawed.