我们都喜欢呆在户外，迟迟不愿归家，任狂风呼啸穿透自己的身体，就像穿透光秃秃的枯木那样，与冬日融为一体——就好像我们希望以此借得纯洁与坚韧的美德，一年四季都深受惠泽。
The Longest River in France 法国最长的河流
◎Swapril Srivastave
The Loire,the longest river in France,rises south of the Central Massif and flows into the Atlantic Ocean 1020 km later.This is the part that goes from the city of Orleans to the city of Tours,enclosing that area of the Loire Valley in which over 100 magnificent castles lie.
What we are looking at is the castle of Beauregard.In this residence the central part has a double gallery with arcades opening onto the ground floor which was commissioned by Jean de Thier,secretary of state to Henri II.There is a collection of paintings quite unique in the world.
This sumptuous salon,built in the 17th century,which is covered with exquisite woodwork and has a marvelous ceiling with decorated beams,contains over 300 portraits going from the first sovereign of the Valois up to Louis XIII of Bourbon.Here is Charles VIII,Louis XII and Francois I,it was primarily they who brought to the region:painters,cabinet-makers,sculptors,and architects,who were to live and work here.
In this chapel,which has a nave and two aisles,there lies the tomb of a genius:Leonardo Da Vinci.Leonardo arrived in Amboise in 1517,having been invited to the court by Francois I,and was put up in this residence which is called Cols-Luce.The artist lived out the last years of his life here and Francois I acquired that masterpiece that even today represents one of France's treasures:the Mona Lisa.
We continue on our way to visit another very special castle:Villandry.Built on the banks of the Loire in 1536 it is distinguished by its architectural peculiarity,which is characterized above all by its rectangular pavilions instead of round towers.But its fame is especially connected to the marvelous Italianate gardens.Here in Villandry he called Don Pacello da Mercogliano to the court,which were more a great Italian artist rather than a gardener.On the lower level,there is the decorative vegetable garden,the most visually striking and original of the whole estate.It is amazing to see how simple lettuces and vegetables manage to have this ornamental quality.
Excellent wines are produced in the many vineyards in the ancient province of Touraine,which lies around Tours.Wines that make you love this area even more,just as the great writer Honore de Balzac also loved it.And in Touraine you also learn to love wine.Its history dates back as far as the Gauls and its international.Reputation has certainly no need of further comment.
The ones here are the dry white Sancerre,strong and vibrant,Vouvray,sparking and clear,it looks like a waterfall of pearls.This wine reminded Rabelais,the great writer of the 16th century,of taffeta,a silky and delicate fabric.
Those who love glowing reds will not be disappointed by the Loirs Valley:here is Bourgueil,with the strong perfume of raspberries.Chinon,on the other hand,has a delicate hint of violets.
And so,glasses raised.A toast to the beauty of these dreamlike-places.
A journey on the Loire is a meander in history,art and daily life.It is in a corner of Europe that etched itself deeply in the heart and mind.
卢瓦尔河是法国最长的河流，发源于南部中央高原，蜿蜒1020公里后注入大西洋。从奥尔良市至图尔市的这段流域，坐落着100多座宏伟的城堡，正是卢瓦尔山谷所在地。现在我们看到的是波雷加德城堡。建筑中央是一座双层画廊，拱廊开口位于底楼，画廊由亨利二世的国务大臣让·德·蒂尔受命建造，其中藏有多幅世间独一无二的珍品油画。这所豪华沙龙会馆建于17世纪，四壁用精美的木艺装饰铺就，天花板上的横梁装饰同样精美非凡，令人啧啧称奇。沙龙里陈列了300多幅君主的肖像，从瓦卢瓦王朝的首任君王到波旁王朝的路易十三世，不一而足。这是查理八世、路易十二世和弗朗索瓦一世，正是他们把画家、木匠、雕塑家和建筑师带到这片区域，而城堡就是他们的工坊兼住处。这座小教堂内设一座中殿和两条走廊，一代画师雷奥纳多·达·芬奇就安葬在此。1517年，达·芬奇觐见过弗朗索瓦一世后来到安博瓦兹，并被安排居住在克勒斯——鲁斯城堡。大师在这里度过了他的余生，弗朗索瓦一世也因此得到了达·芬奇的杰作——《蒙娜丽莎》。时至今日，这幅画作依然是法国的国宝级代表作品。我们继续向前，参观另一座非常特别的城堡：维朗德里。城堡于1536年建于卢瓦尔河畔，与众不同之处就是它奇特的建筑风格——出其不意地采用了亭阁式方顶，而不是塔楼式穹顶。但这座城堡之所以四海闻名，还是因为这里非凡的意大利式花园。在维朗德里城堡内，堂·帕切罗·达·默克格里亚诺曾受召前来觐见，与其说帕切罗是名园丁，倒不如说是一名伟大的意大利艺术家。他在底楼设计了一座装饰性蔬菜园，视觉上极具冲击力，是整个城堡里最具原创性的景观。莴苣等蔬菜就那么随意地自行生长，却能完成装饰的使命，亲眼看着这一切发生，令人惊叹不已。图尔市所在的都兰郡历史悠久，郡内葡萄园众多，盛产优质葡萄酒。品一口葡萄酒，就会令你加倍热爱这片土地，伟大的作家巴尔扎克也是这样爱上这里的。在都兰郡，你还会学到如何热爱葡萄酒。葡萄酒历史悠久，早在高卢时期就已享誉全球，此处已无需多言。这里出产有醇香激越的桑赛尔干白，以及晶莹剔透的武弗雷白葡萄酒，宛若珍珠串成的瀑布。这种酒曾令16世纪的伟大作家拉伯雷想起一种丝般光滑的精美织物——塔夫绸。倘若诸位喜爱热情洋溢的红葡萄酒，那么卢瓦尔山谷也不会令你们失望，因为这里既有散发着树莓馥郁香气的布尔盖伊红酒，还有成色如紫罗兰般温婉雅致的希农红酒。那么，就让我们举起酒杯，为这些如梦似幻的美丽城堡干杯吧。卢瓦尔河之旅让你尽情徜徉在汇聚历史、艺术与日常生活的长河之中，相信这欧洲一隅已深深镌刻进每个人的心灵之中。文化小课堂一条伟大河流的美丽之处往往体现于它滋养的当地文化。卢瓦尔河则素以壮丽的城堡、精美艺术和酒文化闻名于世。卢瓦尔河之旅会让你尽情徜徉在汇聚历史、艺术与日常生活的长河之中。
A Winter Walk 冬日漫步
◎Henry David Thoreau
Silently we unlatch the door,letting the drift fall in,and step abroad to face the cutting air.Already the stars have lost some of their sparkle,and a dull,leaden mist skirts the horizon.A lurid brazen light in the east proclaims the approach of day,while the western landscape is dim and spectral still,and clothed in a sombre Tartarean light,like the shadowy realms.They are infernal sounds only that you hear,—the crowing of cocks,the barking of dogs,the chopping of wood,the lowing of kine,all seem to come from Pluto's barnyard and beyond the Styx,—not for any melancholy they suggest,but their twilight bustle is too solemn and mysterious for earth.The recent tracks of the fox or otter,in the yard,remind us that each hour of the night is crowded with events,and the primeval nature is still working and making tracks in the snow.Opening the gate,we tread briskly along the lone country road,crunching the dry and crisped snow under our feet,or aroused by the sharp,clear creak of the wood-shed,just starting for the distant market,from the early farmer's door,where it has lain the summer long,dreaming amid the chips and stubble;while far through the drifts and powdered windows we see the farmer's early candle,like a paled star,emitting a lonely beam,as if some severe virtue were at its matins there.And one by one the smokes begin to ascend from the chimneys amid the trees and snows.
We hear the sound of wood-chopping at the farmers'doors,far over the frozen earth,the baying of the house-dog,and the distant clarion of the cock,—though the thin and frosty air conveys only the finer particles of sound to our ears,with short and sweet vibrations,as the waves subside soonest on the purest and lightest liquids,in which gross substances sink to the bottom.They come clear and bell-like,and from a greater distance in the horizon,as if there were fewer impediments than in summer to make them faint and ragged.The ground is sonorous,like seasoned wood,and even the ordinary rural sounds are melodious,and the jingling of the ice on the trees is sweet and liquid.There is the least possible moisture in the atmosphere,all being dried up or congealed,and it is of such extreme tenuity and elasticity that it becomes a source of delight.The withdrawn and tense sky seems groined like the aisles of a cathedral,and the polished air sparkles as if there were crystals of ice floating in it.As they who have resided in Greenland tell us that when it freezes"the sea smokes like burning turf-land,and a fog or mist arises,called frost-smoke,"which"cutting smoke frequently raises blisters on the face and hands,and is very pernicious to the health."But this pure,stinging cold is an elixir to the lungs,and not so much a frozen mist as a crystallized midsummer haze,refined and purified by cold.
The sun at length rises through the distant woods,as if with the faint clashing,swinging sound of cymbals,melting the air with his beams,and with such rapid steps the morning travels,that already his rays are gilding the distant western mountains.Meanwhile we step hastily along through the powdery snow,warmed by an inward heat,enjoying an Indian summer still,in the increased glow of thought and feeling.Probably if our lives were more conformed to nature,we should not need to defend ourselves against her heats and colds,but find her our constant nurse and friend,as do plants and quadrupeds.
我们轻轻拔开门闩，任门外雪花飘入，刚走出去，凛冽的寒风就扑面而来。星辰光辉逐渐暗淡，沉滞的雾气弥漫在地平线上。东方亮起了耀眼的黄铜色晨曦，宣告白昼即将临近，而西边的光景却依旧黯淡，鬼影幢幢，陷于昏暗的地狱冥光之中，如同阴森异域。你能听到的声响——鸡鸣声、狗吠声、砍柴声、牛叫声，都是地狱里才有的声响，来自冥神普路托的谷场和冥河以外。倒不是说那些声音听起来有多么悲戚，但黎明前的喧闹对人间来说，实在过于阴沉和神秘。院子里狐狸或水獭新近留下的爪印清晰可辨，仿佛是在提醒我们，夜间活动时刻不断，原始大自然中万物生长不息，在雪中留下各种痕迹。打开大门，我们迈着轻快的步伐走过乡间小道，脚下的雪干而脆，踩下去发出嘎吱嘎吱的声音。木棚里也发出尖锐清脆的嘎吱嘎吱声，令我们精神不禁为之一振，看来早起的农家即将出发去远方赶集了，这个木棚已经在农家门前沉睡了一整个夏季，躺在木屑残桩堆里美梦连连。远远地，透过漫天雪花和窗台积雪，我们看见农家屋里早已燃起蜡烛，那烛光就似一颗微光摇曳的星辰，孤独无助的神情像极了恪守德行的晨祷者。然后，一家连着一家，树丛和积雪中的烟囱中都升起袅袅炊烟。我们听见，农家门前响彻冰封大地上空的砍柴声，再加上家犬的吠叫声和公鸡的啼鸣声，一起穿过稀薄霜冻的空气，传到我们耳畔时只剩下精细的音符，夹杂着些许短促甜美的颤音，好比在纯净清亮的液体上兴起的波澜会很快恢复平静，因为里面的杂质已经沉到水底。那些声音渐渐清晰，宛若洪钟，从地平线的更远处传来，冬天不像夏天那么容易使声音变得微弱嘶哑。大地铿锵作响，有如敲击风干的木头，就连寻常的农作声响也变得动听起来，树上的冰条互相碰撞，发出叮叮当当的响声，流畅悦耳。空气中几乎没有一点湿气，万物或风干或凝结，就是这样稀薄柔韧的空气，令我们心旷神怡。天空看上去很孤单，紧绷着就像天主教堂走道上方的穹顶，空气如抛过光般熠熠生辉，好像真有片片冰晶飘浮其中。正如格陵兰的岛民告诉我们的，结冰时，“会有海烟升起，就像燃烧的草地上弥漫的浓烟，又叫‘霜烟’，这烟常常会导致脸上和手上起水疱，对身体十分有害。”但此时纯净刺骨的冷空气不同，对肺部堪称一剂灵丹妙药，与其说成结冻的薄雾，倒不如说成结晶的仲夏雾霭，经冷空气浸润后显得精细而又纯粹。终于，冬日还是拨开远方的树林冉冉升起，伴着隐隐奏起的铙钹叩击音，万丈光芒消融了空气里的冰霜。转瞬之间，晨光已普照大地，连远处的西山都镀上一层金色。同时，我们不禁在细细的积雪上加快了前行的脚步，我们想起更多快乐的事情，心情也更加愉悦，身体也涌起一股暖流，仿佛回到了温暖的小阳春。或许，如果我们的生命能更顺应自然，我们就不再需要降温保暖，而是与大自然尽情玩耍，大自然自会保护我们，就像那些草木走兽一直以来和大自然的关系一样。
Spell of the Rising Moon 魅力月升
◎Peter Steinhart
There is a hill near my home that I often climb at night.The noise of the city is a far-off murmur.In the hush of the dark I share the cheerfulness of crickets and confidence of owls.But it is the drama of the moonrise that I come to see.For that restores in me a quiet and clarity that the city spends too freely.
From this hill I have watched many moons rise.Each one has its own mood.There have been broad,confident harvest moons in autumn;shy,misty moons in spring;lonely,white winter moons rising into the utter silence of an ink-black sky and smoke-smudged orange moons over the dry fields of summer.Each,like fine music,excited my heart and then calmed my soul.
We,who live indoors,have lost contact with the moon;still it tugs at our minds.If we unexpectedly encounter the full moon,huge and yellow over the horizon,we are helpless but to stare back at its commanding presence.And the moon has gifts to bestow upon those who watch.
I learned about its gifts one July evening in the mountains.My car had mysteriously stalled,and I was stranded and alone.The sun had set,and I was watching what seemed to be the bright-orange glow of a forest fire beyond a ridge to the east.Suddenly,the ridge itself seemed to burst into flame.Then,the rising moon,huge and red and grotesquely misshapen by the dust and sweat of the summer atmosphere,loomed up out of the woods.Dogs at nearby farmhouses barked nervously,as if this strange light had wakened evil spirits in the weeds.
But as the moon lifted off the ridge it gathered firmness and authority.Its complexion changed from red,to orange,to gold,to impassive yellow.It seemed to draw light out of the darkening earth,for as it rose;the hills and valleys below grew dimmer.By the time the moon stood clear of the horizon,full chested and round and the color of Ivory,the valleys were deep shadows in the landscape.The dogs,reassured that this was the familiar moon,stopped barking.And all at once I felt a confidence and joy close to laughter.
And odd things happen in such moments on that July night,I watched the moon for an hour or two,and then got back into the car,turned the key in the ignition and heard the engine start,just as mysteriously as it had stalled a few hours earlier.I drove down from the mountains with the moon on my shoulder and peace in my heart.
I return often to the rising moon.I am drawn especially when events crowd ease and clarity of vision into a small corner of my life.This happens often in the fall.Then I go to my hill and await the hunter's moon,enormous and gold over the horizon,filling the night with vision.
An owl swoops from the ridge top,noise-less but bright as flame.A cricket shrills in the grass.I think of poets and musicians.Of Beethoven's"Moonlight Sonata"and of Shakespeare,whose Lorenzo declaims in The Merchant of Venice,How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!/Here will we sit and let sounds of music/Creep in our ears.I wonder if their verse and music,like the music of crickets,are in some way voices of the moon.With such thoughts,my citified confusions melt into the quiet of the night.
家附近有座山，我常在夜晚去那儿爬山。在山上，远处城市的喧嚣只剩下低声呢喃。在寂静的黑夜里，我可以分享蟋蟀的快乐，感受猫头鹰的自信。但是，我真正要看的，是激动人心的月升，因为我心中那片被城市挥霍殆尽的清宁会在月光下失而复得。我在这山上看过许多次月升，每一季的月亮都各具风姿：秋月圆满自信；春月娇羞迷蒙；皓白冬月在墨黑色的静谧夜空中徐徐升起，孤清寂寥；橘红夏月在旱地上空高高悬挂，浓若烟熏。每一种都像一首动听的乐曲，唤醒了我的心灵，也抚慰了我的灵魂。我们这些深居雅室的人，早已和月亮失去了联系，但它依旧令我们魂牵梦萦。如果有缘邂逅地平线上那巨大的金黄色满月，我们只能回头仰望居高临下的它，它也会以厚礼馈赠我们这些倾望者。7月的某个夜晚，我在山上得到了这一馈赠。我的车莫名其妙地熄了火，我被困在山里，分外孤单。落日西沉，只见山后似有一团亮橘色的林火，火光越过山脊向东边射来。突然，山脊本身似乎也燃烧了起来。随后，一轮巨大的红月隐隐约约从林中缓缓升起，透过多尘潮湿的夏季空气，形状显得有些扭曲怪异。邻近农场的狗不安地狂吠起来，好像这奇异的月光唤醒了草地的邪灵。月亮继续攀升，脱离山脊后渐渐显得稳重、威严起来。月色从红色变成橙色，再到金色，直至清冷的黄色。上升的月亮似乎正从黑暗中沦陷的大地攫取光亮，月亮升得越高，丘陵和山谷也越暗。完全离开地平线时，丰满圆润的乳白色月貌得以呈现，山谷也化作了美景中的深色暗影。再次确定这就是往日熟悉的月亮后，狗得到安抚，停止了吠叫。霎那间，我觉得分外自信和喜悦，几乎要开怀大笑起来。而这时却发生了一件奇怪的事情，我欣赏月色一两个小时之后，回到车里，转动钥匙点火，竟然听见引擎启动的声音，就和几小时前的熄火一样奇怪。我一路开车下山，月光照我肩，平和漫我心。后来，我常常回到那里观赏月升。尤其在俗事缠身以致身心俱疲、洞见模糊时，月升于我便更具吸引力。这种情况通常发生在秋季。那时我都会回到山上，静候狩猎月如金色巨盘高悬地平线之上，将浩瀚夜空照得通亮，我也同时理清了自己的千头万绪。蓦地，一只猫头鹰从山顶俯冲下去，无声无息，如一道火光划过。蟋蟀也还在草地中嘶鸣。我想到了诗人和音乐家，想到了贝多芬的《月光奏鸣曲》，还有莎士比亚的《威尼斯商人》中罗伦佐的慷慨陈词：“月光甜美，静眠河岸/团坐此地，歌声悠扬/飘至耳畔。”我很好奇，他们的诗和音乐，是否和蟋蟀的歌声一样，在某种程度上都是月亮的歌声。这么想着，我那些来自繁华都市的疑惑都消散在了这无声的夜里。
美丽语录
There have been broad,confident harvest moons in autumn;shy,misty moons in spring;lonely,white winter moons rising into the utter silence of an ink-black sky and smoke-smudged orange moons over the dry fields of summer.
秋月圆满自信；春月娇羞迷蒙；皓白冬月在墨黑色的静谧夜空中徐徐升起，孤清寂寥；橘红夏月在旱地上空高高悬挂，浓若烟熏。
Warm Winter 温暖冬日
◎Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Sometimes our fate resembles a fruit tree in winter:Who would think that those branches would turn green again and blossom,but we hope it,we know it.
Welcome to the most easily misunderstood season of all,winter,a beautiful season of intimacy and reflection.
Winter gives us the opportunity to stay inside and look outside,as we're not called outdoors to enjoy the warmth and sunshine.Snuggle up in the sofa,put a blanket over you,have a cup of hot cocoa,and enjoy the observations on this precious season...
Winter is the time for comfort,for good food and warmth,for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire:It is the time for home.
During the winter I am content，or try to think I am.There is a wonderful joy in leaving behind the noisy city streets and starting out along the white road that leads across the hills.With each breath of the sharp,reviving air one seems to inhale new life.A peace as evident as the sunshine on the fields takes possession of one's inner being.The trivial cares are driven away by the first sweep of wind that comes straight from the mountains.The intense silence that broods over the snow-bound land is a conscious blessing from the nature.
有时，我们的命运就像冬日里的果树：谁会想到，枯木会再次逢春而绿，花朵也会再次绽放枝头，但我们一直这么希望着，也一直这么相信着。欢迎来到冬季，这个季节最容易被人误解，同时又美到极致，是属于两个人的私密，又是属于一个人的静思。冬日来临后，很少能有机会结伴外出享受温暖和阳光，但也因此可以好好呆在家里看看窗外的美景。那么，就窝在沙发里，裹一条毛毯，再来一杯热巧，细细欣赏这个珍贵季节的美，并为之陶醉吧……冬季是享受舒适、品尝美食、温暖身心的一季，也是传达关爱、炉边倾谈的一季。可以说，冬季就是尽享居家之乐的一季。整个冬日里，我很知足，至少我努力地这么告诉自己。抛却城市街头的喧嚣，沿着蜿蜒入山的皑皑雪路徐徐漫步，也别有一番喜悦在心头。呼吸间，冷冽的空气沁人心脾，仿佛为我注入了新生。阳光洒遍田野，也洒进了人们的内心，同时还可以清楚地感受到，有一股平静祥和的气息在心里弥漫开来。山间吹来第一缕清风，带走了烦心琐事。白雪覆盖下的大地万籁俱寂，这是大自然最诚挚的祝福。
美丽语录
Sometimes our fate resembles a fruit tree in winter:who would think that those branches would turn green again and blossom,but we hope it,we know it.
命运有时就像冬日里的果树：谁会想到枯木会再次逢春而绿，花朵会再次绽放枝头，但我们从未停止过希望和相信。
At the Edge of the Sea 海边漫步
◎Rachel Carson
The shore is an ancient world,for as long as there has been an earth and sea there has been this place of the meeting of land and water.Yet it is a world that keeps alive the sense of continuing creation and of the relentless drive of life.Each time that I enter it,I gain some new awareness of its beauty and its deeper meanings,sensing that intricate fabric of life by which one creature is linked with another,and each with its surroundings.
In my thoughts of the shore,one place stands apart for its revelation of exquisite beauty.It is a pool hidden within a cave that one can visit only rarely and briefly when the lowest of the year's low tides fall below it,and perhaps from that very fact it acquires some of its special beauty.Choosing such a tide,I hoped for a glimpse of the pool.
The ebb was to fall early in the morning.I knew that if the wind held from the northwest and no interfering swell ran in from a distant storm the level of the sea should drop below the entrance to the pool.There had been sudden ominous showers in the night,with rain like handfuls of gravel flung on the roof.When I looked out into the early morning the sky was full of a gray dawn light but the sun had not yet risen.Water and air were pallid.Across the bay the moon was a luminous disc in the western sky,suspended above the dim line of distant shore—the full August moon,drawing the tide to the low,low levels of the threshold of the alien sea world.As I watched,a gull flew by,above the spruces.Its breast was rosy with the light of the unrisen sun.The day was,after all,to be fair.
Later,as I stood above the tide near the entrance to the pool,the promise of that rosy light was sustained.From the base of the steep wall of rock on which I stood,a moss covered ledge jutted seaward into deep water.In the surge at the rim of the ledge the dark fronds of oar weeds swayed smooth and gleaming as leather.The projecting ledge was the path to the small hidden cave and its pool.Occasionally a swell,stronger than the rest,rolled smoothly over the rim and broke in foam against the cliff.But the intervals between such swells were long enough to admit me to the ledge and long enough for a glimpse of that fairy pool,so seldom and so briefly exposed.
And so I knelt on the wet carpet of sea moss and looked back into the dark cavern that held the pool in a shallow basin.The floor of the cave was only a few inches below the roof,and a mirror had been created in which all that grew on the ceiling was reflected in the still water below.
Under water that was clear as glass the pool was carpeted with green sponge.Gray patches of sea squirts glistened on the ceiling and colonies of raft coral were a pale apricot color.In the moment when I looked into the cave a little elfin starfish hung down,suspended by the merest thread,perhaps by only a single tube foot.It reached down to touch its own reflection,so perfectly delineated that there might have been,not one starfish,but two.The beauty of the reflected images and of the limpid pool itself was the poignant beauty of things that are ephemeral,existing only until the sea should return to fill the little cave.
海岸是一个古老的世界，自从有了大地和海洋，便有了这个水陆相接的地方。然而，这个世界时刻展现的都是一派生命不息、造物不止的景象。每次我走进这个世界，都会感受到生物与生物、生物与环境之间错综复杂的生命网络结构，继而对它的美丽和意蕴平添了几分更新更深的认识。每每想到海岸，总有一个地方不同于其他，只因它的美实在特别。这个地方便是隐匿于岩洞中的一汪水潭，人们只能偶尔在每年低潮期、潮退至低于水潭时匆匆一瞥它的美，或许正因为此，它才美得那么特别。择好一个这样的低潮时机，希望自己能有幸看一眼那汪水潭。按照推算，潮水会在清晨退去。我知道，如果刮的是西北风，远方风暴也没有突然来袭，那么海平面就会低于水潭入口。但头天夜里下了几场骤雨，雨点就像一把把碎石子砸在屋檐上，似乎是个不祥的预兆。第二天清晨我向外眺望，晓色黯淡，但太阳尚未升起，水天一片苍茫。越过海湾，只见西边天空的那轮明月依旧悬在远处昏暗的海岸线上，这是八月的满月，吸引着潮水退去，退到与世隔绝的海底世界都展现出来。我观望着，恰有一只海鸥掠过云杉林，即将喷薄而出的朝阳已将海鸥胸前染成一片玫红色。那天终究还是放晴了。后来，当我站到水潭入口附近的潮水上方时，等待我的依旧是玫红色的天光。我的脚下是峭岩底部，只见一块长满苔藓的岩礁从这里直直延伸到大海深处。潮起时，岩礁边缘攀附的深色海藻叶随流水轻轻拂动，闪耀着皮质般的光泽。延伸的岩礁就是通往狭小隐蔽的岩洞和水潭的小路。间或涌来一阵凶猛异常的潮水，翻滚着漫过岩礁边缘，拍打到岩壁上碎作水沫。但这种潮水间隔很长时间才会涌来一次，因此我有足够的时间走上岩架，也有足够的时间看一眼那罕见的、仅存片刻的水潭仙境。于是，在湿漉漉的海藻铺就的地毯上，我跪下来折过身子向后探视黑暗岩洞的内里，正是那一池清浅水潭。洞底距离洞顶也不过几英寸，那水潭就如一面明镜，将洞顶所有的生命百态倒映在平静的水面中。玻璃般清澈的水池底部铺着一层绿色的海绵。一片片灰色海鞘在洞顶闪闪发光，一簇簇珊瑚透着杏黄色光泽。我朝洞中看去的一刹那，只见一只小海星如精灵般顽皮地倒悬在洞顶的一根细线上，或者就是它的一只管足。小海星垂下身去够它自己的倒影，这幅画面实在太完美了，就仿佛那里有一对海星，而非一只。所有这些倒影的美和清澈水潭自身的美，都属于转瞬即逝令人心碎的美，因为海水重新注满小洞后，一切都将不复存在。
Rain of Seattle 西雅图的雨
◎Choven
I've got a deep secret few people understand and even fewer will admit to sharing.It's time to tell the truth:I love the rain,deeply and passionately and more than the sun.At least I live in the right place,famous for its damp weather and spawning its own genuine rainforest.I can't imagine living anywhere else than the Pacific Northwest.The sun shines so infrequently that my friends forget where they put their sunglasses.Gloomy clouds cause many people around here to suffer from seasonal affective disorder.Yet I welcome the rain.
Seattleites will say they like how rain keeps the city green,how clean the air tastes afterwards.My real reason for enjoying the rain is steeped in pure selfishness when it's mucky outside,I don't have to do anything.I can spend the afternoon curled up reading,build a fire and make a big pot of spiced tea.I can sleep in late,waking up occasionally to hear soothing patter on the roof,water racing down the gutter.Nobody expects me to leave my house or do anything overly productive.Maybe I'll invite a few friends over to watch an old movie or play a board game.Friends'expectations are low and easy to meet.
Summer in Seattle is beautiful but exhausting.The sunny,gorgeous weather and blue skies draw Seattleites from their cozy little homes,ready to dry out and have fun.People go hiking,biking,canoeing.Folks work in their gardens,wash their cars and attend outdoor concerts in the park all in the same day!The effort involved to throw a party ratchets up several notches,as people host barbecues and picnics and water-skiing parties.
It's a sin around here to not thoroughly enjoy every moment of every golden day.It's embarrassing to answer,"Did you get out and enjoy the sunshine this weekend?"with"No,I stayed inside."Co-workers frown and exchange suspicious looks;apparently I'm one of those rain-loving slugs.I tried lying,but my pale complexion gave me away.
Another mark in rain's favor is that my body doesn't betray me when it's cold and damp outside.Throughout the winter,people wear several layers,with perhaps several extra pounds here and there.In June I dig out my shorts to discover my thighs resemble cottage cheese.I dread buying a swimsuit,as consecutive horror and humiliation make me cringe in the dressing room.
Even my taste buds prefer the rain.When it storms outside,it's time for steamy hot chocolate or even a soothing toddy.People devour hot,hearty meals,with lots of potatoes and savory sauces.This type of eating evaporates when the sun comes out;suddenly everyone offers salads and ice water and expects it to be satisfying.
It's time to publicly acknowledge that I love the rain,how it transforms my house into a cozy caves where I can spend the afternoon cooking and dreaming.It seems nobody else will admit to a love affair with the rain,nobody else will groan when it's hot outside and join me in a rain dance.
When the sun comes out I do greet it with a smile,slipping sunglasses to my purse and pulling a tank top out of my closet.Yet my comfortable sweaters and warm slippers beckon,making me wish for another wet,chilly afternoon.When the rain returns,I will grin even more.Am I the only one?
我有一个极少为人理解甚至无人愿意分享的秘密。是时候袒露心扉了：我如此深情而热烈地爱着阴雨，胜过晴日。至少，我住的地方正合我意，这个城市以阴雨连绵的天气出名，还有在雨水的浇灌下孕育出的那一片天然雨林。除了太平洋西北部，我很难想象自己还能住到何处。阳光实在是太罕见了，以致我的朋友们都忘了把太阳镜放到哪里去了。常年笼罩在阴云之下，这里的很多人都备受季节性情绪波动的折磨。不过，我倒是随时欢迎雨的到来。西雅图人会说，他们喜欢雨，因为让城市变得青葱、让空气味道变得纯净的，恰恰是雨。我只是想趁外面泥泞不堪的时候自私一把，什么也不做，反正什么都做不了，这才是我喜欢雨的真正原因。我可以一整个下午都蜷缩着身子看书，顺便生上一小堆暖火，再泡上一大壶调味茶。我还可以赖床不起，就算偶尔醒过来，也只是听听屋檐上雨水舒心的滴答声，和水槽中雨水奔流的哗哗声。没人等着我外出会面，也没人等着我超负荷完成工作。或许，我会邀请三两好友小聚一番，看看老电影，玩玩桌游。朋友们的期望较低，也容易满足。西雅图的夏季很美，度夏的人却很累。晴朗的天气和湛蓝的天空，引得西雅图人纷纷走出温馨的小屋，他们想要晾干心情大玩一场，或远足，或骑单车，或划独木舟。就在同一天里，大伙们修整自家花园、洗车，还去公园里看了一场室外音乐会，忙得不亦乐乎！人们对于办派对越来越投入，派对的形式也越来越高级，从烧烤到野餐，最后竟成了滑水派对。在这里，每一个阳光灿烂的日子里的每一分每一秒，都应在户外尽情享受，否则就是一种罪过。同事们会问你：“周末外出晒太阳了吗？”，如果回答“没有，我待在家里了”，那可是非常尴尬的，他们会皱皱眉头，面露疑色，互相使着眼神，显然我就是那个喜欢雨天的大懒虫。我试着撒谎，但我脸色苍白，谎言就不攻自破了。喜欢雨的另一个原因是，在这种阴冷潮湿的天气里，我的身体不会出卖我。整个冬季，人们把自己裹得严严实实，浑身上下的全副武装加起来都有好几磅重了。六月份时，我翻箱倒柜找出短裤，穿上后才发现大腿已经像脱脂干酪一样白白胖胖了。我不敢买游泳衣，由于接连不断发生的恐怖和丢脸事件，我肯定会躲在试衣间里不敢出来。就连我的味蕾也更偏爱下雨。外面暴风骤雨之时，正是温胃暖心之刻，或饮一杯热气腾腾的热巧，或酌一口抚慰心灵的棕榈酒。人们做上几道热菜，配上大份土豆，佐以几碟开胃酱，一顿大快朵颐。但太阳出来之后，这种吃法就该消失了。突然间，人们端出的只有沙拉和冰水，还期待就这样能一饱口腹之欲。现在是时候了，我要公开承认自己对雨天的热爱：我爱雨，因为雨天，我家变成一个惬意的小窝，在这个小窝里，我可以下下厨，做做梦，就这样消磨掉一整个下午。似乎，没人愿意承认自己和雨天的爱情故事，但外面热浪滚滚之时，却也没人站在一旁抱怨，不愿意和我一同跳一场祈雨舞。太阳出来时，我当然还会笑脸相迎，摘下太阳镜放进包里，穿上从壁橱翻出的背心。然而，我舒适的毛衣和温暖的拖鞋在召唤着我，催促着我许愿，期待下一个潮湿寒冷的午后。雨天再次光临之时，我会高兴得无以复加，笑得合不拢嘴。爱雨如斯，莫非仅我一人？
美丽语录
Things in contrast are more tasteful in the world.It is sunny even if it rains when you are happy,while it is rainy even if it shines when you are sad.
世界上许多东西在对比中品味无穷。心晴的时候，雨也是晴；心雨的时候，晴也是雨。
Night 夜色
◎Natharial Hawthome
Night has fallen over the country.Through the trees rises the red moon,and the stars are scarcely seen.In the vast shadow of night the coolness and the dews descend.I sit at the open window to enjoy them;and hear only the voice of the summer wind.Like black hulks,the shadows of the great trees ride at anchor on the billowy sea of grass.
I cannot see the red and blue flowers,but I know that they are there.Far away in the meadow gleams the silver Charles.The tramp of horses'hoofs sounds from the wooden bridge.Then all is still save the continuous wind of the summer night.Sometimes I know not if it be the wind or the sound of the neighboring sea.The village clock strikes;and I feel that I am not alone.
How different it is in the city!It is late,and the crowd is gone.You step out upon the balcony,and lie in the very bosom of the cool,dewy night as if you folded her garments about you.Beneath lies the public walk with trees,like a fathomless,black gulf,into whose silent darkness the spirit plunges,and floats away with some beloved spirit clasped in its embrace.
The lamps are still burning up and down the long street.People go by with grotesque shadows,now foreshortened,and now lengthening away into the darkness and vanishing,while a new one springs up behind the walker,and seems to pass him revolving like the sail of a windmill.The iron gates of the park shut with a jangling clang.There are footsteps and loud voices;—a tumult;—a drunken brawl;—an alarm of fire;—then silence again.And now at length the city is asleep,and we can see the night.
The belated moon looks over the rooftops and finds no one to welcome her.The moonlight is broken.It lies here and there in the squares,and the opening of the streets—angular like blocks of white marble.
夜色降临，笼罩整个乡间。树影婆娑，一轮红月徐徐升起，星星却不见了踪影。夜色苍茫无边，凉意阵阵，霜寒露重。我打开窗户，坐在窗前，细细品味这一切，耳畔传来夏夜清风的私语。大树的阴影好似一艘艘锚泊的黑色大船，随着汹涌的草海而起伏。我看不到那些红色的蓝色的花儿，但我知道它们就在那里。远处的草地上，银色的查尔斯河闪闪发光。木桥那边传来了笃笃的马蹄声。之后，一切重归寂静，唯有夏日晚风依旧。有时，我也分不清，那究竟是风声，还是邻海的涛声。直到村里的钟声响起，我才感到自己并不孤单。城里的夜色是那么的不同啊！夜深了，人散了。你走上阳台，躺进夜色凉爽露湿的怀抱中，仿佛披上一袭夜色的华服。阳台下是一条林荫大道，如一条深不见底的黑色海湾，或有精灵潜入这静谧幽暗的海湾，拥抱着另一个心爱的精灵顺流而去。长街上下，灯火通明。路人从灯下走过时，脚下便出现奇形怪状的影子，先缩短，再拉长进入黑暗中，最后完全消失，而这时又有一个新的影子在路人身后冒出，又开始重复缩短拉长消失的三部曲，就像那旋转的风车翼板，短短长长、起起灭灭。公园的铁门当啷一声关闭了，脚步声和喧哗声不绝于耳，先是一阵骚乱，再是一阵酒鬼打闹，接着火警响了起来，之后再次归于寂静。现在，这城市终于睡着了，我们也可以好好领略夜色之美了。月亮姗姗来迟，羞答答地在屋顶上探出脸来，却发现没有人欢迎她。月光破碎，洒落广场街头，有如一块块棱角分明的白色大理石。
美丽语录
The country is the world of the soul,the city is the world of bodies.
乡村是灵魂的世界，城市是肉体的国度。
Spotlight on Paris 闪耀巴黎
◎Ellisa Richard
Ah,beautiful Paris.For centuries this city has attracted the admiration of the world.The allure and charm of Paris captivate all who visit there.
Where can you discover the charm of Paris for yourself?Is it in the legacy of all the French rulers who worked to beautify their beloved city?Is it in the famous castles,palaces,statues and monuments,such as the Eiffel tower?Can you find it in the world-class museums,such as the Louvre?Perhaps Paris'allure lies in the zest and style of the Parisians.
When you visit Paris,you don't have to spend all of your time visiting museums and monuments.They are certainly worthy of your time,but ignore them for a day.First take some time to look around and experience life in Paris.You'll find it charming.
Take a stroll along the seine river.Browse through the art vendors'colorful paintings.Peek through delicate iron gates at the well-kept gardens.Watch closely for the French attention to detail that has made France synonymous with good taste.You will see it in the design of a doorway or arch and in the little fountains and quaint balconies.No matter where you look,you will find everyday objects transformed into works by art.
Spend some time in a quiet park relaxing on an old bench.Lie on your back on the green grass.When you need refreshment,try coffee and pastries at a sidewalk cafe.Strike up a conversation with a Parisian.This isn't always easy,though.With such a large international population living in Paris,true natives are hard to find these days.
As evening comes to Paris,enchantment rises with the mist over the riverfront.You may hear music from an outdoor concert nearby:classical,jazz,opera or chansons,those French folk songs.Parisians love their music.The starry sky is their auditorium.You can also hear concerts in the chateaux and cathedrals.In Paris the music never ends.
Don't miss the highlight of Paris evening:eating out.Parisians are proud of their cuisine.And rightly so;it's world famous.Gourmet dining is one of the indispensable joys of living.You need a special guidebook to help you choose one of the hundreds of excellent restaurants.The capital of France boasts every regional specialty,cheese and wine the country has to offer.If you don't know what to order,ask for the suggested menu.The chef likes to showcase his best dishes there.Remember,you haven't tasted the true flavor of France until you've dined at a French restaurant in Paris.
啊，美丽的巴黎！几个世纪以来，全世界都拜倒在你的石榴裙下。而今，你也用自己的诱惑和魅力征服了所有游客的心。那么，哪些地方可以让你领略到属于你自己的巴黎魅力呢？是生前致力于美化心爱之城的历届法国统治者留下的遗产？是闻名遐迩的城堡、宫殿、雕塑和纪念碑，比如埃菲尔铁塔？还是，你可以在世界一流的博物馆里领略巴黎的魅力，比如卢浮宫？或许，巴黎的魅力其实就在巴黎人的品味和风格中。来巴黎游玩时，不必成天参观博物馆和纪念碑。这些当然值得你花时间细细参观，但抽出一天暂时忘了这些。还是先四处逛逛，体验一下巴黎充满魅力的日常生活吧。你可以沿着塞纳河漫步，浏览街头艺术家的炫彩油画，透过精雕细琢的铁门窥一眼保存完好的花园。仔细留意法国人对细节的重视，那可是令法国成为“高品位”代名词的关键所在。你会在门廊、拱门、迷你喷泉和古雅阳台的设计中看到这种精致的细节。无论你看的是哪里，都会发现那里的日常物品早已华丽变身为艺术品。再留些许时间给安静的公园，懒懒地在古老的长凳上休憩一番，还可以随意躺倒在绿幽幽的草地上。想吃点心的话，就在街头餐厅尝尝咖啡和糕点吧。试着找个巴黎人聊聊天，不过，这并不是件容易事。这年头，巴黎居住着来自五湖四海的国际友人，真正的本地人难得一见。随着夜幕降临巴黎，与河边的雾气一同升腾起来的，还有巴黎的诱惑力。你可能听到附近室外音乐会上传来的乐曲：古典、爵士、歌剧或法国民歌“香颂”。巴黎人非常热爱自己的音乐，星空就是他们的礼堂。你还可以在城堡和天主教堂里聆听音乐会。在巴黎，音乐永不停歇。不要错过巴黎夜晚的高潮：外出就餐。巴黎人以自己的美食为荣，而且也名副其实，他们的美食举世闻名。晚餐饕餮一番可是生活中不可分割的乐趣。你需要一本美食指南帮你从几百家上好餐厅里选出一家。巴黎作为法国首都，自诩拥有全国各地的特产、芝士和美酒，如果你不知道该点什么菜，就向服务生要一份推荐菜单，大厨喜欢在上面展示自己的拿手菜。请记住，如果你没有在巴黎的法式餐厅享受过晚餐，就等于没有品尝过真正的法国风味。
San Francisco 漫步旧金山
◎Kevin
San Francisco,open your Golden Gate,sang the girl in the theatre.She never finished her song.The date was 18th April,1906.The earth shook and the roof suddenly divided,buildings crashed to the ground and people rushed out into the streets.The dreadful earthquake destroyed the city that had grown up when men discovered gold in the deserts of California.But today the streets of San Francisco stretch over more than forty steep hills,rising like huge cliffs above the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean.
The best way to see this splendid city,where Spanish people were the first to make their homes,is to take one of the old cable cars which run along the nine main avenues.Fares are cheap;they have not risen,I'm told,for almost a hundred years.
You leave the palm trees in Union Square—the heart of San Francisco—and from the shop signs and the faces around you,you will notice that in the city live people from many nations—Austrians,Italians,Chinese and others—giving each part a special character.More Chinese live in China Town than in any other part of the world outside China.Here,with Chinese restaurants,Chinese post-boxes,and even odd telephone-boxes that look like pagodas,it is easy to feel you are in China itself.
Fisherman's Wharf,a place all foreigners want to see,is at the end of the ride.You get out,pause perhaps to help the other travelers to swing the cable car on its turntable(a city custom),and then set out to find a table in one of the gay little restaurants beside the harbor.As you enjoy the fresh Pacific sea food you can admire the bright red paint of the Golden Gate Bridge in the harbor and watch the traffic crossing beneath the tall towers on its way to the pretty village of Tiburon.When you've finished your meal,you may decide to take a boat-trip around the bay to look at the sights.You can stare,for example,at the famous,now empty,prison of Alcatraz.Then why not go to the fishing village of Sausalito—a little like London's Chelsea or New York's Greenwich Village—to see people painting and to look at their pictures.You will be able to enjoy a view of the city from the sea and take pleasure in the soft red and blue Spanish-type houses shining in the bright Pacific light.If you have time you might like to go by bus to Carmel,a hundred miles south of San Francisco,where you will discover a wild and wonderful coast with high cliffs.
Although the people of San Francisco prefer riding to walking,you may like to climb up the steep streets.Handrails are provided so that you can pull yourself up.You can enjoy the splendid shops,the view from Telegraph Hill,and the houses with fountains and garden.You can also look at the Stage Coach,a familiar sight from Western films,which is in the window of the Wells Fargo Bank in Montgomery Street,near the business centre of the city.
I expect you'll notice that all over the city the cars are left with their wheels turned towards the side walk so that they can't roll away.Wherever you walk you'll find it hard to lose yourself.At most of the important crossings there is a plan of the streets(Lombard Street;Ohio Street;Market Street;and so on)cut into the stone of the sidewalk so that you can look down and see where you are.
After so much walking you may feel tired and sticky and ready for a swim.There is often a thick morning mist from the sea in summer,but the weather can be very hot.Yet nobody swims in the Pacific.It is too risky.There are miles and miles of smooth hard sand,empty because of sharks—those dreadful big man-eating fish—and the high and dangerous waves of the sea.So take a street car from the city centre to the wonderful swimming pool on the edge of the ocean.Afterwards you can go to the neighboring zoo.Later,while you wait to catch a street car returning to your hotel,you may even see the sign"Doggy Diner"—a restaurant for dogs!
But what about meals for people?As in most of the big cities,the restaurants offer delicious food from almost every country.You could have dinner in Chinatown and then,on the way back to your hotel,catch the last cable car after midnight:it's not unusual for passengers who arrive late to have to hang on to the sides of the last car for the whole journey.
On Sundays parents often take their children to look at the strange trees in the pretty Japanese Tea Garden in the huge spaces of Golden Gate Park.
With its hot sun and gay night life,San Francisco is a fine place to live in or to visit.It is the most European of all American cities and you'll be sure to grow fond of it instantly.So tell yourself in the words of a song from the last century,"San Francisco,here I come!"
“旧金山，打开你的金门吧。”剧院歌姬如此唱道，但她从未唱完这首歌。那是1906年4月18日，大地震颤，屋顶忽然开裂，楼房轰然倒塌，人们争先恐后地冲到街上。那场可怕的地震就这样摧毁了旧金山，这可是人们还在加利福尼亚沙漠中淘金时就成长起来的城市。但今天，旧金山的街道越过40多座陡峭的山丘起伏延伸，那些山丘就像一座座巨大的悬崖峭壁，矗立在太平洋的万顷碧波之上。最早入住旧金山的是西班牙人，对于这样一座拥有辉煌历史的城市，最佳的方式便是去第九大街搭乘古老的电缆车。车票很便宜，据说这票价大概有一百年没有更改过了。你从旧金山的中心——联合广场的棕榈树出发，环顾四周，无论是商店的标牌，还是路人的面孔，就会发现这座城市住着来自不同国家的人，包括奥地利人、意大利人、中国人等等，因而城市的不同地段特色也不同。这里的唐人街可能是中国境外华人最集中的聚居地。在这里，你可以看到中国餐馆、中式邮筒，甚至宝塔状的电话亭，很容易让人感觉自己身处中国境内。渔人码头，是所有外国人都想亲眼一见的胜地，也是电缆车的终点站所在地。下车后，你不必急于离开，而是入乡随俗——帮其他游客一起在转车台为缆车掉头，然后就可以去码头边，在一家气氛欢乐的小餐厅找个座位坐下。你可以一边津津有味地享用来自太平洋的生猛海鲜，一边在码头远眺刷着鲜红油漆的金门大桥，看一看穿过高塔下方驶向美丽村庄蒂布龙的车水马龙。餐后，你可以乘船在湾区观光游览。比如，你可以目不转睛地端详一下臭名昭著、但已空无一人的阿尔卡特拉兹监狱。然后，去索萨利托岛上的钓鱼村吧，那是一个与伦敦的切尔西或纽约的格林威治村有些许类似的小村落，你可以观看人们现场作画，也可以欣赏一下他们的作品。你还可以在海上一睹隔岸市区的风采，尽情领略西班牙式民宅的独特风情，这些用淡红搭配淡蓝粉刷的房子在太平洋明媚阳光的照耀下熠熠生辉。如果你还有时间，还可以乘公交车前往旧金山以南100英里处的卡梅尔，在那里你会发现高崖边一片荒凉却蔚为壮观的海岸。尽管旧金山人喜欢以车代步，但你可以徒步爬一爬陡坡般的街道，街道两边的扶手可供上行的你借一把力。你可以驻足流连街边的特色小店，也可以在电报山顶极目远眺，还可以欣赏带喷泉与花园的民宅。如果想见识下西部电影中常见的“马车”，那么就去市中心商业区附近的蒙哥马利街，“马车”就在富国银行的橱窗里。我猜你还会注意到，城里人泊车时都将车轮转向一侧的人行道，这样车就不会下滑。无论你走在哪里，都不太容易迷路，因为多数重要的十字路口（朗伯德街、俄亥俄街、市场街等地），都有一幅街道规划图刻在人行道上的基石中，只用低头一看，你就知道自己在哪里了。走了那么多路以后，你可能会感到疲劳，浑身是汗，想去游泳。夏天的早晨，海上总会被厚重的雾气笼罩，但天气其实是很热的。但没人会在太平洋里游泳，因为那实在太危险了。海边是数英里平坦的硬砂地，但都无人问津，因为传闻水中有鲨鱼，那可是令人闻风丧胆的大型食人鱼，还有那又高又危险的海浪也令人敬而远之。因此，从市中心乘坐有轨电车到海边漂亮的游泳池去吧。游完之后，再去旁边的动物园逛逛。最后，在等回酒店的有轨电车期间，你可能会看到“狗狗快餐店”的招牌，没错，那正是专为狗狗准备的快餐店哦。但旅客又能吃什么呢？正如多数大城市中一样，旧金山的餐厅几乎拥有全世界各地的美味佳肴。你可以在唐人街享用晚餐，然后在回酒店的途中赶上午夜后的末班缆车。晚上车的乘客常常得全程抓着末班缆车的外侧栏杆，这种情形其实也并不少见。每逢周日，家长经常带着孩子前往空旷开阔的金门公园，那里有漂亮的日本茶园，可以观赏一些奇形怪状的树木。旧金山白天艳阳高照，夜生活丰富多彩，是一处居住、游玩两相宜的好地方。旧金山是美国所有城市中最有欧洲风情的城市，你肯定会对她一见倾心。因此，对自己说一句上世纪的经典歌词吧：“旧金山，我来了！”
阅读小课堂
Slang Related To Place Names
与地名有关的俚语
meet one's Waterloo
倒霉，遭受毁灭性打击，灭顶之灾
滑铁卢是一代天骄拿破仑遭受惨败的地方。遭遇滑铁卢，对一个人来说，后果不堪设想。无怪据说二战期间，在准备诺曼底反攻时，温斯顿·丘吉尔和随员冒雨去某地开会，其随员因路滑而摔了一跤，脱口说一句"To meet Waterloo!"丘吉尔竟联想到拿破仑兵败滑铁卢的典故，恼怒地斥责他：“胡说！我要去凯旋门呢！”
be Greek to someone
不知道，不明白
英国人一般都不懂希腊语。这句话的直译是：对于某人来说，这是希腊语。引申为“不明白”、“一窍不通”。
Greek kalends/calends
幽默、诙谐地表达“永远不”
Kalends是罗马日历的第一天。古希腊不用罗马日历，所以永远不会有这一天。
请看例句：
A:When will you finish your work?
B:At the Greek kalends.
A：你什么时候才能做完工作？
B：永远没有那一天。
castle in Spain
西班牙城堡，比喻“幻想，梦想”，相当于汉语中的“空中楼阁”。
在中世纪某一时期，西班牙是一个颇富浪漫色彩的国家，过于浪漫就成了梦幻。
请看例句：He is always living in a castle in Spain as a daydreamer.（他是个一直住在空中阁楼里的空想家。）
set the Thames on fire
做出惊人之举，取得非凡成就
火烧泰晤士河，这是何等伟大的壮举！但是这句成语经常是用来表示相反的意思，指那些人“对某事只是夸下海口，而不是真正想去做”。
from China to Peru
到处
它的意义非常明白，指从世界的这一边到世界的那一边，当然就是“遍布各地，到处”。
between Scylla and Charybdis
锡拉和卡津布迪斯之间，即“在两个同样危险的事物之间”，或是“腹背受敌，进退两难”的意思。
锡拉是传说中生活在意大利岩石上的怪兽，卡津布迪斯是住在海峡中一端经常产生漩涡的怪兽。水手为了躲避其中一个的危害，而常又落入另一个灾难。意大利这一方的海角叫凯尼斯（Caenys），西西里岛那一方的海角叫皮罗鲁姆（Pelorum）。
When in Rome,do as the Romans do.
在罗马，就按罗马人的方式办。和我们“入乡随俗”的意思一样。
请看例句：Take it easy and have a try!You know,when in Rome,do as the Romans do.（放轻松点，试一试吧！你知道，要入乡随俗。）
carry coals to Newcastle
做徒劳多余的事。
纽卡斯尔盛产煤，送煤到那里，岂不是多此一举？
请看例句：You are carrying coals to Newcastle if you water those flowers right now.The rain is just around the corner.（你现在浇花就是多此一举。马上就要下雨了。）
一开始时，很难开口说“我爱你”。可是我的眼睛、我的双手和我的心，都一直在诉说着……直到“我爱你”成为我们共度时光时最动听的语言。
At first it was hard to say"I love you."But my eyes,my hands,and my heart kept saying it for me...until"I love you"became the most beautiful words of all our moments together.
美丽英文
Love Is the Most Affecting Word
爱，是最美丽的语言
原来爱可以成为生活的食粮，成为白天的太阳，
成为黑夜的美梦；成为我们共度的时光中，最动听的语言。
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