Kansas fights back after it is ranked last in a list of beautiful states

Kansas fights back after it is ranked last in a list of beautiful states

　　Transcript¹

　　A Kansas City Star reporter made it her mission to challenge a ranking of the most beautiful states. Thrillist had put Kansas last. She asked readers to set the record straight — with photos.

　　A MARTINEZ, HOST:

　　Too many people hear the word Kansas and think of this.

　　(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "THE WIZARD OF OZ")

　　STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

　　In "The Wizard Of Oz," scenes of Kansas are in black and white. In real life, people apparently² imagine just a big, flat rectangle³. And rankings of the most beautiful states put Kansas last. One particular ranking by Thrillist did so. Kansas was last, which is why Kynala Phillips, a reporter at the Kansas City Star, said, wait - that's unfair to Kansas.

　　KYNALA PHILLIPS: It's understated and diverse. And if you don't really have a reason to stick around and really breathe and take in all of the beauty, you might miss it.

　　INSKEEP: A, Phillips is right. I drove across Kansas a few years ago for NPR, discovered enormous grasslands⁴ and hills. But that's just my opinion. Phillips is a reporter who wanted facts, so she asked readers to prove the beauty of Kansas with photos.

　　MARTINEZ: And they did. One shows the stark⁵ beauty of Monument Rocks. Another shows flowers outside the state capitol, another - highway leading off into the distance into Flint Hills. Danielle Moreno (ph) supports this.

　　DANIELLE MORENO: I think Kansas is one of those states that people oftentimes don't even consider.

　　MARTINEZ: Danielle moved to Kansas for college and stayed.

　　MORENO: Sure, yeah, you don't have as many other mountains. Or you don't have a lot of rivers. But you have these immense and vast fields that just look like infinity⁶.

　　INSKEEP: Which Kevin Muhammad (ph) knows because he grew up in northeast Kansas.

　　KEVIN MUHAMMAD: You have a lot of things that are left untouched. And when it's been untouched and kind of, like, less traveled, you see a lot of nature at its finest. It's almost like you kind of, like, travel back in time to sort of - it's like a time capsule.

　　MARTINEZ: And there's one more thing.

　　MORENO: Something else that I really love about Kansas is its people. People are very, very welcoming, very friendly.

　　MUHAMMAD: I think you really have to live there to really appreciate what Kansas has to offer.

　　MARTINEZ: Photos meant to prove their points can be found at kansascity.com.

　　(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

3 rectangle   

n.长方形，矩形

参考例句：

• Suppose the width of a rectangle is x metres.设长方形的宽是x米。
• He handed me a little rectangle of white paper.他递给我一张小小的长方形白纸片。

4 grasslands   

n.草原，牧场( grassland的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Songs were heard ringing loud and clear over the grasslands. 草原上扬起清亮激越的歌声。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Grasslands have been broken and planted to wheat. 草原已经开垦出来，种上了小麦。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 stark   

adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地

参考例句：

• The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
• He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。

6 infinity   

n.无限，无穷，大量

参考例句：

• It is impossible to count up to infinity.不可能数到无穷大。
• Theoretically,a line can extend into infinity.从理论上来说直线可以无限地延伸。