One of the Queen's many homes

Callum: Hello and welcome to BBC Learning English, I'm Callum.

Yang Li: 大家好。我是杨莉。今天的城市掠影，我们要带你去的地方，就是著名的白金汉宫。

Callum: Buckingham Palace is one of the most important landmarks of London and it attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world.

Yang Li: 没错，白金汉宫的确是伦敦的一个标志性建筑。I often hear people say this: "The journey to the UK is not complete without a visit to Buckingham Palace."

Callum: I agree and there are good reasons behind that comment. Here's Jonathan Marsden, who is the deputy surveyor of the Queen’s works of art:

Yang Li: 约翰逊是英国女王艺术收藏品的副总管。

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The front of the palace, the facade is very well known, it’s almost a symbol of London. And so it’s one of those places that's recognizable all over the world. So there is a certain excitement simply to be standing outside it with the guards there, and you can watch the changing of the guard each day.

Callum: Buckingham Palace is one of those places that is recognizable all over the world.

Yang Li: That’s right 就是能够一眼就看得出来的。

Callum: Because the front of the palace, that is the facade, is very well known.

Yang Li: Facade 说的就是白金汉宫的前门楼，well known 就是闻名的。

Callum: It’s so well known that it's become a symbol of London.

Yang Li: 伦敦的象征。 A symbol of London.

Callum: So there's a certain excitement simply standing outside and watching the changing of the guards.

Yang Li: 皇家卫队的换岗仪式。

Callum: Let’s listen to a bit more of Jonathan’s introduction:

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And has in some sense the character of being the headquarters of the British monarchy. Then there is the fascination in actually now of being able to get behind that facade and see the rooms which the Queen herself uses.

Callum: Buckingham Palace has the character of being the headquarters of the British monarchy.

Yang Li: 白金汉宫也是英国王室最高权利所在地。

Callum: But during the summer, the palace is open to the public, so there is this fascination of being able to get behind the facade, to see the rooms which the Queen uses.

Yang Li: Let’s ask some of the visitors just coming out of the palace.

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I'm from Canada, this is the first time I’ve ever been here. It’s really great, isn’t it? Well, Buckingham Palace is definitely one of the most sumptuous royal palaces I've ever seen. All the halls and rooms are spectacular, very elegant and ornate. It’s brilliant.

Callum: He thinks the palace is beautiful but he uses a different word, he says sumptuous s-u-m-p-t-u-o-u-s sumptuous.

Yang Li: 就是豪华的。

Callum: spectacular

Yang Li: 壮观的。spectacular

Callum: elegant and ornate

Yang Li: 优美elegant 华丽的 ornate

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There are so many treasures: famous paintings, antiques, the queen’s dresses and jewellery, so much to catch the eye.

Callum: She said there are so many treasures, invaluable treasures.

Yang Li: 有那么多的无价之宝。

Callum: Here, visitors can see famous paintings, antiques, as well as the Queen’s dresses and jewellery.

Yang Li: 有著名的油画，古董；还有女王的服饰，和她佩戴的珠宝首饰。

Callum: Yes, there is a lot to catch the eye.

Yang Li: To catch the eye 引人注目。It’s a fascinating place to visit, isn’t it Callum?

Callum: Yes, but Buckingham Palace is open to the public only in the summer. Here’s Jonathan again:

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Buckingham Palace is only relatively recently been open to the public; in the summer, during August and September and that’s when the Queen is not in residence when she's away from London. And it’s possible to turn her London office, her working palace, into a tourist attraction for the brief 8 week period in the summer.

Callum: Buckingham Palace is turned into a tourist attraction only during the brief period of August and September when the Queen is not in residence.

Yang Li: not in residence 不在住所 。不过，那只是夏天和周末而已，而一年当中的绝大部分工作日，女王都在白金汉宫里面办公。

Callum: Yes, Buckingham Palace is not only a royal palace but it’s also a working palace as well.

Yang Li: But how do you know whether the Queen is in residence or not?

Callum: Ah well, the flags will tell you straight away. Here's Jonathan again:

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It’s a very simple device. Wherever the Queen is, her standard , her personal royal standard will be flying. And that’s up to the minute, so when she leaves Buckingham Palace, her standard will come down and the Union flag, the national flag, will be in place.

Yang Li: 要知道女王在不在宫殿里，只需要瞥一眼中央的旗杆就行了，如果女王在，则旗杆上飘扬的是君主旗

Callum: The royal standard

Yang Li: 否则就会看到联合旗帜，也就是英国国旗.

Callum: The Union flag. It’s goodbye from both of us from London.

Yang Li: 多谢大家收听，我们下次节目再见！