The Bank of England

Oliver: Hi John.

John: Today we’re in the City of London

Oliver: Hang on John, aren't we always talking about the City of London?

John: Well we often speak about London, but not the City of London!

Oliver: I don’t understand!

John: Well when we speak about London generally we normally talk about the commercial areas, and the places where the museums are. And that is quite different from The City Of London.

Oliver: So what is the City of London then?

John: It’s where you’ll find all the main financial institutions of Britain, the big banks and the Stock Exchange!

Oliver: 就是说在伦敦金融城，the City,你可以找到所有的主要金融机构，the financial institutions, 大银行，the banks, 和证券交易所, the Stock Exchange.

John: It’s also the oldest part of London, where you can see the ancient Roman remains of Londinium – that’s the name given to the city of London in Roman times.

Oliver: 伦敦金融城地区是伦敦城区最古老的部分之一，在这里很多历史遗存 remains, 可以追溯到古罗马时代Roman Times.

John: BBC reporter Flora Winfield took a look around the City of London.

Oliver: 她的介绍是从一个非常受欢迎的地方开始的，这个地方在金融城的街道的地底下，让我们听听看她发现了什么。

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I’m standing beneath the streets of the City of London, in the heart of Roman Londinium, in those days, 2000 years ago to be exact, this was the amphitheatre where the Romans held their games. Now it lies underneath the medieval Guild Hall, centre of the government of the modern City of London, known as the Square Mile. The patterns of that medieval life are still clearly visible in the street plan of the modern city.

John: So Flora was reporting from beneath the streets of the City Of London.

Oliver: So, Flora was underground, 地下. FLORA是在金融城的街道底下做的报道， beneath the streets。

John: Flora said that 2000 years ago the place where she was standing was used as an amphitheatre.

Oliver: 圆形剧场an amphitheatre.这是古罗马人举行活动的地方，现在在这座建筑的上面是另外一座古建筑，中世纪的老市政厅, the medieval Guild Hall.

John: Now you heard Flora use a term there to describe the City of London.

Oliver: What was it?

John: The Square Mile.

Oliver: 没错儿，只是伦敦金融城的另外一个名字“一平方英里”。这个词儿经常用来描述在金融城里面的金融机构。The Square Mile.

John: Yes, you’re listening to BBC Learning English with me, John.

Oliver: And me, Oliver.

John: Today we’re talking about The City Of London. So, we’ve heard how the City is the financial area of London, it's also one of the oldest districts in the wider London area. It’s also a place where people live.

Oliver: But not many people though.

John: Yes, you are right Oliver. But those who do live there like it very much. It’s great in the evenings when all the city bankers have gone home – the residents can have the whole place to themselves!

Oliver: 他们真有福气。当白天在这里工作的银行家们the City Bankers，下班回家后，这里的居民就可以享受只属于他们的金融城了。

John: Here’s Daniel Hodson, who has lived in the city for 40 years, to explain what living in the city is like. He also talks about how important he thinks the City of London is to the rest of Britain.

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People like living in the City. It's a welcoming place. There’s a degree of flexibility. There’s a realisation that we have something very special, and wanting to continue it. And I think that in the year that we’re celebrating 20 years after 'big bang', which was the thing which really moved the city ahead, I think it’s extraordinary to look back and see how in many ways dominant, certainly in the European economy, The City of London is, and we are part of that fabric, and we are symbolic in the way it's been able to change.

John: So Daniel said people like living in the City, it's a welcoming place.

Oliver: What did Daniel say about the 'big bang'?

John: Ah yes, he means the day in 1986 when the London Stock Exchange was de-regulated. Then it became much easier to buy and sell shares on the international money markets and that made the City of London a much more important place both to the rest of the UK, and to Europe generally!

Oliver: 金融大爆炸，或金融大改革， the Big Bang,对伦敦证券交易所the Stock Exchange，的交易员们来讲是一个重要的日子。1986年政府减少了对交易所的监管，使大众更加方便的进行金融交易，大大的提高了伦敦金融城的重要性。the City’s importance increased.

John: Well we hope you’ve enjoyed today’s programme, and if you are in London be sure to visit the City of London!

Oliver: 再见!

John: Bye!