英语听力：自然百科 印度

 "Hi, I'm Patty Kim. Today we are setting our sights on India, a land of deserts and rain forests, modern cities and ancient beliefs. With over a billion people, India is the world's largest democracy, and many say it's a travelers’ paradise.

 

In truth, there is no "one" India, and to visit is to move among a dazzling diversity of geography, peoples, languages and customs.

 

In the north, a rugged¹ Himalayan region shares boundaries with Pakistan, China and Nepal. Further south, mountains give way to plains and jungles, vast deserts in the west. And in the east, monsoon-laden（多雨季的） forests and prolific² tea plantations³. All of this is surrounded by beautiful beaches and the waters of the Arabian Sea(阿拉伯海), the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal（孟加拉湾）.

 

Journeys through India often begin in New Delhi, the capital city and the commercial hub of the north.

 

British colonizers adopted this city as their government seat in 1931, choosing a site where successive generations have left temples and mosques⁴ dating back to the 11th century.

 

When India gained independence in 1947, it kept New Delhi as the capital and the city has blossomed.

 

India has been called a land of many faiths and many travelers come to experience India's religious life with its epicenter at Varanasi(瓦拉纳西) on the banks of the Ganges River(恒河). For the country's tens of millions of Hindu devotees(皈依者), a pilgrimage（朝圣） to this city and a bath in the holy river are important lifetime goals. And to die here is to have the greatest chance for salvation⁵.

 

In the Hindu religion, many animals are believed to be a divine manifestation⁶ of the gods. The Moti Dungri Ganesh Temple in Jaipur(斋浦尔) honors the elephant god Ganesh(象鼻神甘内什). Worshippers pray for protection and the removal of obstacles from their lives. Other temples honor the rat and the monkey.

 

Rituals and festivals continue to play a hugely important role in religious life, traditions for Hindus and large groups of Buddhists⁷ and Muslims too that date back thousands of years. Over these years, a rich and varied⁸ history has been built, along with the succession（连续不断） of wars and empires that have left their marks and their monuments, too.

 

The Taj Mahal（泰姬陵） in the northern city of Agra is one of the most famous. It was built in the 17th century by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum(陵墓) for his late wife who died while giving birth to their 14th child. After ordering his court into a two-year mourning period, he began construction of this national treasure, often referred to as “a poem in stone”.

 

For more striking architecture, head south to the palaces of Udaipur(乌代浦尔). The city's beautiful lakes and romantic charms have earned it the nickname "Venice of the East".

 

For those with an eye for wildlife, India's national parks and nature preserves rank among the best in the world. Tigers roam the jungles, crocodiles lurk⁹ in mangroves（热带沿海红树林的沼泽）, and elephants stalk(大踏步走) through forests. The list goes on and on.

 

The best viewing season for wildlife is March to June, the pre-monsoon period when animals have less choice of watering holes. So if you're looking for adventure, luxurious¹⁰ beaches or a contrast of cultures old and new, it's all just a matter of which India you want to see. As with any crowded country, give your extra time to get where you're going. But keep in mind: on any trip, the journey can be just as interesting as the destination.

1 rugged   

adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的

参考例句：

• Football players must be rugged.足球运动员必须健壮。
• The Rocky Mountains have rugged mountains and roads.落基山脉有崇山峻岭和崎岖不平的道路。

2 prolific   

adj.丰富的，大量的；多产的，富有创造力的

参考例句：

• She is a prolific writer of novels and short stories.她是一位多产的作家，写了很多小说和短篇故事。
• The last few pages of the document are prolific of mistakes.这个文件的最后几页错误很多。

3 plantations   

n.种植园，大农场( plantation的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Soon great plantations, supported by slave labor, made some families very wealthy. 不久之后出现了依靠奴隶劳动的大庄园，使一些家庭成了富豪。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• Winterborne's contract was completed, and the plantations were deserted. 维恩特波恩的合同完成后，那片林地变得荒废了。 来自辞典例句

4 mosques   

清真寺； 伊斯兰教寺院，清真寺； 清真寺，伊斯兰教寺院( mosque的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Why make us believe that this tunnel runs underneath the mosques? 为什么要让我们相信这条隧洞是在清真寺下？
• The city's three biggest mosques, long fallen into disrepair, have been renovated. 城里最大的三座清真寺，过去年久失修，现在已经修复。

5 salvation   

n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困

参考例句：

• Salvation lay in political reform.解救办法在于政治改革。
• Christians hope and pray for salvation.基督教徒希望并祈祷灵魂得救。

6 manifestation   

n.表现形式；表明；现象

参考例句：

• Her smile is a manifestation of joy.她的微笑是她快乐的表现。
• What we call mass is only another manifestation of energy.我们称之为质量的东西只是能量的另一种表现形态。

7 Buddhists   

n.佛教徒( Buddhist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Jesuits in a phase of ascendancy, persecuted and insulted the Buddhists with great acrimony. 处于地位上升阶段的耶稣会修士迫害佛教徒，用尖刻的语言辱骂他们。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史
• The return of Saivite rule to central Java had brought no antagonism between Buddhists and Hindus. 湿婆教在中爪哇恢复统治后，并没有导致佛教徒与印度教徒之间的对立。 来自辞典例句

8 varied   

adj.多样的，多变化的

参考例句：

• The forms of art are many and varied.艺术的形式是多种多样的。
• The hotel has a varied programme of nightly entertainment.宾馆有各种晚间娱乐活动。

9 lurk   

n.潜伏，潜行；v.潜藏，潜伏，埋伏

参考例句：

• Dangers lurk in the path of wilderness.在这条荒野的小路上隐伏着危险。
• He thought he saw someone lurking above the chamber during the address.他觉得自己看见有人在演讲时潜藏在会议厅顶上。

10 luxurious   

adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的

参考例句：

• This is a luxurious car complete with air conditioning and telephone.这是一辆附有空调设备和电话的豪华轿车。
• The rich man lives in luxurious surroundings.这位富人生活在奢侈的环境中。