英语听力：自然百科 环球风情：哥斯达黎加

 Our next destination could easily be described as a piece of paradise-- Costa Rica. It is a favorite get-away for both eco-trekkers and the surf set. Now if you are looking to enjoy a bit of the good life, for as they say "Costa Rica, la Puda Vida", then this is the place for you.

 

Costa Rica is at the southern end of Central America, border to the north by Nicaragua and Panama to the south. It is a little smaller than the state of West Virginia and largely mountainous with thin strips of low lands by the Pacific and Caribbean. Traditionally focused on exporting bananas and coffee, Costa Rica's new top industry is tourism.

 

Many tourists arrive in the capital San José and head straight for the Pacific coast beaches. But if you are looking for something a little out of the ordinary, the country has several prime spots for volcano watching but the most popular is Arenal near the town of La Fortuna. Since 1968, the volcano has been on a red-hot eruption¹ spree. From the observation lodge², you can watch alongside volcanologists as Arenal spews hot ash, steam and molten rock. The volcano has also created many hot springs. Relax and enjoy the bubbling water at mountain spas and resorts.

 

When you are ready for a change of pace, see the rain forest from a bird's eye view. Attached to a zip line running through the jungle canopy³, you can fly from platform to platform. It is an addictive⁴ adrenaline rush. Take a moment to catch your breath and you might even catch sight of some of the rain forest inhabitants.

 

Costa Rica is rich in wildlife and ranks as one of the most bio-diverse countries. Its national parks are home to everything from howler monkeys to white-faced capuchins. It is a bird watchers' paradise with over eight hundred species including toucans⁵, macaws and the resplendent quetzal.

 

On the ground, tapirs sniff⁶ for food using their short trunks to grab leaves and fruit. Meanwhile huge colonies of leave-cutter ants pour in the forest.

 

Along river banks, the visibility is great for spotting animals hanging from the treetops, so keep your eyes filled before they hop⁷ away. Along the coasts, turtle watching is popular, especially in April and May. Leatherbacks and green turtles lurch⁸ up onto the beach to lay their eggs. They only rest for a little while before making the return trip back out to sea. You will find that many animals are nocturnal so guided tours let you discover everything that flits, crawls, climbs and goes bump in the night.

 

When planning your trip, the right time to go depends on what you wanna do. The dry season for most of the country runs from December to April.

 

The different parts of the year are best for surfing, fishing and animal watching so there is always something happening. More than twenty five percent of Costa Rica is protected territory in the form of national parks, forest reserves and wildlife refuges. So bring your binoculars⁹, your sense of adventure and settle in to a bit of "la Puda Vida".

1 eruption   

n.火山爆发；（战争等）爆发；（疾病等）发作

参考例句：

• The temple was destroyed in the violent eruption of 1470 BC.庙宇在公元前1470年猛烈的火山爆发中摧毁了。
• The eruption of a volcano is spontaneous.火山的爆发是自发的。

2 lodge   

v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆

参考例句：

• Is there anywhere that I can lodge in the village tonight?村里有我今晚过夜的地方吗？
• I shall lodge at the inn for two nights.我要在这家小店住两个晚上。

3 canopy   

n.天篷，遮篷

参考例句：

• The trees formed a leafy canopy above their heads.树木在他们头顶上空形成了一个枝叶茂盛的遮篷。
• They lay down under a canopy of stars.他们躺在繁星点点的天幕下。

4 addictive   

adj.(吸毒等)使成瘾的，成为习惯的

参考例句：

• The problem with video game is that they're addictive.电子游戏机的问题在于它们会使人上瘾。
• Cigarettes are highly addictive.香烟很容易使人上瘾。

5 toucans   

n.巨嘴鸟，犀鸟( toucan的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Against it, parakeets and toucans and blue-winged macaws swoop. 晨光下，小鹦鹉、巨嘴鸟和翅膀鲜蓝的金刚鹦鹉展翼翱翔。 来自互联网
• Toucans also have a narrow, feather-like tongue. 巨嘴鸟也有狭窄部份，像羽毛一样的舌。 来自互联网

6 sniff   

vi.嗅…味道；抽鼻涕；对嗤之以鼻，蔑视

参考例句：

• The police used dogs to sniff out the criminals in their hiding - place.警察使用警犬查出了罪犯的藏身地点。
• When Munchie meets a dog on the beach, they sniff each other for a while.当麦奇在海滩上碰到另一条狗的时候，他们会彼此嗅一会儿。

7 hop   

n.单脚跳，跳跃；vi.单脚跳，跳跃；着手做某事；vt.跳跃，跃过

参考例句：

• The children had a competition to see who could hop the fastest.孩子们举行比赛，看谁单足跳跃最快。
• How long can you hop on your right foot?你用右脚能跳多远？

8 lurch   

n.突然向前或旁边倒；v.蹒跚而行

参考例句：

• It has been suggested that the ground movements were a form of lurch movements.地震的地面运动曾被认为是一种突然倾斜的运动形式。
• He walked with a lurch.他步履蹒跚。

9 binoculars   

n.双筒望远镜

参考例句：

• He watched the play through his binoculars.他用双筒望远镜看戏。
• If I had binoculars,I could see that comet clearly.如果我有望远镜，我就可以清楚地看见那颗彗星。