英语听力：自然百科 环球风情： 法国

 Hi, I’m Petty Kim. Whether you are on a mission to see some of Europe’s finest art, sample cutting-edge(领先的) cuisine¹ or simply just soak up the cultural ambience(气氛), France can seduce² you with it all.

 

A Paris, known as the City of Lights and the City of Lovers, one of the best things to do in the city: clunk yourself down in a cafe and wile³ away(消磨) an afternoon, sipping⁴ un café and people-watching.

 

The best way to see Paris is on foot. Skip the metro⁵, put on a good pair of walking shoes and check out for sites. From the Arc de Triomphe(凯旋门), stroll down the Champs Elysées(香榭丽舍大道) , adds the Grand & Petit Palais(大小皇宫) to the Place de la Concorde（协和广场）. For a change of pace, get your art fits at the Louvre（卢浮宫） and the Pompidou Centre(蓬皮杜艺术中心). Cross the river Seine(塞纳河) and tour Notre Dame⁶ Cathedral(巴黎圣母院), once on the left bank visit the Saint Pont（圣米歇尔桥） before heading westward⁷ to Les Invalides（荣军院） and finishing at the Eiffel（埃菲尔铁塔）tower.

 

But Paris could just be the first stop on your personal tour de France. Cruise westward down the Loire River Valley（卢瓦尔河谷), its renaissance⁸ air chateaus(城堡) and palaces seem straight out of a fairy tale.

 

For another magical ride, take a train to the Normandy coast and Mont Saint Michel(圣米歇尔山). Rising from its rocking shores, the 1300-year-old Benedictine Abbey（本笃会修道院） at low tide is connected to the land. But as the tide rises, it transforms into an island. Over the years, it served as a monastery(修道院), fortress⁹, prison and today one of France’s top tourist draws.

 

The south of France is famous for its Riviera（里维埃拉） beaches and jet-set resorts(富人的度假胜地), but that overlooks the area’s many other charms.

 

For a taste of opulence(富丽堂皇), see Avignon’s(阿维尼翁，城市名) Paple Palaces(教皇宫), or take a sweet-smelling tour of the historic perfume factories of Grasse(格拉斯，香水之都). If you are interested in high cuisine（高菜，精心制作的法国菜）, you can try your hand and hunting for truffles（松露）, a pungent¹⁰ fungus¹¹ cherished by the world’s great chefs and sometimes worth more per ounce than gold.

 

Or of course you might simply relax and enjoy the beautiful countryside. France is a travelers’ delight in any season, packed with pleasures for historians, nature lovers, artists and urbanites(都市人) alike.

1 cuisine   

n.烹调，烹饪法

参考例句：

• This book is the definitive guide to world cuisine.这本书是世界美食的权威指南。
• This restaurant is renowned for its cuisine.这家餐馆以其精美的饭菜而闻名。

2 seduce   

vt.勾引，诱奸，诱惑，引诱

参考例句：

• She has set out to seduce Stephen.她已经开始勾引斯蒂芬了。
• Clever advertising would seduce more people into smoking.巧妙策划的广告会引诱更多的人吸烟。

3 wile   

v.诡计，引诱；n.欺骗，欺诈

参考例句：

• The music wiled him from his study.诱人的音乐使他无心学习下去。
• The sunshine wiled me from my work.阳光引诱我放下了工作。

4 sipping   

v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• She sat in the sun, idly sipping a cool drink. 她坐在阳光下懒洋洋地抿着冷饮。
• She sat there, sipping at her tea. 她坐在那儿抿着茶。

5 metro   

n.地铁；adj.大都市的；(METRO)麦德隆(财富500强公司之一总部所在地德国，主要经营零售)

参考例句：

• Can you reach the park by metro?你可以乘地铁到达那个公园吗？
• The metro flood gate system is a disaster prevention equipment.地铁防淹门系统是一种防灾设备。

6 dame   

n.女士

参考例句：

• The dame tell of her experience as a wife and mother.这位年长妇女讲了她作妻子和母亲的经验。
• If you stick around,you'll have to marry that dame.如果再逗留多一会，你就要跟那个夫人结婚。

7 westward   

n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西

参考例句：

• We live on the westward slope of the hill.我们住在这座山的西山坡。
• Explore westward or wherever.向西或到什么别的地方去勘探。

8 renaissance   

n.复活，复兴，文艺复兴

参考例句：

• The Renaissance was an epoch of unparalleled cultural achievement.文艺复兴是一个文化上取得空前成就的时代。
• The theme of the conference is renaissance Europe.大会的主题是文艺复兴时期的欧洲。

9 fortress   

n.堡垒，防御工事

参考例句：

• They made an attempt on a fortress.他们试图夺取这一要塞。
• The soldier scaled the wall of the fortress by turret.士兵通过塔车攀登上了要塞的城墙。

10 pungent   

adj.（气味、味道）刺激性的，辛辣的；尖锐的

参考例句：

• The article is written in a pungent style.文章写得泼辣。
• Its pungent smell can choke terrorists and force them out of their hideouts.它的刺激性气味会令恐怖分子窒息，迫使他们从藏身地点逃脱出来。

11 fungus   

n.真菌，真菌类植物

参考例句：

• Mushrooms are a type of fungus.蘑菇是一种真菌。
• This fungus can just be detected by the unaided eye.这种真菌只用肉眼就能检查出。