书城外语英语PARTY——不列颠之狮·英格兰
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第15章 宜人风景Natural Scenery(3)

In 1616 James I commissionedcommission n.委任, 委托, 代办(权), 代理(权), 犯(罪), 佣金 vt.委任, 任命, 委托, 委托制作, 使服役 Inigo Jones to rebuild the Tudor palace, and the resulting “Queen,s House” was the first Palladian villa built in England. The broad avenue, rising south up the hill, formed part of his plan. Charles II,s designs for a new palace was later adapted to become the Old Royal Naval College.

The Old Royal Observatory and Flamstead House, created by Sir Christopher Wren, stand at the top of the hill. The meridian, which passes through Greenwich Park at the Old Royal Observatory, divides the globe into East and West. At 13:00 every day the Observatory,s big red ball can be seen to drop. This event, which has taken place every day since 1833, was to enable the makers of chronometers, navigators, clocks and sailors on the Thames to set their clocks by it.

The natural beauty of the Park is played out against the classicalclassical adj.古典的, 正统派的, 古典文学的 background of Queen,s House, the National Maritime Museum and the more recent Canary Wharf complex. But it is the constantly moving panorama of maritime life on the River Thames that brings the whole landscape to life.

A varied programme of special events runs throughout the summer.

Nor is the Park just sweeping views. On sunny days brass bands thump happily away on the elegantelegant adj.文雅的, 端庄的, 雅致的, <口>上品的, 第一流的 bandstand, there are donkey rides down at Blackheath Gate, children paddle their canoes on the boating lake.

From the top of the hill there are superb views over the National Maritime Museum and Docklands and on a fine day most of London can be seen.

To the southwest of the park stands the Ranger,s House, dating from 1700. This was allotted to the Park Ranger in 1815 but now it has the Suffolk Collection of 17th century English portraits by Sir Peter Lely, William Larkin and others, as well as a display of historic musical instruments.

Other features of the park include a pond with wildfowlwildfowl n.野禽, 猎鸟(尤指野鸭,野鸡等), a flower garden, and a children,s playground. In the summer brass bands perform in the park and there special events such as open air theatre, puppet shows in the playground.

The Lake District National Park

英国湖区国家公园

用“湖光山色”来形容英格兰湖区的景色是再合适不过的了。这里是英国最美丽的国家公园,造物主在这里布下了一切自然界能有的美丽风景:湖泊、河谷、山峰、瀑布。最美的当然还是星罗棋布的湖泊。

水是这里的灵气之源。无论是广阔的温德米尔湖,还是小巧的葛拉斯米尔湖都让人感叹大自然的精心雕琢。着名英国浪漫主义诗人济慈曾说,温德米尔湖能“让人忘掉生活中的区别:年龄、财富”。你很容易就会迷失在美景中,忘了时间,有种“天上一日,地上十年”的感觉。

春夏之交来到这里,满目翠绿,缎面般宁静的湖水,天鹅绒般的草坂,翠生生的好像一幅还未干透的水彩画。这样的景致让人想到简·奥斯汀的故事,主人公总是生活在乡间别墅中的几个单身女子,喝下午茶的时候手里捧着本小说,互相之间热烈地讨论前天晚上的舞会上谁家的女儿最出风头,哪位男士又最有风度。她们的窗外应当是如此翠绿温润的景色吧。而雨季来到这里,可以看到阴沉的乌云和突破乌云的霞光交错,运气好的话还能看到彩虹,如果站在断崖边了望,又别是一番意境。这样诗意的景色,不是诗人也会成了半个诗人。

也许真的是造化安排,这诗意的景色真的孕育出了不少诗人。着名的英国浪漫主义诗歌奠基人华兹华斯(Wordsworth)和妹妹多罗西(Dorothy)便是长期居住在这里。华兹华斯和另外两名诗人柯勒律治(Coleridge)以及骚塞(Southy)合称为“湖畔诗人”。这个“湖”指的便是英格兰湖区的美丽湖泊。他们主张浪漫主义的诗歌创作风格,强调诗歌应当超越生活而追随个人理想,而且诗歌必须是诗人情感的宣泄。现在葛拉斯米尔湖边华兹华斯的故居和他经常散步的小径都成了人们去湖区必定要拜访的地方。英格兰的这片美丽湖区,已经不可改变地与浪漫诗歌联系在一起了。

湖区周围的小旅馆也充满了浓浓的文化气息,他们大都掩映在树林中,或是建在湖边,旅馆房间布置优雅大方,餐厅往往摆放着维多利亚时代的瓷器,卧室床头的小书柜上是英国文学名着,莎士比亚的诗集是少不了的,在这如诗如画的湖边,捧一本经典的英诗,度过一个远离尘嚣的安静夜晚,实在是无比惬意的事情。

着名的湖畔诗人华兹华斯曾说:“我不知道还有什么别的地方能在如此狭窄的范围内,在光影的幻化之中,展示出如此壮观优美的景致。”是的,没有人知道,因为最好的已经在这里了。当你沿着湖边的林中小径散步,呼吸着湖上的氤氲雾气时,千万不要忘了带上纸和笔,也许,你的诗句就会诞生在刹那的灵光一现。

The Lake District National Park is one of thirteen National parks in the United Kingdom. It lies entirely within the county of Cumbria, and is one of England,s few mountainous regions. All the land in England higher than three thousand feet above sea level lies within the Park. The Lakes, as the region is also called, were made famous during the early 19th century by the poetry and writings of William Wordsworth. This whole land of fells presents wonderful and mysticmystic adj.神秘的, 神秘主义的 n.神秘家, 神秘主义的鼓吹者 scenes for painters and photographers and many visitors are attracted there to go rambling, or simply to enjoy views of lake and mountain scenery.

The area, known as “The Lake District”, covering approximately 2,290km /880 square miles, was designateddesignated 指定的, 派定的 a National Park in 1951, Britain,s largest National Park. The area is in the care of the National Park Authority, who not only protect and conserve, but also promote the public,s understanding and enjoyment of the park.

Within the Lake District National Park are England,s highest mountain, Scafell Pike over 977 metres/3,200 feet and its largest lake, Windermere 16.5km/10.5miles long. The Lake District National Park contains almost every feature of mountain scenery, verdant valleys, wellknown major lakes, lesserknown tarns, majesticmajestic adj.宏伟的, 庄严的 waterfalls and everywhere, beautiful scenery and breathtaking views.

The Lake District, one of England,s most celebrated regions, has been formed over millions of years, by climatic change: Gigantic volcanic eruptions, submersion by the sea, the ice age and the melting of glaciers, have all contributed to its extraordinary, unique landscape. Even now the weather still changes the shape of the Lake District, with frost making the most impact. Cracks in the rocks fill with water, which expands when frozen, shattering the rocks into fragmentsfragment n.碎片, 断片, 片段 known as scree, this builds up to form steep scree slopes on the mountains.

Man has also contributed to the changing landscape in The Lake District National Park. The region is one of the North of England,s main sources of slate and granitegranite n.花岗岩. Much quarrying has been carried out, leaving its marks on the landscape. Some of the lakes provide water to the Northern towns situated within the National Park and although necessary, the building of dams and reservoirs have also made changes. The planting of coniferous woods, is another of man,s additions to the changing features of Lakeland.