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Reykjavik1: The Pear l On The Iceland

Visit Iceland and you'll enter a whole new realm of experience . You'll discover original nature as you've never seen it before, and the equally original people. Timeless nature, ancient heritage and modern lifestyle coexist in harmony here .

Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is just a part of the Icelandic experience with its midnight sun or the magical landscapes forged by ice and fire. Reykjavik has a population of around 110 000 and offers an interesting mix of cosmopolitan culture and local village roots.

Old accounts say the ancient gods themselves guided Iceland's first settler to make his home in Reykjavik. He named the place Reykjavik ( steamy Bay) after the geothermal steam he saw, which today heats homes and outdoor swimming pools throughout the city, a pollution-free energy source that leaves the air outstanding fresh and clean.

A beautiful river runs through the city limits, and so do fine parks. In the outskirts are places for horse trekking and golf. But against this backdrop2 of nature, Reykjavik has a packed program of city joys too: art museums, several theaters, an opera house and symphony orchestra spanning the whole spectrum of age and taste.

One must for all visitors is dinning out on Icelandic specialties, including delicious seafood, ocean-fresh from the morning's catch, highland lamb and varieties of game. Its purely natural food imaginatively served to delight the most discerning3 of diners. Reykjavik is also renowned as one of Europe 's hottest nightspots, where the action on the friendly pub and nightlife scene lasts right through the night. In the evening, the downtown area teems with activity, reaching its peak on Friday or Saturday. The number of pubs, café, discos, and other night-sports in the downtown area is astonishing. There is a rich variety of places to go : European-style coffee shop, nightclubs with live entertainment, dance halls for seniors, sports-theme pubs with big TV screens, coffee shop that offer over 100 types of beer, an Irish pub, a Spanish café, a French wine bar . . .

Walking distances are short downtown, and everything worth seeing outside the city center can be quickly and conveniently reached by bus. With its long easy-going4 main street and large shop too —with a bonus of tax-free shopping for visitors! Be on the lookout just for souvenirs (especially woolens and handicrafts) but also for stylish consumer goods and designer labels at competitive prices.

A full range of accommodations is available in Reykjavik, from international-standard hotels with good conference facilities, through smaller hotels and cozy guesthouses, to a campsite in the city's biggest park.

练习题：

Ⅰ. Complete the sentences with words from the passage:

1. Visit Iceland and you'll enter a whole new of experience.

2. Reykjavik offers an interesting of cosmopolitan culture and local village roots.

3. A full rang of accommodation is in Reykjavik.

Ⅱ. True or False:

1. In Reykjavik, the air is fresh and clean, because people use geothermal energy.

2. Reykjavik is famous for its nightlife .

3. There are many places outside city worth seeing, but traffic is not convenient.

参考答案

Ⅰ. 1. realm 2. mix 3. available

Ⅱ. 1. T 2. T 3. F

参考译文

冰岛之珠——雷克雅未克

到冰岛旅游你会有一种全新的体验。这里有你未曾见过的原始自然景观和原始的居民。亘古不变的自然景观、古老的文化遗产和现代的生活方式在这里和谐共存。 雷克雅未克是冰岛的首都。此地午夜的太阳和冰火交融的神奇景观, 只是冰岛体验的一部分。雷市大约有十一万人口, 大都市文化和本地乡村风格巧妙地融合在一起。

传说是古代的众神亲自引导冰岛的第一个居民到雷克雅未克来安家的。此人根据看到的地热蒸汽, 将这个地方命名为雷克雅未克( 冒热气的海湾) 。现在全城的家居取暖和室外游泳均采用地热供热。由于这种能源无污染, 全岛的空气非常的清新、洁净和透明。

一条美丽的河流穿过整个城区, 城市里遍布精致的公园。城郊还有骑马和打高尔夫球的场所。和自然风光交相辉映的还有一系列的城市文化设施: 美术博物馆、戏剧院、歌剧院和交响乐团, 可以满足各种年龄和品位的需要。

游客们必定要做的事是到餐馆去品尝冰岛的特色菜, 有当天早晨从海里捕捞上来的美味海鲜, 高地羊羔肉和各种野味。冰岛的纯天然食物能满足最挑剔的食客的口味。雷克雅未克也是欧洲夜生活最丰富的城市之一。这里的酒吧和夜总会气氛融洽, 各种活动通宵达旦。晚上, 市中心的各种活动十分频繁, 周五和周六达到高潮。市中心的酒吧、咖啡厅、迪斯 科和其他夜生活场所多得惊人。可选择的去处有很多: 欧式的咖啡厅、有现场娱乐活动的夜总会、老年人舞厅、有大屏幕电视的体育主题酒吧、能品尝到100 多种啤酒的咖啡厅、爱尔兰酒吧、西班牙咖啡店、法国葡萄酒酒吧等等。

市中心地区可徒步观赏, 而市郊值得一游的景点均有公共汽车到达, 十分方便快捷。冰岛首都的大街很长, 风格随意, 大型商场林立, 是购物的好去处, 而且游客购物免税。要留神寻找纪念品( 尤其是羊毛织物和手工艺品) , 以及那些价格优惠的时尚消费品和品牌商品。

雷克雅未克有各种档次的住宿场所: 从拥有良好的会议设施的国际标准大酒店, 到各种小型宾馆和舒适招待所应有尽有, 你还可以选择到市内最大的公园露营。

阅读解释

1. 雷克雅未克, 冰岛的首都, 也是冰岛第一大城市, 交通发达, 环境极为整洁。除了本文提到的景点外, 还有两个地方颇具特色———雷克雅未克大学和雷克雅未克市政厅。雷克雅未克大学是冰岛的两大国立大学之一。学校四周没有围墙, 没有明显的标志, 教室和办公室的门通通没有锁。学生们和参观者可以自由进出, 使用电脑等设备。雷克雅未克市政厅建在一个方圆2 公里的湖面上, 当地的中国人称之为“ 鸭子湖”, 因为在温暖的夏日成千上百的天鹅、鸭子等聚居于此。

2. backdrop n. 背景幕, 背景, 如: the backdrop of the story ( 这个故事的背景) 。

3. discerning adj. 识别力强的, 有洞察力的, 如: She is a very discerning art critic. ( 她是位眼光敏锐的艺术评论家。)

4. easy-going adj. 脾气随和的, 心平气和的, 随遇而安的, 如: Brown is friendly and easy-going.( 布朗待人友善, 脾气随和。)