人教必修二Unit4 listening &speaking3.mp3音频：00:00/02:59

 

---听力原文---

William: Excuse me, do you speak English? I’m looking for the Confucius Temple, but I’m not good at maps—they're my Achilles' heel!

Xiao Kong: Oh, hello, yes. Come with me-I’m going to the temple right now. By the way, what does "Achilles’ heel" mean?

William: Oh, it means that something is my weakness—I'm really bad with maps! So do you know much about Confucius? He’s one of my favourite philosophers. He was such a wise man.

Xiao Kong: Oh, yes. I was born here. In fact, I believe I am a descendant of Confucius himself.

William: No way, you're pulling my leg, right? So how do you know you're related to Confucius? Didn’t he live over 2,500 years ago?

Xiao Kong: Yes, but his family tree is well recorded. He has over three million descendants. Sorry again, what does "pulling my leg " mean?

William: Oh, sorry, it means to joke with someone. Anyway, so you’re actually going to the temple to pay respects to your relative?

Xiao Kong: Well, yes. But I'm also meeting my study group there. We are doing a research project on Confucius ideas on education. You know, Confucius was a great educator, and he had many great ideas about education. For example, he talked about the relationship between learning and reflecting. He believed that learning without reflecting leads to confusion.Oh, look, the temple is just over there .

William: Oh, great! What's that big building over there?

Xiao Kong: Oh, that's the famous Dacheng Hall. You know, it's so well-respected in Qufu that no other building in the city can be taller than it.

William: Wow, now that’s respect. That’s a little bit like my hometown-Stratford-upon-Avon.

Xiao Kong: Wait, you mean where Shakespeare was from? What a coincidence—Confucius and Shakespeare, two of the greatest minds in history! I really want to visit the UK—I'M really interested in British history and culture

William: Oh, that’s great! So later we can go for a cup of tea and have a chat about it. And it would be great if you could take me somewhere to get my watch fixed.

Xiao Kong: OK, no problem! So come and meet my study group—we can tell you all about the temple. And how long are you staying in Qufu? I can show you the Cemetery of Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion as well.

William: Really? That's so kind! I need all the help I can get—I'm like a fish out of water.

***Pronunciaiton***

人教必修二unit4 pronunciation2.mp3音频：00:00/00:43

***Reading and Thinking (page 28)***

人教必修二Unit4 Reading and Thinking.mp3音频：00:00/04:27

---课文文本和翻译---

人教必修二Unit4 Reading and Thinking.mp3音频：00:00/04:27

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

名为何物？

The United Kingdom, Great Britain, Britain, England—many people are confused by what these different names mean. So what is the difference between them, if any? Getting to know a little bit about British history will help you solve this puzzle.

 

联合王国、大不列颠、英国、英格兰——很多人对这些不同名称的含义感到困惑。如果这些名称有区别的话，那么它们的区别何在？稍微了解一下英国历史，就可以帮助你解开这个谜题。

 

In the 16th century, the nearby country of Wales was joined to the Kingdom of England. Later, in the 18th century, the country Scotland was joined to create the Kingdom of Great Britain. In the 19th century, the Kingdom of Ireland was added to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Finally, in the 20th century, the southern part of Ireland broke away from the UK, which resulted in the full name we have today: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Most people just use the shortened name: “the United Kingdom” or “the UK”. People from the UK are called “British”, which means the UK is also often referred to as Britain or Great Britain.

 

十六世纪时，邻国威尔士并入英格兰王国。随后，在十八世纪，苏格兰加入了进来，从而诞生了大不列颠王国。十九世纪时，爱尔兰王国加入，一起组成了大不列颠及爱尔兰联合王国。最后，在二十世纪时，爱尔兰南部脱离了联合王国，形成了我们如今所看到的全称：大不列颠及北爱尔兰联合王国。大多数人只是使用简称：“联合王国”。联合王国的人被称为“英国人”，这意味着联合王国也经常被称为英国或大不列颠。

 

The four countries that belong to the United Kingdom work together in some areas. They use the same flag, known as the Union Jack, as well as share the same currency and military defence. However, they also have some differences. For example, England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland all have different education systems and legal systems. They also have their own traditions, like their own national days and national dishes. And they even have their own football teams for competitions like the World Cup!

 

同属于联合王国的这四个国家在某些领域紧密合作。像拥有相同的货币和国防一样，他们也使用同一面国旗（称为“英国国旗”）。然而，它们之间仍有诸多区别。例如，英格兰、威尔士、苏格兰和北爱尔兰在教育和法律制度上都存在着差异。它们也有各自的传统，比如有自己的国庆节和本国菜肴。它们甚至拥有各自的足球队，参加像“世界杯”之类的赛事！

 

The United Kingdom has a long and interesting history to explore, which can help you understand much more about the country and its traditions. Almost everywhere you go in the UK, you will be surrounded by evidence of four different groups of people who took over at different times throughout history. The first group, the Romans, came in the first century. Some of their great achievements included building towns and roads. Next, the Anglo-Saxons arrived in the fifth century. They introduced the beginnings of the English language, and changed the way people built houses. The Vikings came in the eighth century, left behind lots of new vocabulary, and also the names of many locations across the UK. The last group were the Normans. They conquered England after the well-known Battle of Hastings in the 11th century. They had castles built all around England, and made changes to the legal system. The Normans were French, so many French words slowly entered into the English language.

 

英国历史源远流长、别有趣味，等待你去探索，帮助你进一步了解这个国家及其传统。英国历史上有四个不同民族在不同历史时期执掌这个国家。第一批是罗马人，于公元一世纪进入英国。罗马人的伟大成就在于他们建立城镇和修建道路。之后是盎格鲁—撒克逊人，于公元五世纪到达英国。他们引入了英语的雏形，并改变了人们建造房屋的方式。维京人于公元八世纪到来，留下了许多新的词汇，并给英国境地内的许多地方命名。最后一批是诺曼人。十一世纪著名的黑斯廷斯战役之后，诺曼人征服了英格兰。他们在四处修建城堡，并改革了法律制度。诺曼人是法国人，因此英语中慢慢加入了许多法语单词。

 

There is so much more to learn about the interesting history and culture of the United Kingdom. Studying the history of the country will make your visit much more enjoyable. The capital city London is a great place to start, as it is an ancient port city that has a history dating all the way back to Roman times. There are countless historic sites to explore, and lots of museums with ancient relics from all over the UK. The UK is a fascinating mix of history and modern culture, with both new and old traditions. If you keep your eyes open, you will be surprised to find that you can see both its past and its present.

 

英国的历史文化引人入胜，可学之处比比皆是。研究这个国家的历史将让你的英国之旅更加愉快。以首都伦敦为第一站是一个不错的选择，因为伦敦是一个古老的港口城市，其历史可以追溯到罗马时代。这里有数不胜数的历史遗迹可供游览，还有许多博物馆陈列着来自英国各地的文物。在英国，历史与现代文化交融，新旧传统并存。如果留心去观察，英国的过去和现在都将展示在你的面前，令你叹为观止。

***Listening and Talking***

人教必修二Unit4 listening and talking1.mp3音频：00:00/02:21

人教必修二Unit4 listening and talking2.mp3音频：00:00/02:14

---听力原文---

Xiao Yan: Hi, Paul. I'm sorry to hear you're leaving tomorrow. So what did you make of Pingyao?

Paul: Well, to be honest, when I first arrived, I was a little disappointed. I had expected something different. But then I walked into the old city. I was so amazed! It was like walking into history. So many beautiful buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties

Xiao Yan: Yes, Pingyao has a long history—over 2.000 years. It used to be a very important banking centre in China

Paul: Yes, so I visited the Rishengchang Bank and learnt all about the Jin Businessmen. I've got to say though, it wasn't as big as I had expected. But it was still interesting to learn about what banks were like almost 200 years ago.

Xiao Yan: Oh, well, what about the Ming-qing Street—that's pretty big. Some of the snacks there are amazing

Paul:Oh, that place, yes. But I had no idea there would be so many tourists! So I decided to leave and ride out to Shuanglin Temple.

Xiao Yan: Oh, cool, that’s one of my favourite places! It's so peaceful out there.

Paul: Yeah, that place is really quiet. And some of those sculptures—wow! I couldn’t believe how big and lifelike they were.

Xiao Yan: Yes, they're amazing. So today you walked along the city wall, right?

Paul: Unfortunately, no. I just didn't have the time.

Xiao Yan: Wow, I can’t believe you didn’t see the wall! You have to stay longer, Paul. There’s so much more of Pingyao’s history to see.

Paul: Oh, don’t worry, I'll be back in Turtle City one day—I just can't get enough of those beef noodles.

***Reading and Writing (P32)***

人教必修二Unit4 Reading for Writing.mp3音频：00:00/01:44

---课文文本和翻译---

人教必修二Unit4 Reading for Writing.mp3音频：00:00/01:44

BEAUTIFUL IRELAND AND ITS TRADITIONS

美丽的爱尔兰及其传统

 

Ireland’s beautiful countryside has always had a great influence on its people and traditions. The country has a long history of producing great writers and poets. Its beautiful countryside excites and inspires all, offering something for each of the senses. The peaceful landscape of the “Emerald IsIe” and its many green counties is a true feast for the eyes, with its rolling green hills dotted with sheep and cattle. And down by the sea, the roar of the ocean waves and cries of the seabirds make up the music of the coast. On a quiet morning in the mountains, feel the sun on your skin, and breathe in the sweet scent of fresh flowers while birds greet the new day with their morning song. With all this beauty, it is not surprising that Ireland has developed strong traditions that include music, dancing, and dining. To have a chance of experiencing this, stop by a village pub and relax with a glass of wine or a local beer. Better yet, enjoy a delicious traditional Irish Beef Stew. If you’re lucky, you might be able to enjoy some traditional music and dancing, too. And if you introduce yourself to a friendly face, you are more than likely to experience local culture and customs first-hand.

 

一直以来，爱尔兰美丽的乡村对其人民和传统产生着深远的影响。爱尔兰有着孕育杰出作家和诗人的悠久传统。美丽的乡村给人以激情和灵感，满足各种感官享受。“绿宝石(爱尔兰)岛”风光宁静秀美，郡县草木葱茏，青山连绵起伏，牛羊点缀其中，堪称一场名副其实的视觉盛宴。海边波浪咆哮，海鸟鸣叫，奏响了海岸交响乐。山里宁静的早晨，感受阳光照在你身上，呼吸着鲜花的芬芳，鸟儿用清晨的歌声来迎接新的一天的到来。这般美景，造就了爱尔兰音乐、舞蹈及菜肴等独有的民间传统也就不足为奇了。要想体验这一切，可以去一家乡村酒吧，喝上一杯葡萄酒或本地的啤酒放松一下。更为美妙的是，可品尝美味的爱尔兰传统炖牛肉。如果运气好的话，你也许还可以欣赏到传统的音乐和舞蹈。向友善的当地人做个自我介绍，你定能亲身体验当地的文化和习俗。

***Video Time***

 

，时长02:00

---视频脚本---

An Introduction to Historic London

London is one of the world's ten great cities and it's a perfect blending混和物 of the past and the present. A city with so many places to visit that you can never find the time to view them all. Samuel Johnson was right when he said that when someone is tired of London, he is tired of life.

Here’s the Westminster Bridge on the River Thames. It's a great city to walk in as there are no hills to negotiate on foot and the best starting point is near the Parliament Buildings in Westminster Bridge with its views of the Parliament Buildings and Big Ben.

With a population of almost 9 million people, London is Europe’s biggest city, spreading over an area of more than 900 square miles from its core on the River Thames.

The Tower Bridge has long symbolised the city of London to people around the world. It's the gateway to the capital for ships coming upriver to dock in the port and it is the first bridge over the Thames coming upriver from the east. Ships are not required to wait—The road traffic on the bridge must give way to the traffic on the river.

The Tower of London marks the eastern extent of the old city. It's usually thought of as a place of imprisonment and death but has variously been used though as an armoury, royal residence and a repository of the crown jewels. And not far from the Tower of London is the spectacular Kings Cross Station where thousands of people grab subways and trains every day.

And this is Westminster Abbey, founded in the 8th century. Since William the Conqueror onwards, all royal funerals, most coronations, have happened inside Westminster Abbey. Many of the nations most famous citizens are honoured here, too.

St James Park. Contrary to many expectations, London is a very green city with sizeable parks right in the centre. St James Park here is the oldest of the royal parks and it's also the smallest and most ornamental

Here are the gates of Buckingham Palace, and nearby on Whitehall, the site of a concentration of government buildings. The two guardsmen posted front, on Horse Guards Parade are famously quite unruffled by the crowds of tourists

The hubs of political and royal London—parliament and Buckingham Palace—are surprisingly not that close together.

And here again is Buckingham Palace. It served as the monarchs permanent residence since the ascension of Queen Victoria. The buildings exterior, remodelled in 1913, is, as some critics say, as bland as it's possible to be. Buckingham Palace, however, has been open to the public since 1993 for two months of the year. Crowds assemble here around 11: 00 a m. each day to watch the always popular Changing of the Guard.

The most important role of the monarchy is to represent the four component parts of the United Kingdom. Those four parts are of course England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

This is the National Gallery, on the north side of Trafalgar Square. It contains one of the world’s great art collections. Here you’ ll find a vast range of paintings from Raphael to Botticelli, from Titian to Velazquez, from Goya to Rembrandt, and David to Cezanne and Monet, all here at the National Gallery.

Trafalgar Square. The huge traffic island of Trafalgar Square is dominated by Nelsons Column, a vast pillar topped with a statue of Admiral Horatio Nelson. This grand square has been a traditional place for public meetings ever since 1848. Many political marches end here with rallies and with speakers usually address the crowds from the base of the column. Four huge lions, designed by Victorian painter Landseer, guard the column's base. Two adjacent fountains provide a magnet for overheated sightseers during the summer.

And here is Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. Also called the Palace of Westminster, these grand buildings stand on the side of the palace that was the seat of the English kings for five centuries. Though they look older, these current buildings were constructed in the mid-1800s after a fire devastated the original palace. It's a mix of Gothic and Elizabethan styles, a mass of pinnacles and tracery. The clock tower known around the world, Big Ben, is 320-feet high. Big Ben is of course the name applied to this tower but it is in fact the name of its main bell.

The writer W. U. Weatherby wrote "One goes to London at last as Americans go to New York, To experience the shock of vitality, from so many millions living together and to see the country in melting pot.