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Korea’s Heart and Soul! 首尔─韩国的灵魂

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From its elegant temples to its mouth-watering kimchi, Seoul is a city that offers a little something for everyone. Koreans are quite proud of their unique culture. Nowhere is this more visible than in Seoul, the center of Korea.

从典雅的寺庙到令人垂涎的泡菜，任何人到了首尔这座城市都会有所斩获。韩国人相当以其独特文化为傲，而最能表现此独特性者却非韩国的中心首尔莫属了。

The history of Seoul goes back over 2,000 years. It has almost always served as Korea’s capital, due to its central location on the strategic Han River. During the Korean War in the 20^th century, the city was heavily damaged. A massive rebuilding effort allowed Seoul to rise from the ashes. Today, Seoul has been transformed into one of the most prosperous cities in Asia. It is also one of the most “wired” cities, a place where you can log on to the Internet wherever you are.

首尔的历史可追溯至两千多年之久。因地处汉江此一中心战略位置，首尔一直以来都是韩国的首都。廿世纪韩战期间，首尔遭受严重破坏。一项大型重建计划让首尔浴火重生。如今，首尔已转型为亚洲最繁荣的城市之一，同时也是网络最普及的城市之一。不论你身在何处都可以上网。

Seoul offers a wide range of activities for travelers. Visitors to the city can enjoy touring the “Five Grand Palaces.” These are a series of grand, Chinese-style palaces built during the Joseon Dynasty. Another famous landmark is Sungnyemun Gate, a remnant of the old city walls. Its ageless beauty stands as a fascinating contrast to the hectic streets that are constantly buzzing with cars. If the traffic gets you down, take a ride on Seoul’s spotless mass transit system – one of the largest and best in the world.

首尔提供游客各式各样的活动。观光客可以参观此城市的「五大故宫」。这是一系列宏伟的中国式宫殿建筑，建于德藏王朝时期。另一个著名地标是「南大门」，它是古城墙的遗址，其永恒之美与周遭车水马龙的街道形成绝佳对比。如果繁忙的交通令你情绪低落，何不搭乘首尔干净整洁的大众捷运系统！这可是全世界最大、最好的捷运系统之一！

After a long day of sightseeing, be sure to unwind in one of Seoul’s most famous Korean barbecue restaurants. Freshly marinated pork and beef are complemented by a range of kimchi and a warm cup of tea. Seoul’s people are among the most worldly and cosmopolitan in Korea, but they haven’t forgotten the value of a traditional meal. Koreans have always been a proud and hardy people, eager to prove themselves on the world’s stage. No wonder their capital Seoul has become a marvelous, world-class city.

经过一整天游览观光后，一定要到首尔最著名的韩国烤肉店好好放松一下。腌过的新鲜猪肉和牛肉配上各式泡菜以及一杯热茶。首尔人是全韩国最圆融、最都会化的一群，但他们并未忘记传统饮食的价值。韩国人一直以来都是自豪、坚强的民族，急于在世界舞台上证明自己的能力。难怪首尔已成为一座了不起的世界级城市。

−by Michael Karanicolas

Vocabulary

单词发音

elegant [ˋɛləgənt] adj. 雅致的，优美的

strategic [strə`tidʒɪk] adj. 战略（性）的

prosperous [ˋprɑspərəs] adj. 繁荣的，昌盛的

a wide range of 范围广泛的

remnant [ˋrɛmnənt] n. 遗迹

hectic [ˋhɛktɪk] adj. 忙乱的

get ..down (使)沮丧

unwind [ʌnˋwaɪnd] v.（使）心情轻松

complement [ˋkɑmpləmənt] v. 搭配; 与……相配

cosmopolitan [͵kɑzməˋpɑlətn] adj. 世界性的，国际性的

More Information

单词发音

kimchi [kɪmtʃhi] n. 朝鲜泡菜

visible [ˋvɪzəb!] adj. 引人注目的; 象征性的

ageless [ˋedʒlɪs] adj. 永远的，永恒的

buzz [bʌz] v. 充满嘈杂的（谈话、活动）声

spotless [ˋspɑtlɪs] adj. 极其清洁的

marinate [ˋmærə͵net] v. 将〔肉或鱼〕浸泡入调味汁中; 浸渍〔于调味汁中〕

worldly [ˋwɝldlɪ] adj. 老于世故的，善于处世的

hardy [ˋhɑrdɪ] adj. 能吃苦耐劳的

marvelous [ˋmɑrvələs] adj. 令人惊叹的；非凡的

Reading Questions

1.  The phrase “rise from the ashes” in the second paragraph is closest in meaning to _____.

A.  staying the same

B.  falling apart

C.  getting a new start

D.  changing steadily

2.  According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?

A.  Seoul offers several famous Korean barbecue restaurants to eat at.

B.  The majority of Koreans are ashamed of their culture and their people.

C.  The capital of South Korea, Seoul, is now a wonderful, world-class city.

D.  During the Joseon Dynasty, Chinese-style palaces were constructed.

3.  What is the writer’s main purpose for writing this article?

A.  He hopes that more people will visit both North and South Korea.

B.  He wants people to visit Korea just to eat Korean kimchi.

C.  He wants to open people’s eyes to Seoul, the capital city of South Korea.

D.  He believes that everyone will appreciate the technology of South Korea.

25 Best Things To Do in Seoul, South Korea

Answer