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Holy City, Cotton Castle 土耳其之棉堡与圣城

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课文讲解  

繁體中文譯本

For many people, a typical vacation might involve lying out and getting some sun at the beach or shopping until they drop. But, if you’re looking to take a trip in which you can broaden your horizons and soothe your aching muscles, a fantastic opportunity can be found in southwestern Turkey. There, two breathtaking sites await you. One is Pamukkale, an incomparable natural wonder. The other is Hierapolis, an ancient city, filled with Greek and Roman ruins from a bygone era. And since they are located adjacently, you can visit them both in the same day.

对许多人而言，典型的假期可能就是要躺在海滩上做日光浴，或是去逛街购物直到体力透支。不过如果你想要来一趟既能增长见闻，又能舒缓酸痛肌肉的旅程，土耳其西南边有个绝佳的机会。那里有两处令人屏息的景点等着你。一处是无可比拟的自然景观：棉堡；另一处是充满古希腊罗马遗迹的古城：赫拉波利斯。由于两地位置相邻，你可以在同一天之内就造访两个地方。

In Turkish, Pamukkale means “cotton castle,” which is a fitting description for this attraction. If you glance at a picture of Pamukkale, it’s entirely possible to mistake the pure white scenery for mounds of snow. Yet what you’re actually seeing are rock formations. They appear pure white due to mineral deposits left by the calcium-laden spring waters and volcanic springs that have flowed over them for thousands of years.

Pamukkale这个字在土耳其语中意为「棉花城堡」，这对棉堡而言是再贴切不过的描述了。如果你浏览过棉堡的图片，你很有可能会误以为那片纯白景色是一座座雪丘。但你看见的其实都是各种形状的岩石。那些岩石会呈现白色，是因为富含钙的地下泉水与火山温泉数千年来不断流过所留下的矿物质沉积物。

Tourists can bathe in the hot springs at Pamukkale and soak in the beauty of the environment around them. Since the 2nd century B.C., Pamukkale has been a famous spa, visited by people who want to experience its beautifying effects and find a remedy to whatever ails them. Many believe that the mineral water at Pamukkale can help to cure circulatory problems, high blood pressure, kidney stones, and a host of other conditions.

旅客可以沐浴于棉堡的温泉里，同时又能沉浸在周遭美景之中。自公元前2世纪开始，棉堡就一直是知名的矿泉疗养中心。人们来此体验泉水的美容功效，并寻求能治愈他们病痛的解药。许多人相信，棉堡的泉水可以治愈循环系统的疾病、高血压、肾结石以及其他多种病症。

Vocabulary

单词发音

broaden one’s horizons 开阔视野; 增长见闻 to increase the range of things that someone knows about, has experienced, or is able to do

soothe [suð] v. 缓和；减轻

fantastic [fænˋtæstɪk] adj. 【口】极好的，了不起的

await [əˋwet] v. 等候，期待；等待

incomparable [ɪnˋkɑmpərəb!] adj. 无双的，无可匹敌的

glance [glæns] v.（粗略地）看一下，一瞥

mineral [ˋmɪnərəl] n. 矿物

deposit [dɪˋpɑzɪt] n. 沉淀物；矿床

soak [sok] v. 浸泡

remedy [ˋrɛmədɪ] n. 治疗；治疗法

a host of  许多, 一大群

More Information

单词发音

lie out 铺开 to remain out (unenclosed or unprotected) in some area

drop [drɑp] v.（因疲劳，受伤等）倒下  to fall or sink into a state of exhaustion or death

bygone [ˋbaɪ͵gɔn] adj. 过去的，已往的

adjacently [əˋdʒesəntlɪ] adv. 邻近地

mistake [mɪˋstek] v. 弄错，误解

mound [maʊnd] n.（一）堆

laden [ˋledn] adj. 装满的; 满载的

beautify [ˋbjutə͵faɪ] v. 使更加美丽；美化

ail [el] v. 使苦恼；使不适

circulatory [ˋsɝkjələ͵torɪ] adj. 循环上的

课文朗读 

课文讲解 

Built next to the “cotton castle” is the ancient city of Hierapolis, which means “Holy City” in Greek. Over its history, it was struck by many powerful earthquakes. But each time, the city was rebuilt by its inhabitants. Today, many structures from the Roman era still remain. Tourists can walk down Colonnade Street, which used to be the main road when the town was bustling with people. It divides the city into two sections by large pillars on each side of the street. As they stroll along, visitors can see the ruins of many buildings, including shops, pantries, and ancient homes.

矗立在「棉花城堡」旁的古城名为赫拉波利斯，希腊语的意思为「神圣之都」。历史上，这座古城曾遭受多次强震的摧残，但每一次当地居民都会重建他们的家园。直至今日，许多古罗马时代的建筑都被保留下来。游客们可以在廊柱大道中漫步。这条大道在古城还很兴盛繁荣时是城市的主要道路，大道两旁的巨大石柱将整座城市一分为二。游客们漫步时都可见到许多古代建筑遗迹，包括商店、储藏室和古老住宅。

You should also pay a visit to the well-preserved Roman Theater which is located in the middle of Hierapolis. Back in its heyday, the theater had the capacity to hold 8,500 to 10,000 spectators. People would gather here for concerts, sporting events, and religious ceremonies. But most of all, they came here for theater. Today, many statues depicting famous mythological figures from the theater have been restored and are on display inside.

你也应当造访位于赫拉波利斯古城中间，一座保存良好的罗马剧院。这座剧院全盛时期时可容纳八千五至一万名观众。人们聚在这里听演奏会，看运动会和参加宗教庆典，但最重要的是观赏戏剧。现在许多刻画戏剧中知名神话人物的雕像皆经过整修，在剧院内展示。

In recent times, due to the large number of tourists that visit them each year, Hierapolis and Pamukkale became targets for savvy businesses. Many hotels were constructed over the ruins, and a road was built over Pamukkale for motorbikes, causing great damage to the sites. But, after the area was declared a world heritage site, the hotels were torn down and the road was closed. Now, people must walk on Pamukkale barefoot. With these safeguards in place, Pamukkale and Hierapolis should continue to heal and entertain tourists for years to come.

近期以来，由于每年都有无数的游客至两地观光，赫拉波利斯古城和棉堡也因此成了精明商人的目标。人们在古城中建起一栋栋饭店，棉堡上也铺设供机车行驶的道路。这对两处景点都造成了莫大伤害。不过在这块区域被列入世界遗产之后，旅馆被拆除，道路也已封闭。现在人们必须要赤脚才能在棉堡的岩石上行走。在这些保护措施就绪后，棉堡和赫拉波利斯古城往后将能继续为游客带来健康与欢乐。

－by Jamie Blacker

Vocabulary

单词发音

inhabitant [ɪnˋhæbətənt] n. 居民，居住者

divide [dəˋvaɪd] v. 分，划分[（+into/from）]

pillar [ˋpɪlɚ] n. 柱，柱子

spectator [spɛkˋtetɚ] n.（比赛等的）观众

religious [rɪˋlɪdʒəs] adj. 宗教的，宗教上的

ceremony [ˋsɛrə͵monɪ] n. 仪式，典礼

statue [ˋstætʃʊ] n. 雕像，塑像

restore [rɪˋstor] v. 使复原

construct [kənˋstrʌkt] v. 建造

tear down 拆除, 拆毁 to demolish

barefoot [ˋbɛr͵fʊt] adv. 赤着脚地; adj. 赤脚的

in place 准备就绪  in the appropriate or usual position or order

More Information

单词发音

colonnade [͵kɑləˋned] n. 列柱，柱廊

bustle [ˋbʌs!] v. 充满[（+with）] to cause to bustle; hustle

stroll [strol] v. 散步，溜达

pantry [ˋpæntrɪ] n.〔家庭中的〕食品储藏室

heyday [ˋhede] n. 全盛期

savvy [ˋsævɪ] adj. 有见识的; 具有实际知识的; 有经验的

safeguard [ˋsef͵gɑrd] n. 保护；防卫；预防措施

Reading Questions

1.  According to the passage, what do most people do on their vacation?

A.  Visit some stores and purchase many things.

B.  Drop someone off at a shopping mall.    

C.  Spend a few days walking around Pamukkale.

D.  Avoid the sun and spend most of their time indoors.

2.  Which of the following is NOT a reason to visit Pamukkale?

A.  To take in the beautiful scenery there.

B.  To relax and take a bath in the hot springs.

C.  To take photos of the giant mounds of snow.

D.  To improve your health using natural methods.

3.  What does the article say about the theater at Hierapolis?

A.  It can still hold up to 10,000 visitors today.

B.  It is the only thing which remains from ancient Hierapolis.

C.  The most popular events at the theater were religious ceremonies.

D.  Some of the old statues were damaged but have been repaired.

4.  What would be another good title for this passage?

A.  A Typical Vacation for Tourists

B.  Discovering Modern Turkish Culture

C.  The Unfortunate State of Hierapolis

D.  Natural Wonders and Ancient Treasures

Cotton Castle / Pamukkale Turkey

Hierapolis-Pamukkale (Turkey)

Answer