評論
打印
1.One of theodder coincidences of physicalgeography isthe factthatthere aretwodouble islands,roughlythe same size,positionedat each other'santipodes, or farthest-distantpoint. The islands of England and Ireland in the NorthernHemisphere andthe islands of North Island and South Island in the SouthernHemisphereare justsucha coincidence.The first two islands comprise the United Kingdom and the Republicof Ireland (or Eire), andthe secondtwo islands comprise New Zealand.Amongthese four islands,there can be no doubtthatSouth Island isthe least pollutedandmostspectacularly scenic of themall.
1.自然地理(physical geography)上較為奇特(the odder)的巧合（coincidence）之一是地球上有兩組大小約略相同、位置相對(positioned at each other's antipodes)或者說相距最為遙遠的雙島。北半球的英格蘭和愛爾蘭群島以及南半球的北島和南島就是這樣的一種巧合。第一組的兩座島構成(comprise)英國和愛爾蘭共和國，第二組的兩座島則組成新西蘭。四個島中，南島無疑是污染最少且風景最秀麗的。
2. There is much competition to make such a claim. The island of England,politicallyconstitutingEngland, Scotland, and Wales of the United Kingdom, is dotted with country villages setalongsiderivers and lakes. There arenotvery tallbutnonethelessrugged mountains in thenorth, and endless miles of rocky coastlinethat seem mystical. Ireland, too, is a paradise of greenery,withfar fewer people than populous Englandandeven morequaint villages scattered among its low-lying hills and forevergreen fields. North Island in New Zealandsportsabalmy climate andthe beachestomakeuse of it;one beachaloneis more than 150 kilometers long, andwithrelatively few peopleon itsshores, one can pretend one is at the very end of the earth.Volcanoes, large lakes, andquicklyflowing riverstraverse the land.Giventhe beauty of these three islands, what makes South Island so special?
2.這樣說(to make such a claim)勢必經過一番競爭(competition)。(1)在政治版圖上(politically)構成(constitute)英國的英格蘭、蘇格蘭和威爾士的英格蘭本島，鄉間農村(country villages)沿著河岸和湖畔星羅棋布(dot with 用…點綴于；散布)。北部的山雖不高但卻崎嶇不平，而綿延不絕的巖岸則展現出神秘的風情。(2)愛爾蘭也是綠色天堂，人口遠不及(far fewer)人煙稠密的英格蘭(populous England)，卻有更多古意盎然的農村散布(scatter)在低洼的山丘和常綠的田野間(scattered among itslow-lying hills and forever green fields)。(3)新西蘭的北島以擁有溫和的氣候和可享受這宜人氣候的海灘為傲(sportvt. 夸耀)；光是一個海灘(one beach alone)就超過150公里長，而岸上人口相當稀少，可以讓人假裝(pretend)自己是在世界的盡頭(one is at the very end ofthe earth)。火山、大湖和湍急的河流（quickly flowing rivers）橫桓全島(traverse the land)。(4)既然這個三個島如此美麗，南島又有何特別之處？
3. Plenty.Forthosewholike mountains,South Island is sure to please.Mt. Cookat3,764 metersis its highest peak,with16 others above 3,000 meters.Naturally,many local and foreign mountain climberscomeherefor the challenge of these Southern Alps. In addition, there isan extensiveglacier system, endless forests, and innumerable lakesthroughoutthis highland area.Some ofthe world's best mountain sceneryisavailablewithinthe 500-kilometer long chain of theSouthern Alps.
3.那可多著呢。對那些喜愛大山者來說，南島一定能取悅他們。（be sure to do sth 一定；必定；無疑）南島的最高峰庫克山高3764米，另外還有16座超過3000米的山峰。自然而然地，許多國內外的登山家(many local and foreign mountain climbers)來到此地挑戰南半球的阿爾卑斯山脈。此外，還有一個廣大的冰河系統、無止境的森林和數不盡的湖泊遍布在這個高原地帶(throughout this highland area)。一些舉世無雙的山光水色(some of the world's best mountain scenery)可在這綿延的500公里長的南阿爾卑斯山脈之間欣賞到。(南島的山)
4. Perhaps youpreferthe sea? South Island isnot onlyan island,butmanytiny islets can be foundoffits coastline. Great deep-sea fishing, scuba diving, and snorkelingcan be had,thoughthe waters here are cooler than those ofNorth Island. (Remember, in the Southern Hemisphere,aswe go north, it gets warmer.)Asfewer people live on SouthIsland than on North Island, thosewhocrave solitude and pristine beaches will be amazed at their luck here.Withalmostno heavy industry on SouthIsland,the air, water, and landareallfree of pollution. The local seafood isthereforeclean, plentiful, and never-ending.
4.也許你比較喜歡海？南島并不是一座島嶼，在它的外海(off its coastline)還散布著眾多的小島嶼(many tiny islets)，可以從事(have vt. 從事; have-had-had)深海釣魚、深海潛水和浮淺--雖然這里的水溫比起北島的水溫要來的低。（記住，在南半球愈往北走海水愈溫暖。）由于(as)南島的人口比北島的少，喜愛獨處和原始海灘的人在此將會對于他們有幸來到這里而感到驚異(will be amazed at their luck here)。南島上幾乎沒有重工業，空氣、水和土地全都未受污染(all free of pollution)。當地的海鮮因而干凈、富饒而且取之不盡。(南島的海)
5.Dohealthful climates interest you? South Island isthe place to be. Its temperate climate seeslittle snowexceptin the highlands and mountainous areas.LikeIreland and England, there areno extremes oftemperature,either. Summers arewarm, not hot, and winters are brisk rather than freezing. The fresh air is sometimes humid from theabundant rainfall of this area. Every season invites the nature lovertoget out and be active in the countryside.
5.你對健康的氣候感興趣嗎？來南島這個地方就對了。除了在高原和山區地帶，這兒溫和的氣候很少降雪(seeslittle snow)。就像愛爾蘭和英格蘭一樣，氣溫也不嚴酷。夏天暖和不熱，冬天則涼爽而不寒冷。清新的空氣有時會因這地區豐沛的降雨而潮濕。這里一年四季都適合愛好大自然的人出門到鄉間去活躍一番。（南島的自然環境）
6. Of course, South Island is not for everyone.Forthosewhoneed busy, crowded, noisy, andpollutedcities, thisSouthern outpost will surely disappoint.Forthosewhoenjoy pressure and stress, South Island will leave them empty-handed. Andforthosewhowould rather stay at home or in anofficein front ofa computerscreen or in the thumping, smoke-filled dance floorsof discos, some of the world's best natural scenery will never entice themaway.Forthe rest of us, though, SouthIsland is the world's best-kept secret. If Nature's paradisesoundsalluring,make a point ofvisiting South Island.
6.當然，并非每個人都回喜歡南島。對那些需要繁忙、擁擠、嘈雜和受污染城市的人而言，南半球的這個邊陲地區(outpost)必定會讓他們感到失望；對那些喜歡壓力和緊張的人而言，南島將使他們空手而返；而對那些寧愿待在家里或辦公室計算機屏幕前、或是窩在音樂震天響(thrumping)、煙霧彌漫的（smoke-filled）迪斯科舞池內的人而言，世界上最棒的一些自然景色永遠也無法誘使他們離開。但是對我們其余的人而言，南島是世界最棒的秘境。如果大自然中的天堂聽起來讓你覺得有吸引力(alluring)，那么別忘了到南島去玩一玩。
