【跟着英剧练发音】The Queens Palaces E1-21

 文本：

Just to give you an inkling of quite how opulent it was, at one supper for 3,000 guests, there was a single table the entire length of the building, incorporating a stream all the way along it, with live goldfish, imagine.

For years, George had carried out the duties of his ailing¹ father. By the time the King died in 1820, George was nearly 60.

George IV was now the ruler of the rapidly-expanding British Empire, and he wanted a palace to reflect that power. St James's, he thought, was too dingy². 

Carlton House was clearly much more impressive, but it had never been big enough for George. And, thanks to his endless alterations³, it was now structurally⁴ unsound. So, after all he'd spent on it, with its exquisite⁵ interiors, he just pulled it down.

 翻译：

关于宴会的奢华，给你个直观的印象。一次晚宴有3000名宾客，桌子摆满了整栋建筑，像流水宴一样，欢快热闹，难以想象！

几年来，乔治一直代生病的父亲履行国王的职责，1820年国王逝世的时候，乔治已年近60了，乔治四世成了蒸蒸日上的大英帝国的统治者。他需要一座宫殿来展示他的权威。圣詹姆斯宫太脏了，卡尔顿宫倒是够醒目，但对乔治四世来说还不够大。他不断修改宫殿设计，结构上已经变得面目全非，也花费了大量精力进行内部的装修，最后还是推倒了这座宫殿。

1 ailing   

v.生病

参考例句：

• They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。
• She looked after her ailing father. 她照顾有病的父亲。

2 dingy   

adj.昏暗的，肮脏的

参考例句：

• It was a street of dingy houses huddled together. 这是一条挤满了破旧房子的街巷。
• The dingy cottage was converted into a neat tasteful residence.那间脏黑的小屋已变成一个整洁雅致的住宅。

3 alterations   

n.改动( alteration的名词复数 )；更改；变化；改变

参考例句：

• Any alterations should be written in neatly to the left side. 改动部分应书写清晰，插在正文的左侧。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code. 基因突变是指DNA 密码的改变。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 structurally   

在结构上

参考例句：

• The house roof was (structurally) unsound. 这屋顶（结构）不牢固。
• Pinhole on shot-hole damage is never structurally significant. 针孔和蛀洞所造成的危害对结构的影响不大。

5 exquisite   

adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的

参考例句：

• I was admiring the exquisite workmanship in the mosaic.我当时正在欣赏镶嵌画的精致做工。
• I still remember the exquisite pleasure I experienced in Bali.我依然记得在巴厘岛所经历的那种剧烈的快感。