双语有声阅读:Basking in the Land of Smiles "泰"好玩！

Basking¹ in the Land of Smiles "泰"好玩！
What do you look for when choosing a travel destination? We all have our own ideas about what makes a great vacation, but no matter what you are looking for, there is a good chance that you will find it in Thailand. It has something for everyone.

Just 15 years ago, fewer than 1 million people traveled to Thailand every year. Those travelers liked what they found, and quickly spread the word. Today, the polite and hospitable² Thais play host to more than 8.5 million visitors annually³, all of whom are eager to experience Thailand's ancient culture and sample its many attractions.

Adding to its many charms, Thailand is also very affordable⁴. Exploring this diverse country can be so inexpensive that many vacationers find that a fun-packed day in Thailand is far less expensive than a quiet night out in their own country.

Perhaps the first delight to seduce⁵ even the most discerning traveler in Thailand is its cuisine⁶. Thai food is regularly rated as some of the best in the world. Most cooking is done with fresh ingredients and frequently employs garlic or chillies with plenty of lime juice, lemon grass, or coriander. These help produce dishes that are spicy⁷, yet deliciously fragrant⁸ with a distinctive⁹ tang.

Sampling Thailand's diverse dishes will give you the energy to explore its many sights. The capital, Bangkok, and other older cities are graced with elegant ruins and beautifully decorated temples. In these places, one can wander at leisure and learn about the country's rich artistic¹⁰ heritage.

If you are more of a nature lover, consider heading north to Chiang Mai. There you can find many opportunities to trek¹¹ into the hills, explore jungles and waterfalls, visit the hill tribes of the area, or experience the once-in-a-lifetime pleasures of bamboo-rafting or elephant-riding.

After all that trekking¹² and sightseeing, you may want to relax and soothe¹³ away your aches and pains. Thailand also is a great place for pain and stress relief. Places for massage¹⁴ and reflexology are everywhere, ready to work on your tired body and leave you feeling refreshed. Having a traditional Thai massage can be one of the highlights of your visit.

If lying on the beach is your thing, head for one of the many hundreds of beautiful islands that rest along Thailand's lengthy¹⁵ coastline. The beaches in Thailand are some of the best in the world. They range from packed resort spots with plenty of water sports to quiet, idyllic¹⁶, picture-perfect retreats, where only the gentle sound of the ocean can be heard.

People may leave Thailand and settle back into the hustle¹⁷ and bustle¹⁸ of real life, but the image of Thailand never really leaves them. For this reason, many travelers choose to return again and again to the unforgettable "Land of Smiles".

选择旅行目的地时，你考虑的重点是什么呢？我们都有自己理想的度假方式，但无论你考虑的重点是什么，你都有可能在泰国找到你想要的。每个人想要的东西泰国都有。

就在15年前，每年去泰国旅游的人不到100万人。那些游客喜欢他们在泰国发现的一切并很快地将它传了出去。如今，礼貌又好客的泰国人每年要接待8500多万游客。这些游客都迫不及待地想要体验泰国的古老文化，还可亲临许多引人入胜之处。

泰国的魅力还在于它的物价是低廉的。游览这个多姿多彩的国家可以很省钱。很多旅游者发现，在泰国度过快乐充实的一天比在自己国家晚上外出一次花费的还要便宜得多。

到了泰国，第一个让人高兴的，连品味一流的旅行家都无法抗拒的就是泰国美食了。泰式料理通常被列为世界上数一数二的美食。大多数的菜肴都是用新鲜的材料烹调而成，常佐以大蒜或拌有大量酸橙汁、柠檬草或芫荽等。这些调料有助于烹制辛辣、浓郁、具有独特香味的菜肴。

品尝了泰国各式各样的美食后，你就有充沛的精力去游览当地多处景点。典雅的遗迹和装饰华丽的庙宇把首都曼谷和其它古老的城市装扮得美不胜收。置身其中，我们可以轻松地边漫步边了解这个国家丰富的艺术遗产。

如果你热爱大自然，可以考虑到清迈一游。在清迈，你会有很多机会徒步走进小山，探索丛林、瀑布，造访当地山地部落，或体验一生一次乘竹筏和骑大象的乐趣。

在漫步山林和周游名胜后，你可能想要放松一下，舒缓腰酸背痛。泰国也是舒缓疼痛及压力的好地方。按摩和足底按摩的地方到处都有，可以随时随地为您疲惫的身体做按摩，让您感觉精神振奋。享受传统的泰式按摩会是你旅游中的重要内容。

如果躺在沙滩上享受日光浴是你的最爱，那就去一个小岛吧！沿着泰国绵长的海岸线，有上百个美丽的小岛。泰国的海滩也是世界上数一数二的。既有一个紧挨一个的备有水上运动设施的度假胜地，也有宁静得只能听到海浪拍岸的田园如画般的休养所。

人们离开了泰国，回到熙熙攘攘的都市生活中，但是泰国的美好形象仍留在游客的脑海之中。正因为如此，许多游客会一次又一次地回到那令人难忘的“微笑之国”。
 

1 basking   

v.晒太阳，取暖( bask的现在分词 )；对…感到乐趣；因他人的功绩而出名；仰仗…的余泽

参考例句：

• We sat basking in the warm sunshine. 我们坐着享受温暖的阳光。
• A colony of seals lay basking in the sun. 一群海豹躺着晒太阳。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 hospitable   

adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的

参考例句：

• The man is very hospitable.He keeps open house for his friends and fellow-workers.那人十分好客，无论是他的朋友还是同事，他都盛情接待。
• The locals are hospitable and welcoming.当地人热情好客。

3 annually   

adv.一年一次，每年

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。

4 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

5 seduce   

vt.勾引，诱奸，诱惑，引诱

参考例句：

• She has set out to seduce Stephen.她已经开始勾引斯蒂芬了。
• Clever advertising would seduce more people into smoking.巧妙策划的广告会引诱更多的人吸烟。

6 cuisine   

n.烹调，烹饪法

参考例句：

• This book is the definitive guide to world cuisine.这本书是世界美食的权威指南。
• This restaurant is renowned for its cuisine.这家餐馆以其精美的饭菜而闻名。

7 spicy   

adj.加香料的；辛辣的，有风味的

参考例句：

• The soup tasted mildly spicy.汤尝起来略有点辣。
• Very spicy food doesn't suit her stomach.太辣的东西她吃了胃不舒服。

8 fragrant   

adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的

参考例句：

• The Fragrant Hills are exceptionally beautiful in late autumn.深秋的香山格外美丽。
• The air was fragrant with lavender.空气中弥漫薰衣草香。

9 distinctive   

adj.特别的，有特色的，与众不同的

参考例句：

• She has a very distinctive way of walking.她走路的样子与别人很不相同。
• This bird has several distinctive features.这个鸟具有几种突出的特征。

10 artistic   

adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的

参考例句：

• The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
• These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。

11 trek   

vi.作长途艰辛的旅行；n.长途艰苦的旅行

参考例句：

• We often go pony-trek in the summer.夏季我们经常骑马旅行。
• It took us the whole day to trek across the rocky terrain.我们花了一整天的时间艰难地穿过那片遍布岩石的地带。

12 trekking   

v.艰苦跋涉，徒步旅行( trek的现在分词 )；（尤指在山中）远足，徒步旅行，游山玩水

参考例句：

• She can't come pony trekking after all because she's in a delicate condition. 她结果还是不能坐小马车旅行，因为她已怀孕。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We spent the summer trekking in the foothills of the Himalayas. 我们整个夏天都在喜马拉雅山的山麓艰难跋涉。 来自互联网

13 soothe   

v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承

参考例句：

• I've managed to soothe him down a bit.我想方设法使他平静了一点。
• This medicine should soothe your sore throat.这种药会减轻你的喉痛。

14 massage   

n.按摩，揉；vt.按摩，揉，美化，奉承，篡改数据

参考例句：

• He is really quite skilled in doing massage.他的按摩技术确实不错。
• Massage helps relieve the tension in one's muscles.按摩可使僵硬的肌肉松弛。

15 lengthy   

adj.漫长的，冗长的

参考例句：

• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
• The professor wrote a lengthy book on Napoleon.教授写了一部有关拿破仑的巨著。

16 idyllic   

adj.质朴宜人的，田园风光的

参考例句：

• These scenes had an idyllic air.这种情景多少有点田园气氛。
• Many people living in big cities yearn for an idyllic country life.现在的很多都市人向往那种田园化的生活。

17 hustle   

v.推搡；竭力兜售或获取；催促；n.奔忙(碌)

参考例句：

• It seems that he enjoys the hustle and bustle of life in the big city.看起来他似乎很喜欢大城市的热闹繁忙的生活。
• I had to hustle through the crowded street.我不得不挤过拥挤的街道。

18 bustle   

v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹

参考例句：

• The bustle and din gradually faded to silence as night advanced.随着夜越来越深，喧闹声逐渐沉寂。
• There is a lot of hustle and bustle in the railway station.火车站里非常拥挤。