英语听力精选进阶版 6439

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Perhaps you'd like to sample fine cuisine¹ in France, experience the ancient splendour of the Egyptian pyramids, or breathe the pristine² air of the Himalayan mountain range?

Well, if you said France, you're not alone. According to a study by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation³, the country had more foreign visitors than any other in 2012.

A total of 83 million people visited France last year, even more than the country's population of 66 million. The country's diverse appeal - from the lure⁴ of glitzy Alpine⁵ ski resorts to the attraction of Mediterranean⁶ beaches, ensure that France keeps a firm grip on the top spot.

Some way behind was the US, in second place, which received 67 million visitors, while 57 million chose to make the trip to China, which was third.

But while France was overwhelmingly the world's favourite holiday destination, it seems that the French have a problem convincing visitors to part with their cash.

When looking at the amount spent by travellers per head, France came a lowly 16th, with people spending around $650 each on their visit. This was a long way behind the likes of Hong Kong ($1349 per head) and the US ($1884 per head).

And while Paris is known as the 'city of love', only 16.8% of visitors to France stopped by the capital, according to the UN study.

The most visited capital city in the world was in fact Bangkok, according to figures from Mastercard. Bangkok overtook London in 2012 and has seen its visitor numbers rise rapidly, thanks to the influx⁷ of Chinese tourists.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand thinks the rise is due to the success of the Chinese comedy film Lost in Thailand. It became China's highest-grossing film in 2012 and tells the tale of a businessman who travels to Thailand and ends up having a series of bizarre adventures.

If one film can have such an effect, might we see more 'Lost in…' movies in the future? Who knew getting lost could be so lucrative⁸? Maybe it's time for tourist boards around the world to start making movies.

Quiz 测验

1. Which word described the clean air of the Himalayas?

Pristine.

2. True or false? France has a wide range of options for tourists.

True. It has a diverse range of places including with ski resorts and beaches.

3. True or false? Tourists spent more money in Hong Kong than Paris.

True.

4. Which city was the most visited in 2011?

London.

5.Which movie made the most money in China in 2012?

Lost in Thailand.

Glossary 词汇表

fine cuisine 精美菜肴，美事

splendour 辉煌

pristine 纯净的

mountain range 山脉

diverse 多样化的

lure 诱惑

glitzy 绚丽耀眼的

ski resort 滑雪胜地

the top spot 首位、榜首

overwhelmingly 占绝对优势地

holiday destination 度假目的地

to part with (your) cash （不太情愿的、不得不）花钱

per head 按人头算

lowly （位置）低下的

the likes of 像…这样的（地方）

to stop by 顺便停留、游玩

to overtake 超过了

influx （大批游客）涌入

highest-grossing film 票房收入最高的影片

lucrative 赚钱的，有利可图的

tourist board 旅游局

1 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。

2 pristine   

adj.原来的，古时的，原始的，纯净的，无垢的

参考例句：

• He wiped his fingers on his pristine handkerchief.他用他那块洁净的手帕擦手指。
• He wasn't about to blemish that pristine record.他本不想去玷污那清白的过去。

3 organisation   

n.组织，安排，团体，有机休

参考例句：

• The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
• His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。

4 lure   

n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引

参考例句：

• Life in big cities is a lure for many country boys.大城市的生活吸引着许多乡下小伙子。
• He couldn't resist the lure of money.他不能抵制金钱的诱惑。

5 alpine   

adj.高山的；n.高山植物

参考例句：

• Alpine flowers are abundant there.那里有很多高山地带的花。
• Its main attractions are alpine lakes and waterfalls .它以高山湖泊和瀑布群为主要特色。

6 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

7 influx   

n.流入，注入

参考例句：

• The country simply cannot absorb this influx of refugees.这个国家实在不能接纳这么多涌入的难民。
• Textile workers favoured protection because they feared an influx of cheap cloth.纺织工人拥护贸易保护措施，因为他们担心涌入廉价纺织品。

8 lucrative   

adj.赚钱的，可获利的

参考例句：

• He decided to turn his hobby into a lucrative sideline.他决定把自己的爱好变成赚钱的副业。
• It was not a lucrative profession.那是一个没有多少油水的职业。