英语听力精选进阶版 14448

BBC Learning English 

Video Words in the News  

4 June 2014 

Egypt's salt hotel

Transcript¹:

The Siwa Valley is a remote oasis² in western Egypt. 

Here you can find a hotel made entirely³ of salt. 

The building materials come from the shores of lakes like this one. The crystalsare used for food while the rocks are turned into bricks by artisans. 

Small sculptures, the walls and even the beds are made of salt. 

But doesn't it dissolve in water? Workers at the hotel say it's resisted the rain so far. So, no need to take this story with a pinch of salt. 

Vocabulary:

oasis

fertile area in the middle of a desert 

shores

edge of a lake, sea or river

crystals

natural mineral substances which are clear

artisans

craftsmen⁴; workers who are good at producing objects with their hands

take with a pinch of salt

believe something only partly because it might not be 100% true

Exercise:

Use one of the words or phrases below to complete each of these sentences from news reports. 

Note that you may have to change the form of a word to complete the sentence correctly.

oasis / shores / crystals / artisans / take with a pinch of salt

1. In her workshop just outside Solo in Central Java, there are more than 100 __________ who spin, weave, draw, wax and dye using only their hands and traditional instruments.

2. Situated⁵ at an __________ in the Syrian desert, Palmyra is known across the world as the home of the monumental ruins of a great Roman-era city that was one of the most important cultural cities of the ancient world.

3. This is a lush, quiet place, not far from the __________ of Lake Victoria. 

But many of these youngsters are likely to have to follow the path of migration⁶ from the country into the cities to look for work. 

4. "Our experience shows that their track record is not very convincing and I think one should take these kind of promises not only __________ but a sack full of salt."

5. From a battered⁷ cardboard box Andrea produces a cylinder⁸ 15cm long and 3cm wide, encrusted with __________ of a beautiful silver-coloured metal. It is, he tells me, titanium.

Answers:

1. In her workshop just outside Solo in Central Java, there are more than 100 artisans who spin, weave, draw, wax and dye using only their hands and traditional instruments.

2. Situated at an oasis in the Syrian desert, Palmyra is known across the world as the home of the monumental ruins of a great Roman-era city that was one of the most important cultural cities of the ancient world.

3. This is a lush, quiet place, not far from the shores of Lake Victoria. But many of these youngsters are likely to have to follow the path of migration from the country into the cities to look for work.

4. "Our experience shows that their track record is not very convincing and I think one should take these kind of promises not only with a pinch of salt but a sack full of salt."

5. From a battered cardboard box Andrea produces a cylinder 15cm long and 3cm wide, encrusted with crystals of a beautiful silver-coloured metal. It is,  he tells me, titanium.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 oasis   

n.（沙漠中的）绿洲，宜人的地方

参考例句：

• They stopped for the night at an oasis.他们在沙漠中的绿洲停下来过夜。
• The town was an oasis of prosperity in a desert of poverty.该镇是贫穷荒漠中的一块繁荣的“绿洲”。

3 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

4 craftsmen   

n. 技工

参考例句：

• rugs handmade by local craftsmen 由当地工艺师手工制作的小地毯
• The craftsmen have ensured faithful reproduction of the original painting. 工匠保证要复制一幅最接近原作的画。

5 situated   

adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的

参考例句：

• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
• She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。

6 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

7 battered   

adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损

参考例句：

• He drove up in a battered old car.他开着一辆又老又破的旧车。
• The world was brutally battered but it survived.这个世界遭受了惨重的创伤,但它还是生存下来了。

8 cylinder   

n.圆筒，柱(面)，汽缸

参考例句：

• What's the volume of this cylinder?这个圆筒的体积有多少？
• The cylinder is getting too much gas and not enough air.汽缸里汽油太多而空气不足。