平坦大地

　　Kathy and Evan leave Amsterdam to continue their journey through Europe.

　　凯西和艾凡离开阿姆斯特丹，继续他们游欧洲的行程。

　　K:Gee, this land is so flat!

　　凯西：咦，这里的地真是平坦！

　　E:The Netherlands literally means "the down lands," which of course means "the lowlands."

　　艾凡：荷兰（The Netherlands）字面上的意思是『洼地』，当然就是『低地』的意思。

　　K:It's flat, but why do they say it's "low"?

　　凯西：地面很平坦呀，为什么他们要说是『低地』呢？

　　E:A lot of the Netherlands is actually below sea level. That's why there are dikes everywhere to keep out the sea water.

　　艾凡：实际上荷兰许多陆地都低于海平面。那也就是荷兰到处可见阻挡海水的堤防的原因了。

　　K:No wonder the Dutch are considered an industrious people. It's a constant fight against the sea for survival.

　　凯西：难怪荷兰人被认为是一个很勤奋的民族。为了生存他们和海洋长期博斗。

　　E:The Dutch are tough. Such a small country, but they've not only survived, they've prospered.

　　艾凡：荷兰人很吃苦耐劳的。这么一个小国家，他们不仅生存，而且还兴盛繁荣。

　　K:It's true. You hardly see any poverty here.

　　凯西：你说的没错。在这里几乎看不到贫穷。

　　E:Oh, look! There are a couple of old windmills on that farm.

　　艾凡：哦，看那边！那个农场上有几座风车。

　　K:How pretty! Let's stop here a minute. I want to take a picture.

　　凯西：好漂亮哦！咱们在这里停一下子吧。我想照张相。

　　E:Sure. I'll get off at this exit. Then you can take pictures to your heart's content.

　　艾凡：没问题，我在下个出口下公路，然后你可以拍个痛快。

　　K:Thanks. Oh, if you're hungry, there are a couple of sandwiches and drinks in the cooler. Mrs. Van Helsing made the sandwiches especially for us.

　　凯西：谢啦。哦，你如果饿了，冰桶里面有几块三明治和饮料。这些三明治是凡?赫尔辛太太特别为我们做的。

　　E:That woman is a saint!

　　艾凡：那位女士真是好心！

　　单词短语精讲：

　　1. literally 照字面上

　　2. be below sea level低于海平面

　　be above sea level高于海平面

　　例:The Dead Sea in Israel is several huncdred meters below sea level，while Mt. Everest is more than 8 , 800 meters above sea level.

　　(位于以色列和约旦之间的死海低于海平面数白米，而珠穆朗玛峰则

　　高于海平面8 800米以上。)

　　3 .industrious 勤奋的

　　industrial 工业的

　　4. survival 生存

　　survive 生存;生还&vt山……生还;比……晚死

　　survive sth./从……生还

　　survive sb.比某人晚死

　　例:In some parts of llfi-ica，people'、only concern is survival.

　　(在非洲有些地方人们唯一关心的是生存。)

　　The man resorted to begging to survive.

　　(那名男子靠乞讨苟活。)

　　None of her three children survived the war.

　　(她的三名子女都没有从战争一中生还。)

　　Some men prefer to die with，rather than survive，their wives.

　　(有些男人宁愿和他们太太一起死也不愿比她们晚死。)

　　5 . tough 坚毅的，吃苦耐劳的

　　6. prosper 繁荣，兴隆

　　prosperous 繁荣的，兴隆的

　　prO5perltV 繁荣，兴隆

　　例:In the current economic climate，it is di$icult for businessmen to prosper.

　　(在目前的经济气候下，生意人要赚大钱很难。)

　　Bankers always seem to be prosperous no matter what is happening in the economy

　　(不管经济如何，银行家好像都还是赚钱。)

　　In times of prosperity，restaurants do a very good business.

　　(经济繁荣时，餐厅生意兴隆。)