Switzerland's Berner Alps 雪域之行-瑞士-8

There is no choice, he is a benevolent¹ dictator in a magical kitchen.
Tonight it’s spaghetti, tomorrow it’s chicken.
After dinner maybe you’ll join some of the villagers for amateur yodeling over a glass of Swiss wine.
I'm right!
Or at other times it’s informal party around the accordion² of Christine Van Alman, Gimmerwald’s cabinet maker³.
Whatever you get, it’s not a phony show for the tourists.
When I’m in Gimmerwald and I wake up to a clear morning, I try to catch the early gondola⁴ to the top of the Schilthorn, the ten thousand foot peak above the village. The early ride is discounted enough to pay for my breakfast in the revolving⁵ restaurant on top. I fill myself with food and the ever-changing view as I slowly make that 360-degree circuit.
Hang out on a ridge⁶ for a while. Then I usually ride the gondola down to the next station to avoid the steepest part of the climb, then take the more leisurely⁷ hike from there down to Murren. The trails are well marked. We are at Birg here, and this sign says it’s 26 hundred and some meters above sea level. Meters I figure about the same as yards. A little while ago, we were at the Schilthorn. If I had to walk there, it would take me an hour and 40 minutes to hike up there. And we are going down to Murren which is 2 hours and 40 minutes away. Well, it says difficult hike, red and white. I’m gonna look along down here, and you see, the easy hike to Murren which is 2 hours and 30 minutes down. If we want to continue all the way to our hotel, we go to Gimmerwald, 2 hours and 50 minutes. Now I’m making some educated guesses here. No body told me, but I figure min is the abbreviation for the German word minute, and the, std I would bet it’s hours, I suppose it could be gallons, but we will go with hours.

words to memorize:
1/yodel:瑞士高低声混唱
2/accordion:手风琴

1 benevolent   

adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的

参考例句：

• His benevolent nature prevented him from refusing any beggar who accosted him.他乐善好施的本性使他不会拒绝走上前向他行乞的任何一个乞丐。
• He was a benevolent old man and he wouldn't hurt a fly.他是一个仁慈的老人，连只苍蝇都不愿伤害。

2 accordion   

n.手风琴；adj.可折叠的

参考例句：

• The accordion music in the film isn't very beautiful.这部影片中的手风琴音乐不是很好。
• The accordion music reminds me of my boyhood.这手风琴的乐声让我回忆起了我的少年时代。

3 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

4 gondola   

n.威尼斯的平底轻舟；飞船的吊船

参考例句：

• The road is too narrow to allow the passage of gondola.这条街太窄大型货车不能通过。
• I have a gondola here.我开来了一条平底船。

5 revolving   

adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想

参考例句：

• The theatre has a revolving stage. 剧院有一个旋转舞台。
• The company became a revolving-door workplace. 这家公司成了工作的中转站。

6 ridge   

n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭

参考例句：

• We clambered up the hillside to the ridge above.我们沿着山坡费力地爬上了山脊。
• The infantry were advancing to attack the ridge.步兵部队正在向前挺进攻打山脊。

7 leisurely   

adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的

参考例句：

• We walked in a leisurely manner,looking in all the windows.我们慢悠悠地走着，看遍所有的橱窗。
• He had a leisurely breakfast and drove cheerfully to work.他从容的吃了早餐，高兴的开车去工作。