2017考研英语拓展阅读：外国人眼里的中国是什么样子？

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　　2017考研英语拓展阅读：国人眼里的中国是什么样子？

　　You might think you know what to expect if you head to China: ancient temples, mushrooming skyscrapers, crazy crowds, and an oppressive communist atmosphere. However, not everything is as it seems in the Middle Kingdom and, if you’re on your first visit, there will be plenty of surprises in what is not only one of the world’s great travel destinations, but one of the world’s fastest-changing and most optimistic societies.

　　你可能会以为自己知道如果前往中国的话会遇到些什么：古老的寺庙、如雨后春笋般矗立起的摩天大楼、疯狂的人群和压迫的共产主义氛围。然而，在这个“中央王国”里并不是所有事情都是那样，而且如果你是初到中国的话，会有很多让你大吃一惊的地方--中国不仅仅只是世界上最棒的旅游地之一，而且也是全世界变化最快、最乐观的社会。

　　China is empty

　　一、中国很空。

True, there are more than a billion people, yet half of China is virtually empty. Visit regions such as Tibet, Xinjiang, and Inner Mongolia, and find wild, rugged landscapes, vast skies, and only scattered towns and villages. Even the most populated coastal provinces have mountains and national parks.

　　真的，尽管中国有超过10亿的人口，但是中国一半的地方几乎都是空的。当到西藏、新疆和内蒙古等地方旅游的时候，你会看到荒野、险山和广阔的天空，只有一些零零散散的小镇和村庄。即使是人口最多的沿海省份也有山和国家公园。

　　You can’t see the Great Wall from space

　　二、从太空看不到长城。

Sorry, you can’t see anything from the moon 384,000km away, and Buzz Aldrin himself has tried to put an end to this persistent schoolchild rumour. Good news is that this mighty structure is mighty impressive up close, with easily visited sections just outside Beijing.

　　抱歉，你从距地球384000公里远的月亮上什么也看不到，而巴兹·奥尔德林自己也在试图结束这一经久不衰的学童谣言。好消息是你可以离得非常近来游览这一浩瀚磅礴的建筑，长城就在北京城外，很容易前往。

　　Not everyone eats rice …

　　三、并不是所有人都吃大米。

Rice is only the staple in southern China, where the sub-tropical climate south of the Yangtze River suits rice growing. North of the Yangtze wheat prevails, and you’ll be tucking into pancakes, noodles, steamed dumplings, and baked sweet potatoes. In Xian, shredded meat between steamed bread (roujiamo) is the local answer to a hamburger.

　　大米只是中国南方的主食，长江以南的亚热带气候很适合种植稻米。在长江以北地区则小麦更据优势，你会吃到煎饼、面条、包子、以及烤红薯。在西安，馒头中间塞进切碎的肉(肉夹馍)就是当地风格的汉堡包。

　　and only some people eat snake

　　四、只有少部分人吃蛇。

If you imagine every table in China features snake, scorpion, or monkey brain, stop worrying: the worst you might encounter is offal or chicken’s feet. Though the Chinese do eat peculiar creatures, it’s becoming increasingly gimmicky these days, and the vast majority have never eaten dog – nor want to.

　　如果你想象每一张中国餐桌上都有蛇、蝎子、或者猴脑的话，别担心：你可能会遇到的最严重的也只是内脏或鸡脚罢了。尽管中国人的确会吃一些稀奇古怪的东西，但是现在却越来越只是一种噱头了，而且绝大多数人也从来没有吃过狗肉--也不想吃。

　　Opinions flourish

　　五、各抒己见。

China isn’t a country of repressed people afraid to have their own opinions. You’ll find plenty of locals willing to discuss big issues and engage you in lively debate, and many Chinese are well educated in international affairs. Don’t be afraid to ask questions – just be diplomatic when you do so.

　　中国不是一个被压抑的人民害怕表达自己意见的国家。你会发现许多当地人都愿意讨论国家大事、并和你展开激烈的辩论，而且许多中国人都受到过国际事务方面的良好教育。不要害怕问问题--只不过当你这样做的时候要采取一点策略。

　　The trains are fast. Really fast

　　六、火车很快，真的很快。

Move over Japan, because the world’s fastest trains run on the Beijing–Shanghai High-Speed Railway and have reached speeds of 487kmh in trials, though they commonly travel at 300kmh, outpacing bullet trains or France’s TGV. As for the magnetic Maglev that operates between Shanghai’s Pudong airport and the city, it tops 430kmh.

　　火车速度比日本要快，世界上最快的火车正在京沪高铁上跑着，实验速度已经达到了每小时487公里--虽然它们通常都只以每小时300公里的速度运行，超过了子弹列车和法国的高速列车TGV。而上海市区和浦东机场之间的磁悬浮列车时速高达430公里。

　　China isn’t cheap

　　七、中国并不便宜。

If you think China is one of those bargain Asian destinations you’d be partly right, providing you’re willing to travel like a backpacker – or a local. But if you’re checking into international-brand hotels, looking for a Western meal and haunting cafes and nightclubs, prepare for a shock.

　　如果你认为中国是亚洲最便宜的旅行目的地之一的话，你可能说对了一部分--只要你愿意像一个背包客或者当地人那样旅行。但是如果你想要入住国际品牌酒店、吃西餐、逛咖啡馆和夜店的话，准备好大吃一惊吧!

　　The best treasures are in Taiwan

　　八、最好的珍宝在台湾。

Don’t get me wrong, China has museums crammed with remarkable artefacts from thousands of years of history. But for the best, you’ll have to head to the National Palace Museum in Taipei, where the most fabulous pieces, collected by Chinese emperors, ended up after China’s civil war in the 1940s.

　　不要误会我的意思，中国的博物馆中都挤满了从几千年历史中遗留下来的非凡艺术品。但是如果要看那些最好的东西的话，你得去台北故宫博物院，那里有最精彩的艺术品，都是由中国历史上的皇帝所收集的，上个世纪40年代中国内战结束后这些东西被带到了台湾。

　　Everyone holidays at once

　　九、所有人都一起放假。

The largest human migrations in history come twice yearly to China when 590 million people take to public transport during peak local holidays known as Golden Weeks, which fall over Chinese New Year and National Day in early October. Good luck getting a train or hotel room.

　　史上最大规模人口迁移每年都要在中国上演两次，在假日(中国人称之为“黄金周”)高峰期间5.9亿中国人会乘坐公共交通出行，每年新年和十月上旬的国庆节期间都要来上这么一遭。运气好才能买到火车票、订到酒店房间。

　　You won’t get ’Chinese restaurant’ food

　　十、在中国你找不到“中餐馆”的菜。

Most Chinese restaurants in New Zealand feature Cantonese cuisine adapted to Western tastes. You won’t find pineapple, carrot, or onion in any stir-fry in China. But you’ll discover a thousand new delicious regional dishes: salty in the north, spicy in the centre, sweet and sour near Shanghai, light and seafood-rich in the south.

　　新西兰大多数中餐馆都是适合西方人口味的广东菜。你在中国的炒菜里找不到菠萝、胡萝卜或者洋葱。但是你会发现一千种新的地方菜肴--华北的咸香、华中的香辣、上海的酸甜、华南的淡口和海鲜。

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