Summer in Britain 英國夏季的節日和活動

夏季是英國最溫暖的季節，晴天居多再加上白晝時間長，正是舉辦各類慶典節日和活動比賽的最佳季節。跟隨《隨身英語》一起來看看英國夏季一些有名的節日和戶外活動。

課文內容

詞匯: tourism 旅遊

Britain is on the go-to list for tourists worldwide but, with the value of the pound reaching historic lows after the Brexit vote, a visit has became more timely.

The summer is a great time to be in Britain. The British Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Tate Gallery are all a must-see for everybody who comes to the country, but there’s also a lot of interesting things to do for those who love the outdoors.

The Notting Hill Carnival changes the face of the famous London borough in the last weekend of August. It’s the largest street festival in Europe. First held in 1964, it’s a celebration of Caribbean culture but now includes Brazilians, Africans, Europeans and anybody else who likes to dress colourfully and feels the urge to dance to the sound of a beat.

With its popularity growing it’s estimated that 50,000 performers will take part in the parade, attracting more than 1 million people over the weekend.

Outside the capital there’s also plenty to do. Early in August there’s the Robin Hood Festival in Sherwood Forest Country Park, Nottinghamshire. The legendary characters of books and movies – Robin Hood and the evil Sheriff of Nottingham – can be found there amid jousting tournaments and comedy acts. For those into nature, there’s always the forest to enjoy.

In mid-August, in Bristol, a city about 200km from London, the sky is filled with colour during its annual balloon fiesta. If the weather is good, more than 100 hot air balloons rise up from the Fiesta’s site in Ashton Court.

Britain is full of traditions and sometimes just stopping at a country pub for a beer or having cream tea in a small tea room can make a moment special. Just be careful where you end up, though. Coaches full of sightseers went to the small village of Kiddlington early this month. As the visitors were taking pictures of the houses and entering private gardens, the locals were taking pictures of them. To this day, nobody knows what the tourists were doing there. Always be sure where you are, and learn enough English to ask for directions. Have a nice holiday!

詞匯表

Brexit 英國脫離歐盟
timely 適時的
The British museum 大英博物館
must-see 必須要看的
outdoors 戶外，野外
The Notting Hill Carnival 諾丁山狂歡節
street festival 街頭慶祝活動
Caribbean 加勒比地區的
urge 欲望，沖動
popularity 受歡迎程度，人氣
Robin Hood Festival 羅賓漢節
jousting tournament 馬上長矛比武賽
comedy act 喜劇表演
balloon 氣球
country pub 鄉村酒吧
cream tea 奶油茶點
coach 長途客車
sightseer 觀光客，遊客
local 當地居民

測驗與練習

1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。

1. What makes this summer better for travelling to Britain?

2. What kind of event happens in Notting Hill in August?

3. Where do you go to see performers telling jokes?

4. Where do you go if you want to see England’s green and pleasant land from above?

5. Which noun in the article refers to music?

2. 請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. It’s hot and I’m thirsty. Let’s go to a __________!

street festival parade pub borough

2. If you go to New York, the Empire State Building is __________.

a must-see go-to outdoors a parade

3. The mayor was sure the new suspension bridge would attract many __________ from different countries.

locals sightseers performers legendary characters

4. Manchester is a bustling city. There’s __________ to do there.

nothing many anything plenty

5. If you are __________ shopping, you can’t miss the high-street sales.

outside into outdoors up

答案

1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。

1. What makes this summer better for travelling to Britain?
Not only the attractions but also the cheap pound, which is making travelling less expensive.

2. What kind of event happens in Notting Hill in August?
A street party known as ‘the Notting Hill Carnival’.

3. Where do you go to see performers telling jokes?
There are comedy acts in the Robin Hood Festival, in Sherwood Forest Country Park.

4. Where do you go if you want to see England’s green and pleasant land from above?
You go to the balloon fiesta in Bristol.

5. Which noun in the article refers to music?
‘Beat’ – it’s a reference to the rhythm in music.

2. 請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. It’s hot and I’m thirsty. Let’s go to a pub!

2. If you go to New York, the Empire State Building is a must-see.

3. The mayor was sure the new suspension bridge would attract many sightseers from different countries.

4. Manchester is a bustling city. There’s plenty to do there.

5. If you are into shopping, you can’t miss the high-street sales.