隨著旅遊大眾化，國際旅遊人數不斷增加，世界各地的著名景點變得越來越擁擠。限制參觀人數，對遊客收取城市稅、占用稅……本期 “隨身英語” 介紹各國著名景點應對遊客潮所采取的相應措施，以保護這些歷史名勝和必看景點。
Vocabulary: tourism 詞匯：旅遊業
I love holidays! There’s nothing better than jetting off to a foreign destination to visit the attractions it has on offer. Of course, I’m not alone. Millions of people are doing the same, and why not? The world has an amazing variety of must-see sights, from breathtaking natural scenery to impressive old cities. But the problem is that too many of us are visiting them at the same time, putting pressure on these delicate and ancient places.
That’s why a number of beauty spots and historic sites have been introducing charges or restrictions on the tourists who visit. There are many reasons for this: to reduce overcrowding, which can spoil the ambience of a place, to manage wear and tear on old crumbling buildings, to tidy up the mess that visitors leave behind, or – as some may suggest – creating tourist traps to make more money out of the visitors.
The famous Italian city of Venice with its picturesque canals has, for example, introduced an entry fee of up to €10 for short-stay tourists. Venetians have long complained that mass tourism is swamping the city. Now, passengers arriving by cruise ship will have to pay a ‘landing tax’ which Mayor Luigi Brugnaro says, “would generate much-needed income to keep the city clean.”
Many cities in Europe already charge an occupancy tax on tourists who stay in hotels and guest houses. In the UK, Edinburgh is hoping to do the same, controversially making it the first city in the country to do so. This levy, that is usually charged per person per night of accommodation, raises money to help protect the environment, pay for infrastructure, or promote tourism.
In Italy’s capital city, Rome, new laws are being introduced to clamp down on bad tourist behaviour, which some argue is spoiling the look and feel of the city. Rules include banning drinking water from fountains and attaching ‘love padlocks’ to bridges.
As more of us can now afford to travel, tourist destinations are going to get busier, so maybe new laws and taxes are going to be a necessary part of the sightseeing experience.
詞匯表
jet off 乘飛機旅行
attraction 景點
must-see sight 必看景點
breathtaking 美得驚人的
ancient 古老的
beauty spot 美景
historic site 古跡
charge 收費
restriction 限制
overcrowding 過度擁擠
wear and tear 損耗，消耗
tourist trap 旅遊陷阱
picturesque 圖畫般的，美麗的
short-stay 隻在某處短暫停留的
mass tourism 大眾旅遊
landing tax 入境稅（乘船進入威尼斯的遊客需交納的稅費）
occupancy tax 占用稅
levy 稅款
accommodation 住宿
infrastructure 基礎設施
love padlock 同心鎖
sightseeing 觀光，遊覽
測驗與練習
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. According to the article, what is causing damage to delicate and ancient places?
2. Who will have to pay the new ‘landing tax’ when visiting Venice?
3. True or false? Edinburgh will soon be the only city in Europe to charge a tax on people staying in hotels and guest houses.
4. What can you no longer do with ‘love padlocks’ in Rome?
5. Which word in the article means ‘character and atmosphere of a place’?
2. 請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. We climbed up a very high mountain and the views from the top were _______.
pictures breathtaking beauty spots sightseeing
2. I can’t wait until Saturday when we are _______ to the Caribbean – two weeks on the beach and no work!
jet off jets off jetting off off jetting
3. The _______ wasn’t great, which made travelling around the country hard work.
must-see sights sightseeing infrastructure tourism
4. Our holiday wasn’t great. The town we stayed in had been spoiled by _______ – it had no authentic local character.
mass tourism massed tourism mass tourist mass touring
5. For some, Niagara Falls is a _______ when on holiday in the USA.
beauty spot historic site sightseeing must-see sight
答案
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. According to the article, what is causing damage to delicate and ancient places?
The large number of tourists is putting pressure on these delicate and ancient places.
2. Which visitors to Venice will have to pay the new ‘landing tax’?
Passengers arriving by cruise ship will now have to pay a ‘landing tax’.
3. True or false? Edinburgh will soon be the only city in Europe to charge a tax on people staying in hotels and guest houses.
False. Edinburgh will be the first place in the UK to introduce an occupancy tax.
4. What can you no longer do with ‘love padlocks’ in Rome?
New laws ban attaching ‘love padlocks’ to bridges in Rome.
5. Which word in the article means ‘character and atmosphere of a place’?
Ambience. “To reduce overcrowding which can spoil the ambience of a place.”
2. 請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. We climbed up a very high mountain and the views from the top were breathtaking.
2. I can’t wait until Saturday when we are jetting off to the Caribbean – two weeks on the beach and no work!
3. The infrastructure wasn’t great, which made travelling around the country hard work.
4. Our holiday wasn’t great. The town we stayed in had been spoiled by mass tourism – it had no authentic local character.
5. For some, Niagara Falls is a must-see sight when on holiday in the USA.
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