英美发音 适合精读
Once one of the jewels in the crown of the British Empire, the tropical teardrop island of Sri Lanka lies in the Indian Ocean and provides a 1)vibrant destination of colour and contrast. Discover this fascinating Indian sub-continent country, boasting beautiful beaches, tropical rainforests and wildlife, 2)lush hill plantations and 3)astounding mountains and waterfalls.
The multi-religious and multi-ethnic population includes many Buddhist monks with official languages being Sinhalese and Tamil, and English being widely spoken.
Sri Lanka boasts seven 4)UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the town of Galle and its Dutch-inspired 5)fortifications, the sacred cities of Sigiriya with its magnificent rock fortress, and the royal city of Kandy in its lakeside setting.
This is Kandy, where I’ve come for the Esala Perahera, the biggest festival in the country. Hundreds of elephants are dressed up in honour of Buddha’s tooth relic and paraded around the city for ten nights.
The point of this Perahera is to call Sri Lankan Buddhists to come and pay 6)homage to the tooth relic, which is supposedly one of Lord Buddha’s teeth, that was plucked from his ashes by a monk when he was cremated in 583 BC.
Buddhism is practiced by 70% of Sri Lanka’s population and has greatly influenced the country’s literature, art and architecture. Basic beliefs include the lack of need for material possessions and the birth and rebirth of your being until you reach enlightenment.
Before the procession begins, the dancers and elephant handlers 7)congregate in the temple grounds and finish getting ready. Each night the chief elephant, called the Maligawa Tusker, will carry a 8)replica of the tooth relic from here, although the tooth itself remains at the temple. The casket is carried on the very last elephant of the Dalada Temple. It’s paraded around for the entire city to see. It takes three or four hours for the whole procession. Basically it lasts until it’s gone full circle and has been returned back to the temple where it started.
Sri Lanka enjoys a tropical climate with miles of palm-9)fringed sandy beaches from which traditional 10)stilt fishing can be seen, and larger sailing boats enjoying the refreshing sea breezes.
The island is famous for its production of spices, gems and 11)Ceylon Tea, the plantations for which are in the cool dry uplands.
12)Marvellous settings, breathtaking scenery, magical experiences and warm friendly service are trademarks of Sri Lanka, the “Isle of 13)Serendipity.”
斯里兰卡位于印度洋,这个地处热带,形如泪滴的岛屿一度曾是大英帝国皇冠上的一颗明珠。如今,它是一个色彩斑斓、丰富多采、充满生机的旅游胜地。在这个让人着迷的南亚次大陆国家,你可以发现让它引以为傲的有风光旖旎的海滩、热带雨林与野生动物;此外,丘陵上有郁郁葱葱的种植园,它的高山和瀑布会让你目瞪口呆。
在这个众多信仰共存的多民族国度里有许多佛僧,它的官方语言是僧伽罗语和泰米尔语,而英语也被广泛使用。
被联合国教科文组织的世界遗产名录收入的斯里兰卡遗迹多达七处,其中包括加勒市由荷兰人修建的城堡、壮观巨石堡垒上的西吉利亚圣城、位于湖边的康提王城。
这里就是康提,我来这里就是为了体验佛牙节,这可是这个国家最盛大的节日。在节日期间,数以百计的大象被盛装打扮,向佛祖的佛牙舍利表示敬意,它们会连续十个晚上在城内巡行。
举办佛牙节的目的就是让斯里兰卡的佛教徒来到这里,瞻仰佛牙。据说,这颗佛牙是佛祖在公元前583年被火化后,一名僧人从他的骨灰中捡回的。
斯里兰卡有70%的人口信奉佛教,该国的文学、艺术和建筑也因此大受影响。他们信仰的基本内容包括对物质享受无欲无求,相信转世轮回,直至达到涅槃的彼岸。
在游行开始之前,舞师与大象的驯养者都在庙前聚集,完成准备工作。每一个晚上,领头叫马里加哇的大象会驮着佛牙的复制品从这里出发,而真正的佛牙则留在庙里。为了让所有人都能看到佛牙,装有佛牙的匣子由佛牙寺的最后一头大象驮着,走遍整个城市。整个游行持续三、四个小时。大致上,它要走完整个路程,回到作为起点的佛牙寺。
斯里兰卡受到热带气候的眷顾,成行的棕榈树点缀着绵延数里的沙滩,在这里,你可以看到传统的立钓,清凉轻柔的海风让大型的帆船得以在这里惬意航行。
这个岛以其出产的香料、宝石和锡兰红茶著称,茶树的种植园都在阴凉、干爽的山地上。
美不胜收的环境,让人惊艳的景致,神奇的体验,还有热情友善的服务,这些都是“让你有意外发现的小岛”——斯里兰卡的典型标志。
翻译:旭文