伦敦的天际
London skyline
Hello, I’m Rob. Welcome to 6 Minute English.
大家好，我是Rob。欢迎收听今天的六分钟英语节目。
I’m joined today by Neil.
今天我的搭档是Neil。
Hi there Rob. Yes, I'm Neil.
你好，Rob。大家好，我是Neil。
Now Neil, tell me, when you think of skyscrapers – the very tall, thin buildings –
Neil，当你想到摩天大楼的时候——就是那些又高又窄的建筑的时候——
which cities do you think of?
你会想到哪些城市呢？
Oh, well, probably New York, Shanghai, and perhaps Dubai...
可能是纽约、上海，还有迪拜吧。
Well, London is also the home to a growing number of skyscrapers –
恩，伦敦近些年也建了很多摩天大楼——
with nicknames like the Gherkin, the Walkie Talkie and the Cheese Grater –
比如说“嫩黄瓜”、“对讲机”还有“奶酪刨”，这些都是那些新高楼的外号——
but not everyone likes them… Do you like them, Neil?
但是并不是每个人都喜欢这种建筑……那么Neil，你怎么看呢？
Well, I like the nicknames – I think they're very fun.
我喜欢那些昵称——它们很有趣。
And actually, I quite like the buildings too – they're quirky
而且我也很喜欢摩天大楼，它们的风格都很独特。
– which means unusual, odd, in a nice way.
就是很特别、奇怪，当然是从好的方面来说。
Yeah, I agree.
没错，我同意。
But, today we'll be talking about why many people are unhappy about these new skyscrapers,
但是，我们今天要来讨论的是为什么很多人不喜欢这些摩天大楼，
and learning some language about towns and buildings. But first…
并来学一些关于城镇还有建筑的单词。不过首先呢……
But first, a question, Rob.
首先是一个问题吧，Rob。
Oh yes, of course!
是的，没错！
For many years, the tallest building in London was St Paul's Cathedral.
多年来，伦敦的最高建筑是圣保罗大教堂。
But when was it built? Was it completed in:
它是什么时候建的，它在哪一年建设完工？
a) 1508
a) 1508
b) 1608
b) 1608
c) 1708
c) 1708
Well, I think… I think that it was c) 1708.
恩，我想……我想应该是c) 1708年吧。
Well, we'll find out if you're right, or wrong, at the end of the programme…
好的，那到节目的最后我们再来揭晓答案。
Well, let's start our discussion with that very building –
下面就让我们来聊聊刚才提到的那个建筑吧——
St Paul's Cathedral in central London.
位于伦敦市中心的圣保罗大教堂。
We're going to hear from BBC reporter Jonathan Savage.
我们先来听听BBC播音员Jonathan Savage都说了些什么吧。
Which adjective does he use to describe the height of St Paul's,
看看他用了什么形容词来描述圣保罗大教堂的高度，
and which word does he use to say that it now seems much smaller than the skyscrapers nearby?
还有他用了什么单词来表达现圣保罗大教堂和它附近新建的摩天大楼在一起的效果的？
This is St Paul's Cathedral in central London.
这就是伦敦市中心的圣保罗大教堂。
It's a modest 111 metres high,
高111米，高度比较适中，
but for nearly 300 years it was the tallest building in this city.
但是在将近300多年的时间里，它是伦敦最高的建筑。
Now, it is dwarfed by nearby skyscrapers, many of which have sprung up in just the last few years.
而现在，它被其他摩天大楼所围绕，被他们一比就成“小矮子”了。很多摩天大楼都是在过去几年时间里建起来的。
They've got irreverently British nicknames like the Gherkin, the Cheese Grater and the Walkie Talkie.
它们得到了许多不太高雅的外号，比方说“嫩黄瓜”“对讲机”还有“奶酪刨”。
So, we heard those three skyscrapers again – but what about St Paul's?
我们又听到了那三个摩天大楼的名字——那么圣保罗大教堂呢？
He said it was a modest 111 metres high.
他说它只有111米高，高度比较适中。
Modest here means not large in size or amount – it means it's only 111 metres.
Modest在这的意思就是在尺寸或者数量上来说不是非常大——意思就是它的高度不是很高，只有111米。
That was the adjective.
这是一个形容词。
And the other word we asked you to listen out for was dwarfed. St Paul's is dwarfed by the nearby skyscrapers.
另外一个我让你听的单词是dwarfed，圣保罗大教堂被附近新建的高楼比下去了。
If something dwarfs another thing, it makes it seem small in comparison.
如果某物dwarfs另一个物体，指的就是它看起来比另一个物体要小的多。
Yes, and this has happened recently.
没错，这是最近才发生的事情。
He says the new buildings have sprung up in the last few years.
他说新建的这些建筑都是在过去几年内完工的。
When he says they've sprung up, he means they've suddenly appeared –
他用的描述是：sprung up，指的就是非常迅速的发生——
and it's often used to talk about buildings.
这个用法也通常用来指建筑。
And he also used a great word to talk about those nicknames –
他还用了一个单词来形容那些建筑的外号——
he said they were irreverently British nicknames –
他说那都是一些不太高雅的英式外号——
if something is irreverent, it doesn't show the respect you might expect for official things,
如果某物的名称不太高雅，意思就是不够正式，显示不出其应该受到尊重的地位。
and often treats serious subjects in quite a fun, jokey way.
使用一种戏谑的方式来描述一些非常严肃的事物。
By calling them irreverently British,
这就是不太高雅的英式外号。
he suggests that being irreverent is quite typically British!
他说起一些不太高雅的外号就是典型的英式风格。
Now, Rob, you're quite typically British but are you irreverent?
Rob，你就是非常典型的英国人，那么你会经常开这种不太高雅的玩笑嘛？
I think I am. I joke about everything!
我觉得是吧。我几乎可以开各种事情的玩笑！
But, whether these nicknames are respectful or not,
但是，不管这些外号是否高雅，
as I mentioned, many people are not happy with these tall new buildings.
就像我之前提到的那样，很多人是不太喜欢这些高楼的。
What reasons does Jonathan Savage give?
Jonathan Savage给出的理由是什么？
They are not universally popular.
它们并没有那么普遍受欢迎。
Some say they obstruct sightlines of old-fashioned landmarks like this one;
有的人说它们阻碍视线，影响到了那些有历史纪念意义的地标建筑；
that they threaten London's cultural identity; that they're just plain ugly.
它们影响到了伦敦的文化特征，而且它们本身看起来就很丑。
A group of high-profile Londoners, politicians, artisans and academics are now campaigning to halt this incoming tide.
一些知名度较高的伦敦人、政客、工匠以及学者现在都在致力于叫停这种日渐升温的“高楼热”。
They say more than 200 more skyscrapers are being thoughtlessly thrown up across London.
他们说，有超过200多个高楼被草率的安置在全伦敦。
OK, so, what were their reasons?
好的，那么他们的理由是什么呢？
They said they obstruct sightlines – they block the views of some older landmarks.
他们说这些建筑阻碍视线——它们挡住了那些老的地标建筑的视线。
They also threaten London's cultural identity –
他们还影响到了伦敦的文化特征——
and some think they're just plain ugly.
一些人认为那些新高楼很丑。
Using the word 'plain' in this context emphasises the adjective that follows.
他用了“plain”这个单词来强调后面的形容词。
Just plain ugly – means: very ugly.
plain ugly——意思就是非常丑。
Indeed, well that's the opinion of this group, but not of all Londoners.
没错，这就是那些反对者的意见，但并不代表全伦敦人的想法。
Nonetheless, they're working to halt – or to stop – the incoming tide of new skyscrapers.
但是他们一直在努力叫停这种疯狂的新建高楼的潮流。
An incoming tide is the rise of the sea that happens every day,
incoming tide指的是海水的上涨，这种现象每天都会发生。
which makes it come further into the land.
海水会升高，接近地面。
A strong image – and a lovely idiom to use when something is happening more and more.
这是一个非常形象的画面——用来形容某件事发生的越来越多。
Yes, earlier we heard the phrasal verb 'spring up'.
没错，之前我们还听到过一个描述是spring up。
Which similar phrasal verb was used by the reporter?
这个播报员还用到了一个相似的动词短语，是什么来着？
They say more than 200 more skyscrapers are being thoughtlessly thrown up across London.
他们说全伦敦有超过200多个高楼被草率的建造起来。
Thrown up. If something is thrown up, it's made quickly and without a lot of care.
Thrown up。如果某物thrown up，意思就是速度非常快，没有特别用心去做。
But be careful – to 'throw up' also has a different meaning –
但是要注意——throw up还有另外一种意思——
which is to vomit or be sick! Rob, have you got a head for heights?
那就是呕吐或者恶心！Rob，你有恐高症吗？
I've certainly got a head for heights and it doesn't make me sick being up high.
我当然有，但是在高处的时候我倒不至于感到恶心想吐。
Well, in that case you are unlikely to throw up from the top of one of these buildings!
好吧，这样看来你站在那些摩天大楼上应该不太会呕吐了！
Indeed, well, back to the ground level to answer today's question!
没错，那么让我们回到今天提出的那个问题上来吧！
Earlier I asked you when St Paul's Cathedral was finished.
我之前问你的是圣保罗大教堂建成的时间。
Was it in 1508, 1608 or 1708?
是1508年，1608年还是1708年？
And I said 1708.
我说的是1708年。
OK. And you were right.
不错，你还答对了呢。
They actually started building it back in 1675.
人们从1675年开始修建它。
Ah yes, not too long after the Great Fire of London in 1666, which is why they had to rebuild it.
就在1666年发生了伦敦大火之后，因此人们不得不重建伦敦。
Thank you Neil, and thank you everyone for listening.
谢谢你，Neil。也感谢每一位听众。
Do join us again next time for more 6 Minute English. Bye.
希望大家下次继续收听我们的六分钟英语节目。再见。
Goodbye.
再见。