Spotlight on Copenhagen

时间:2012-06-28 02:53:15

(单词翻译:单击)

Are you too old for fairy tales? If you think so, Copenhagen is sure to change your mind.

See the city first from the water. In the harbor sits Denmark s best-known landmark1: the Little Mermaid2. Remember her? She left the world of the Sea People in search of a human soul in one of Hans Christian3 Andersen s beloved fantasies. From the harbor you can get a feel for the attractive "city of green spires5." At twilight6 or in cloudy weather, the copper-covered spires of old castles and churches lend the city a dream-like atmosphere. You ll think you ve stepped into a watercolor painting.

Copenhagen is a city on a human scale. You don t have to hurry to walk the city s center in less than an hour. Exploring it will take much longer. But that s easy. Copenhagen was the first city to declare a street for pedestrians7 only. The city has less traffic noise and pollution than any other European capital.

Stroll away from the harbor along the riverbanks, you ll see the modest Amalienborg Palace first. Completed in the mid-18th century, it still houses the royal family. The Danish Royal Guard is on duty. At noon, you ll watch the changing of the guard. The guards are not just for show, however. Danes will always remember their heroism8 on April 9, 1940. When the Nazis9 invaded Denmark, the guards aimed their guns and fired. Soldiers fell on both sides. The guards would all have been killed if the king hadn't ordered them to surrender.

Churches and castles are almost all that remain of the original city. Copenhagen became the capital of Denmark in 1445. During the late 16th century, trade grew, and so did the city. But fires in 1728 and 1795 destroyed the old wooden structures. Much of what we see today dates from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

See one of the spires up close—really close—at the 17th-century Church of Our Savior. Brave souls may climb the 150 stairs winding10 outside the spire4 to its top. If you re afraid of heights, or if it s a windy day, you can forget the climb. But then you ll miss the magnificent view.

Once the earth is under your feet again (you ll enjoy the feeling), cross the nearest bridge to Castle Island. The curious yet majestic-looking spire ahead tops the oldest stock exchange in Europe, built in 1619. Its spire is formed from the entwined(缠住) tails of three dragons. They represent Denmark, Sweden and Norway.

Keep going, to the Christiansborg Palace. The town of Copenhagen began here. Stop and visit the medieval castle. Parliament and the Royal Reception Chambers11 are open, too. Then continue to Nyhavn, a narrow waterway dug by soldiers in 1673. You ll understand why Hans Christian Andersen made this charming waterway his home. A specially-built mirror outside his apartment window allowed him to peek12 unseen at the world outside.

Nyhavn is peaceful, an ideal place for lingering and people-watching. You ll usually see them dressed casually13, though they are among Europe s rich people. Danes are taught not to stand out in a crowd. But they do know how to party, especially during holidays.

To see them having fun, and to have some fun yourself, cross Andersens Boulevard and enter Tivoli Gardens. You won t be alone. More than five million people a year come here. They come to dance, dine, take in outdoor and indoor concerts, see ballets and laugh at the comedy. One tip: Bring a lot of money. About 20 restaurants are among the city s most expensive. Even without money, you can still enjoy the proud old trees, the colored night lights and the beautiful gardens. You might feel as if you are in a fairy tale.


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1 landmark j2DxG     
n.陆标,划时代的事,地界标
参考例句:
  • The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
  • The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。
2 mermaid pCbxH     
n.美人鱼
参考例句:
  • How popular would that girl be with the only mermaid mom!和人鱼妈妈在一起,那个女孩会有多受欢迎!
  • The little mermaid wasn't happy because she didn't want to wait.小美人鱼不太高兴,因为她等不及了。
3 Christian KVByl     
adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒
参考例句:
  • They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
  • His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。
4 spire SF3yo     
n.(教堂)尖顶,尖塔,高点
参考例句:
  • The church spire was struck by lightning.教堂的尖顶遭到了雷击。
  • They could just make out the spire of the church in the distance.他们只能辨认出远处教堂的尖塔。
5 spires 89c7a5b33df162052a427ff0c7ab3cc6     
n.(教堂的) 塔尖,尖顶( spire的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Her masts leveled with the spires of churches. 船的桅杆和教堂的塔尖一样高。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • White church spires lift above green valleys. 教堂的白色尖顶耸立在绿色山谷中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 twilight gKizf     
n.暮光,黄昏;暮年,晚期,衰落时期
参考例句:
  • Twilight merged into darkness.夕阳的光辉融于黑暗中。
  • Twilight was sweet with the smell of lilac and freshly turned earth.薄暮充满紫丁香和新翻耕的泥土的香味。
7 pedestrians c0776045ca3ae35c6910db3f53d111db     
n.步行者( pedestrian的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Several pedestrians had come to grief on the icy pavement. 几个行人在结冰的人行道上滑倒了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Pedestrians keep to the sidewalk [footpath]! 行人走便道。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
8 heroism 5dyx0     
n.大无畏精神,英勇
参考例句:
  • He received a medal for his heroism.他由于英勇而获得一枚奖章。
  • Stories of his heroism resounded through the country.他的英雄故事传遍全国。
9 Nazis 39168f65c976085afe9099ea0411e9a5     
n.(德国的)纳粹党员( Nazi的名词复数 );纳粹主义
参考例句:
  • The Nazis worked them over with gun butts. 纳粹分子用枪托毒打他们。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The Nazis were responsible for the mass murder of Jews during World War Ⅱ. 纳粹必须为第二次世界大战中对犹太人的大屠杀负责。 来自《简明英汉词典》
10 winding Ue7z09     
n.绕,缠,绕组,线圈
参考例句:
  • A winding lane led down towards the river.一条弯弯曲曲的小路通向河边。
  • The winding trail caused us to lose our orientation.迂回曲折的小道使我们迷失了方向。
11 chambers c053984cd45eab1984d2c4776373c4fe     
n.房间( chamber的名词复数 );(议会的)议院;卧室;会议厅
参考例句:
  • The body will be removed into one of the cold storage chambers. 尸体将被移到一个冷冻间里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Mr Chambers's readable book concentrates on the middle passage: the time Ransome spent in Russia. Chambers先生的这本值得一看的书重点在中间:Ransome在俄国的那几年。 来自互联网
12 peek ULZxW     
vi.偷看,窥视;n.偷偷的一看,一瞥
参考例句:
  • Larry takes a peek out of the window.赖瑞往窗外偷看了一下。
  • Cover your eyes and don't peek.捂上眼睛,别偷看。
13 casually UwBzvw     
adv.漠不关心地,无动于衷地,不负责任地
参考例句:
  • She remarked casually that she was changing her job.她当时漫不经心地说要换工作。
  • I casually mentioned that I might be interested in working abroad.我不经意地提到我可能会对出国工作感兴趣。

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