多文化见怪不怪的伦敦

London is one of the most diverse1 cities in the world. Only less than half of Londons population are white British， and more than half were born outside the UK. A quarter were born outside of Europe. There are over 8 million people living in London at present. And all these people speak over 300 languages， thats more than any other city in the world！ English is the main language of communication in London， but many pupils in London dont speak English at home. Over 100 languages are used by these little children who are growing up in London.

The number of diverse museums in London adds to the culture of this city. There are over 170 museums：from the massive2 British Museum—Londons most popular tourist attraction， to the tiny Fan Museum in Greenwich. Museum and art lovers will not be disappointed3 when they go to London.

London is such a multicultural4 city， you can enjoy food from all parts of the world. Fish and chips might be the most famous food， but because of the large number of Indian migrants5， curry（咖喱）is the nations favorite now. Thanks to its diversity6， unlike many European cultures， Londoners enjoy entertaining7 people in their homes. If invited to a home party and you are 10 or 15 minutes late， Londoners are fine with that.But， hey， its always nice to be polite， which means be on time.

The story of London is ever so long and dramatic8. No matter what you are interested in， there will always be something for you in London. Therefore， the capital of England is regarded9 as one of the most important cities in the world. In fact， you may find it is so hard to decide what to see and what to miss out on in London.

倫敦是世界上最多样化的城市。整个伦敦的人口中，只有一小半是英国白人，而另一大半出生在英国之外。其中，四分之一的人口甚至出生在欧洲之外。目前，伦敦有800万人，他们所说的语言超出300种，这比世界上任何其他城市都要多。英语是伦敦人交流的主要语言，但很多小学生在家根本不说英语。这些即将在伦敦长大的孩子们，使用超过100种不同的语言。

伦敦数量庞大的博物馆增加了城市的多样性。这里有170多所博物馆，从伦敦最受欢迎的旅游景点——巨大无比的大英博物馆，到格林威治极其“迷你”的风扇博物馆。博物馆和艺术爱好者到伦敦的话，一定不会失望。

伦敦如此多元化，你可以享受来自世界各地的美食。炸鱼和薯条也许是最有名的，但由于有大量的印度移民，现在咖喱已经成为全国最受欢迎的菜式。多亏多样化，与很多欧洲文化不同的是，伦敦人喜欢邀请别人到家里玩。如果被邀请参加家庭聚会，而你迟到了10到15分钟的话，伦敦人不会太介意。但是，嘿，与人为善总是好的，这意味着你最好准时到达。

伦敦的故事实在太长、太戏剧化。无论你对什么感兴趣，伦敦都有。因此，英国的首都被看作全世界最重要的城市。事实上，你会发现要决定在伦敦参观什么，错过什么，真是一件很困难的事情。

Tip

the number of：意思是“……的数量”，跟复数名词连用作主语时，中心词是number，谓语动词要用单数形式。如：The number of the cars in our city is 1000.我们城市中的汽车数量是1000辆。

短语a number of的意思是“许多”，相当于 many，修饰可数名词复数。其作主语时，谓语动词用复数形式。如：A number of students were absent from the meeting. 许多学生缺席会议。

The Grumpy10 Weather Is In London

坏脾气的伦敦天气

London has a mild11 climate. Extreme weather is rare here. As a result， it can be visited at any time of year. At the same time， unfortunately， Londons weather has a reputation12 of being dark and wet.

The weather in London changes all the time. It can be freezing13 walking outside， but hot in the subway （or tube as Londoners call it）. When in London， one should always wear layers14， to put on or take off when needed.

It rains in London often. The rain doesnt come all in one season. It can come at any time of year， and on any day. You might experience beautiful sunshine， blustering15 winds and drizzling16 rain — all in one afternoon！ So， an umbrella is never a burden， you just never know.

Because of the weather， Londoners like to wear comfortable clothes， but still look sharp. If you dont want people to see you as a tourist right away， try not to wear souvenir17 shirt such as “I love London”. And， even in the cold winter days， most Londoners do not wear UGGs to keep warm. They might just look too clunky18， and not so stylish. Flip flops？ They work great in sunny Australia， but not in London where temperature and sun are not so high， most of the time.

In the winter time， most Londoners dont wear extremely bright colors. And it is common to see people dress in all black. It matches the season， the weather， and maybe peoples mood19.

倫敦天气温和，极端天气非常少见。因此，一年中任何时候你都可以去伦敦。与此同时，不幸的是，伦敦的天气一直都“名声不佳”：黑乎乎，湿漉漉。

伦敦的天气瞬息万变。在户外散步时，你可能觉得冻得刺骨；走进地铁，你又会突然感到异常暖和。在伦敦，你一定要多穿几层，必要时可脱、可穿。

伦敦经常下雨。雨不是全在一个季节下的。一年中的任何时间都可以下雨，任何一天都可能下雨。你可能会在一个下午经历美丽的阳光、大作的狂风和毛毛细雨。因此，雨伞从来不是负担，因为你永远不知道什么时候会用到它。

由于气候的原因，伦敦人喜欢穿既保暖又有型的衣服。如果你不想马上被人看出是游客，外出时尽量不要穿印有“我爱伦敦”的纪念衫。即使在最寒冷的冬日，大部分当地人也拒绝穿UGG雪地靴保暖，可能是雪地靴看起来太臃肿、不够时尚的缘故。人字拖？在阳光充足的澳大利亚你穿着可能刚刚好，但在伦敦，大部分时候气温不够高，阳光不够耀眼，你还是别穿了。

冬天，大部分当地人不会穿颜色过于鲜艳的衣服。人们穿得一身黑是很常见的。应季，应天气，也许还是人们心情的一种折射。

Tip

as a result：常被翻译为“结果是”“作为结果”。短语as a result 单独使用，后面一般用逗号隔开。如：He worked hard at his study. As a result， he passed the exam easily.由于努力学习，他通过了这次考试。

短语as a result of的意思是“由于”，后面常接名词或者代词。如：As a result of his hard work， he passed the exam easily.由于努力学习，他通过了这次考试。

Black Cab： The Symbol Of London

黑色出租车：伦敦的象征

In London， many black taxis drive around the streets. They are a true symbol20 of London， almost as iconic21 as a London bus！ London is ranked the No.1 taxi industry in the world.

London taxis （often called “black cabs”） have a very long history. They started out as horse-drawn carriages22 as early as 1662. In 1945， the black cab design we all know and love today became common. These days， black cabs dont have to be black—many cabs are created in different colors. But people still like to refer these taxis as “black cabs”.

For a person to become a black cab driver in London， they must complete a test called “The Knowledge”. It involves23 remembering many streets in London. Cab drivers can spend years trying to learn it all. Some even walk around every part of the city to remember everything in their brains. The average time to study and pass the exam is 3 years. It is such a difficult test， and thats why cabbies （cab drivers in London） know every street and landmark24 in London. So， if you are going to a hotel or theatre， you just need to tell them the name.

Black cabs can be quite expensive， but it is such an original and worthwhile journey to take when you visit London. If you see a cab with a light on top displaying the word “TAXI”， this means they are available25. Otherwise， the light is switched26 off. Never shout “TAXI” at a moving black cab. This is against the law and they will not stop for you.

倫敦街头有很多黑色出租车出没。它们和伦敦巴士一样，绝对是伦敦的象征。伦敦是世界上出租车行业排名第一的城市。

伦敦的出租车（常被叫作“黑色出租车”）历史悠久。早在1662年，它们就以马车的形式出现了。1945年，我们熟知和喜爱的黑色出租车已经变得很普遍。如今，出租车不再全部是黑色的——很多“黑色出租车”被涂成各种不同的颜色，但人们仍然习惯称它们“黑色出租车”。

在伦敦，想要成为一名黑色出租车司机，你必须通过一门叫作“知识”的考试。申请者需要记住伦敦的许多街道名。出租车司机有时候要花好几年才能全部记住。有些司机甚至走访伦敦的每个角落来真正记住所有内容。申请者学习和通过考试的平均时间是3年。正因为考试实在太难，黑色出租车司机们才对伦敦的每条街、每个标志性建筑了如指掌。因此，如果要去酒店或剧院，你只需要告诉司机名字就够了。

你可能觉得乘坐黑色出租车价格昂贵，但它如此原汁原味，到访伦敦的时候，你值得一试。如果你看到出租车的顶部亮着车灯，写着“TAXI”，那意味着车上没有乘客。要不然，灯是熄灭的。你绝对不要朝正在行驶的出租车大喊“TAXI”，这可是违法的，出租车也不会因此为你停车。

Tip

such a：such a/an +形容词+可数名词单数表示“如此的……”。如：1）I never know such a man. 我从不认识这样一个人。2）How can you explain such a silly remark？ 你怎能解释如此愚蠢的意见？

A Royal Family Thats So Close to Its People

离民众最近的皇室

If you were a king or queen for the day in London， what would you do？ Ride around in a carriage made of gold， or wear the worlds most famous diamond on your head？

The Monarchy27 is the oldest form of government in the UK. Whether you are a royalist28 or not， the royal family attracts public interest from the UK and the world. On average， the Queen receives about 60，000 pieces of cards， letters and gifts from all over the world each year.In addition， people spend about ￡500 million every year to visit royal places in the UK， especially in London. The Tower of London， Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace are the most popular royal destinations29.

Buckingham Palace is the Queens official London residence30. It has a total of 775 rooms， including 52 bedrooms and 78 bathrooms. It is one of the few working royal palaces remaining in the world today. When the Queen is present in Buckingham Palace， the Royal Standard flag will be flying above it；otherwise， it will be the Union Flag that flies. During the summer time， when the Queen spends her summer somewhere else other than London， you can tour the State Rooms. They are decorated with some of the greatest treasures from the Royal Collection. During other times， you can still see the exterior31 of the palace. Also， you can watch the famous Changing the Guard.

To visit the Royal London， is to step into tradition and to step back in time.

假如你可以在倫敦当一天国王或女王，你想做什么？搭乘一辆金色马车四处巡游，还是将全世界最著名的钻石戴在头上？

君主政体是英国历史最悠久的政府形式。无论你是否是皇室的“粉丝”，英国皇室吸引了英国本土以及全世界民众的注意力，这是不争的事实。女王平均每年会收到来自世界各地的大约6万份贺卡、信件和礼物。此外，人们每年花费约5亿英镑游览英国的皇家场所，特别是在伦敦。伦敦塔、温莎城堡和白金汉宫是最受欢迎的皇家景点。

白金汉宫是女王在伦敦的官邸。它共有775个房间，包括52间卧室和78间浴室。白金汉宫是世界上现存为数不多的仍在使用的皇家建筑。当女王在白金汉宫时，皇家旗帜将在屋顶飘扬。否则，英国联合旗会飞扬其上。每年夏天，当女王离开伦敦去其他地方避暑时，民众可以参观国事厅。这里有皇室收藏品中最珍贵的宝藏。其他时候，你可以远观白金汉宫的外部，还可以观看著名的卫兵交接仪式。

领略英国皇室风采，就是一脚踏入传统和历史之中。

Tip

Whether与or not连用，属于固定搭配，引导状语从句，意为“不论”“不管是”。如：1）Well go on with the work， whether we can find the necessary tools or not.不管能否找到所需的工具，我们都要把这项工作做下去。2）Whether you like the idea or not， Im going ahead with it.无论你是否喜欢这个意见， 我都将继续做下去。