Level 3 Reading 5B

Ch.10 Reading 5B

第10章 阅读5B

THE PERFECT BEACH In pursuit of the perfect beach, travel writer Stanley Stewart heads to Brazil, where he discovers some of the world's most beautiful sandy escapes. I'm standing on Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana beach, one of Brazil's—and the world's—most famous stretches of sand. As I watch life go by here in all its varied forms, I've come to realize that any understanding of Brazil really begins on its beaches. In this vibrant, multicultural country, the beach is not just a place; it's a state of mind—a way of thinking and living. Rio alone, I'm told, has over 70 beaches, each with its own community: Some are for bodybuilders, others are for senior citizens, still others are popular with parents and children. But Rio's beaches are just the starting point for my exploration of Brazil's Atlantic coastline, which—at more than 8,000 kilometers, and with more than 2,000 beaches—is the longest in the world. Every Brazilian has his or her own ideas of the perfect beach and is eager to tell you where to find it. I'm happy to take people's advice, but my ultimate goal is to find my own dream beach. I head to a place said to have some of Brazil's best coastline: the state of Bahia in the northeast. Portuguese settlers established themselves at Bahia's present-day capital, Salvador da Bahia, in 1549. Over the centuries, people of many races have arrived and intermarried here, creating a distinctive cultural mix. This mix influences Bahia's language, religion, cuisine, music, and dance. I'd been told that one of Bahia's best beaches—Prainha—lies just south of Salvador, near the town of Itacaré. On arriving at Prainha's beach, I discover its golden sand lined by a row of perfect palm trees, moving softly in the ocean breeze. Under the moon, silver waves roll onto the sand. As I enter the water, I have the feeling of swimming through moonlight. Prainha's beauty is magnificent— its perfect curves and graceful lines are like something you might see in a postcard. But for me, it's a little too perfect. The beach I'm searching for needs to be a little wilder ... I continue my search, heading north to one of Brazil's legendary beaches: Jericoacoara. Twenty years ago, only a handful of people were living in Jeri (as it's nicknamed). Today it's an international destination, considered one of the best beach hangouts in the world (especially if you like windsurfing). It attracts visitors from Tokyo to Toronto and has grown from a small village into a lively little town. Despite the changes, Jeri hasn't been spoiled by tourists, mostly because of its isolated location— it's at least five hours from any airport. Everyone in Jeri rents a beach buggy, which comes with a driver. I tell my driver to take me as far along the coast as he can. We drive for three hours, finally arriving at Maceió, a fisherman's beach. Boats lie on their sides while nets hang out to dry on lines between fishermen's houses. We eat on the beach and later rest in hammocks near the table. It's a great day on an amazing beach. How can it possibly get any better? I wonder. But I have one final place to visit.

完美的海滩 为了追求完美的海滩，旅行作家斯坦利·斯图尔特前往巴西， 在那里，他发现了一些世界上最美丽的沙质逃脱。 我站在里约热内卢的科帕卡巴纳海滩上，这是巴西乃至世界上最著名的沙滩之一。 当我看着生命以各种形式在这里流逝时， 我开始意识到，对巴西的任何了解都始于它的海滩。 在这个充满活力、多元文化的国家，海滩不仅仅是一个地方； 这是一种心态，一种思考和生活的方式。 据我所知，仅里约就有70多个海滩，每个海滩都有自己的社区： 有些是为健美运动员准备的，有些是为老年人准备的，还有一些是受父母和孩子欢迎的。 但里约的海滩只是我探索巴西大西洋海岸线的起点， 它有8000多公里，2000多个海滩，是世界上最长的。 每个巴西人都有自己对完美海滩的看法，并渴望告诉你在哪里可以找到它。 我很乐意接受人们的建议，但我的最终目标是找到自己的梦想海滩。 我前往一个据说拥有巴西最好海岸线的地方：东北部的巴伊亚州。 1549年，葡萄牙定居者在巴伊亚州今天的首府萨尔瓦多·达巴伊亚定居。 几个世纪以来，许多种族的人来到这里并通婚，创造了一种独特的文化融合。 这种混合影响了巴伊亚的语言、宗教、美食、音乐和舞蹈。 我听说巴伊亚最好的海滩之一普拉尼亚位于萨尔瓦多以南，靠近伊塔卡雷镇。 抵达Prainha的海滩后，我发现它的金色沙滩两旁是一排完美的棕榈树， 在海风中轻轻移动。 月光下，银色的波浪滚到沙滩上。 当我下水时，我有一种在月光下游泳的感觉。 普拉尼亚的美丽是壮观的-- 它完美的曲线和优美的线条就像你在明信片上看到的一样。 但对我来说，它有点太完美了。 我正在寻找的海滩需要更狂野一点。.. 我继续寻找，向北前往巴西传奇海滩之一：杰里科科拉。 二十年前，只有少数人住在杰里（昵称）。 今天，它是一个国际目的地，被认为是世界上最好的海滩聚会之一（特别是如果你喜欢帆板运动）。 它吸引了从东京到多伦多的游客，并从一个小村庄发展成为一个充满活力的小镇。 尽管有这些变化，杰瑞并没有被游客宠坏，主要是因为它地理位置偏僻-- 从任何机场至少要五个小时。 杰瑞的每个人都租了一辆沙滩车，车上有司机。 我告诉我的司机带我沿着海岸尽可能远。 我们开车三个小时，终于到达了渔民海滩马塞约。 船侧卧，渔网挂在渔民房屋之间的绳索上晾晒。 我们在海滩上吃饭，然后在桌子旁边的吊床上休息。 这是在一个令人惊叹的海滩上度过的美好的一天。 怎么可能变得更好呢？我想知道。 但我还有最后一个地方要去。

Of the many beach destinations in this country, there is one that all Brazilians hold in high regard—the islands of Fernando de Noronha. More than a dozen beautiful beaches ring the island of Fernando alone, three of which rank among the top ten in Brazil. The islands of Fernando de Noronha lie a few hundred kilometers out in the Atlantic. For years, people were prohibited from visiting these islands because they were used as a prison and later by the army. Today the islands are a national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site, rich with bird and sea life. I visit a number of beaches on Fernando, but I leave the best one for last. The beach at Praia do Leao is the perfect balance of sand, sea, and sky. The water is pale blue and warm, alive with colorful fish, turtles, and other marine life; the sand is the color of honey. And in the rock formations and strong winds that occasionally come in from the Atlantic, there is that hint of wildness I was seeking. Finally, I've found the beach of my dreams. I dig my toes in the sand deeply and imagine I can hold on to this place forever.

在这个国家的许多海滩目的地中， 有一个地方是所有巴西人都高度重视的，那就是费尔南多·迪诺罗尼亚群岛。 仅费尔南多岛就有十几个美丽的海滩， 其中三个在巴西排名前十。 费尔南多·迪诺罗尼亚群岛位于大西洋几百公里外。 多年来，人们被禁止访问这些岛屿，因为它们被用作监狱，后来又被军队使用。 如今，这些岛屿已成为国家公园和联合国教科文组织世界遗产，拥有丰富的鸟类和海洋生物。 我参观了费尔南多的许多海滩，但我把最好的海滩留到最后。 Praia do Leao的海滩是沙子、大海和天空的完美平衡。 水是淡蓝色和温暖的，充满了五颜六色的鱼、海龟和其他海洋生物； 沙子是蜂蜜的颜色。 在岩层和偶尔从大西洋吹来的强风中， 我一直在寻找那种野性的暗示。 终于，我找到了我梦想中的海滩。 我深深地把脚趾埋在沙子里，想象着我可以永远守住这个地方。

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