Level 3 Reading 5A

Ch.9

第9章

Reading 5A LAND OF FIRE AND ICE With the Atlantic Ocean to its south and the Greenland Sea to its north, Iceland is Europe's westernmost country, with the world's most northerly capital city, Reykjavík. Over a thousand years ago, Viking explorers migrated from northern Europe to Iceland, where they eventually established the world's first parliament. The country's national language can still be traced to the one spoken by the Vikings. Today, Iceland has a population of about 340,000, spread over more than 100,000 square kilometers. Despite its small size, there are many reasons to visit this remarkable country. City of Culture Most visitors' first port of call is Reykjavík, a small and clean city known for its colorful and stylish architecture. The city's downtown area is lined with shops, art galleries, cafés, and bookstores. In 2000, Reykjavík was awarded the title of Europe's City of Culture, thanks to its art and museum scenes, and lively nightlife. The good news for visitors is that Reykjavík's temperatures are fairly mild. Even in the winter, daytime temperatures are usually above freezing. During winter months, nights are long and the northern lights become visible, lighting up the night sky with a spectacular natural display. In summer, the country gets almost 22 hours of daylight. During this time, native Icelanders and visitors alike enjoy partying outdoors until dawn. Hot Springs Iceland is one of the most volcanically active nations in the world, with a number of thermal springs around the island. All are heated naturally by underground volcanic activity. In fact, Iceland converts energy generated by these springs into electricity, which powers and heats people's homes and businesses. As a result, Iceland burns very little fossil fuel, such as oil and gas. Iceland has some of the cleanest air in the world. One of Iceland's most popular hot springs is the Blue Lagoon, a huge lake of bright blue seawater just outside Reykjavík. Surrounded by volcanoes and lava fields, the Blue Lagoon receives more than 1.3 million visitors a year. After a long day's sightseeing or a long night of partying, visitors can relax their muscles and release their tension in the lagoon's steaming hot water, which has an average temperature of about 38 degrees Celsius. Some believe the waters are able to cure certain illnesses and improve skin quality.

阅读5A 火与冰之地 南临大西洋，北临格陵兰海， 冰岛是欧洲最西端的国家，拥有世界上最北端的首都雷克雅未克。 一千多年前，维京探险家从北欧迁徙到冰岛， 他们最终在那里建立了世界上第一个议会。 该国的国语仍然可以追溯到维京人使用的语言。 如今，冰岛的人口约为34万，面积超过10万平方公里。 尽管面积很小，但访问这个非凡的国家有很多原因。 文化之都 大多数游客的第一个停靠港是雷克雅未克，这是一个干净整洁的小城市，以其丰富多彩、时尚的建筑而闻名。 这座城市的市中心布满了商店、美术馆、咖啡馆和书店。 2000年，雷克雅未克被授予欧洲文化之都的称号， 这要归功于它的艺术和博物馆景观，以及热闹的夜生活。 对游客来说，好消息是雷克雅未克的气温相当温和。 即使在冬天，白天的温度通常也高于冰点。 在冬季，夜晚很长，北极光变得可见， 用壮观的自然景观照亮夜空。 夏天，这个国家有将近22个小时的日照。 在此期间，冰岛本土人和游客都喜欢在户外聚会，直到天亮。 温泉 冰岛是世界上火山活动最活跃的国家之一， 岛上有许多温泉。 所有这些都是由地下火山活动自然加热的。 事实上，冰岛将这些泉水产生的能量转化为电力，为人们的家庭和企业供电和供暖。 因此，冰岛燃烧的石油和天然气等化石燃料很少。 冰岛拥有世界上最干净的空气。 冰岛最受欢迎的温泉之一是蓝色泻湖， 雷克雅未克郊外有一个巨大的亮蓝色海水湖。 蓝色泻湖被火山和熔岩田环绕，每年接待130多万游客。 经过一整天的观光或一整夜的聚会， 游客可以在泻湖热气腾腾的热水中放松肌肉，释放紧张情绪， 其平均温度约为38摄氏度。 一些人认为，这些水能够治愈某些疾病，改善皮肤质量。

Caves and Monsters Most of the inner part of Iceland is uninhabited and relatively inaccessible. Nevertheless, there is a range of outdoor activities to enjoy elsewhere in the country. This is particularly true along the coasts: "Iceland is an adventure," said Sol Squire, whose Icelandic company organizes adventure trips. "We have Europe's biggest glaciers, active volcanoes, cave explorations, and sking." One of Iceland's most popular attractions is caving. Exploring Iceland's unusual lava caves, most of which formed more than 10,000 years ago, requires only basic caving knowledge and equipment. Ice caves are more challenging, however, and require special clothes and hiking tools. The best-known ice caves are in Vatnajokull—a layer of ice which, at 8,000 square kilometers, is Iceland's—and Europe's—largest glacier. It also happens to be situated just above an active volcano! If exploring caves and glaciers doesn't interest you, head south. Just outside the town of Vík, check out the huge rock formations that were once believed to be monsters turned into stone. These are a dramatic part of the scenery on one of Iceland's most magnificent black-sand beaches. The Golden Circle And finally, no trip to Iceland would be complete without a visit to the Golden Circle, a pathway northeast of Reykjavík that connects Gullfoss (a huge "Golden Waterfall"), the hot springs region of Geysir, and Thingvellir National Park. The mid-Atlantic fault that runs through Iceland is literally pulling the island apart. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Thingvellir Valley, where the land is actually separating and the stony ground beneath your feet frequently shifts. Hold on while you hike!

洞穴和怪物 冰岛内陆大部分地区无人居住，相对难以进入。 然而，在该国其他地方也有一系列户外活动可供享受。 在沿海地区尤其如此：“冰岛是一个冒险之地，”Sol Squire说，他的冰岛公司组织冒险旅行。 “我们有欧洲最大的冰川、活火山、洞穴探险和剥皮。” 冰岛最受欢迎的景点之一是洞穴探险。 探索冰岛不同寻常的熔岩洞穴，其中大部分形成于1万多年前， 只需要基本的崩落知识和设备。 然而，冰洞更具挑战性，需要特殊的衣服和徒步旅行工具。 最著名的冰洞位于瓦特纳冰川，这是一层8000平方公里的冰层， 是冰岛和欧洲最大的冰川。 它也恰好位于一座活火山的正上方！ 如果你对探索洞穴和冰川不感兴趣，那就往南走。 就在维克镇外， 看看那些曾经被认为是怪物变成石头的巨大岩层。 这些是冰岛最壮观的黑沙滩之一风景中引人注目的一部分。 黄金圈 最后，如果不参观黄金圈，冰岛之旅就不完整， 雷克雅未克东北部的一条小径，连接古尔福斯（一个巨大的“金色瀑布”）， Geysir温泉区和Thingvellier国家公园。 贯穿冰岛的大西洋中部断层实际上正在将该岛撕裂。 在辛格维利山谷，这一点最为明显， 那里的土地实际上是分开的，你脚下的石头地经常移动。 坚持住，你徒步旅行！

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