美語情景對話 第370期:California 加利福尼亞

California is best known for its coastline and beaches. The state has nearly 2,000 km of coastline, so the state is known as a surfer's paradise. From the tall cliffs that line the coast, you are almost always guaranteed a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean, especially at sunset.

加利福尼亞州以海岸線和海灘出名。加州的海岸線近2千米長，所以加州有衝浪者的天堂之稱。你可以在海岸邊的懸崖上欣賞太平洋美麗的風景，日落時景色尤其美麗。

The state is also famous for its giant redwood trees. These trees can grow to be over 100 meters tall. Some trees are so wide you can drive a car through them. These trees have a long life, for they can live for over 1,000 years. One tree in California is over 2,200 years old.

加州還以巨型紅杉樹而出名。這些樹可以長到100多米高。有些樹非常粗，你可以開着車繞樹一圈。這些樹的壽命很長，樹齡超過1000年。加州有一棵樹齡2200歲的紅杉樹。

On the eastern side of California, you will find the Sierra Mountains. These mountains start in Alaska and run all the way to Chile, in South America. People usually think of California as a warm place, but the Sierra Mountains provide a great playground for both skiers and snowboarders.

內華達山脈位於加州東部。這些山脈自阿拉斯加州綿延至南美州的智利。通常人們認爲加州是個溫暖的地方，不過內華達山脈是滑雪愛好者和滑板愛好者的滑雪勝地。

In the Sierras you can find Yosemite National Park. This is by far the most popular national park in California, because it offers a little bit of everything: tall mountains, high cliffs, deep forests, wide meadows, great hiking trails, and beautiful views everywhere you look.

尤塞米提國家公園就位於內華達山脈。這是加州最受歡迎的國家公園，因爲那裏有各種景色：高山、高聳的懸崖、深邃的森林、廣闊的草原、很棒的健行步道，各處都有優美的景色。

In Southern California, the weather can be very hot and dry, so not surprisingly you will find many deserts in the south. These dry lands are home to many wildlife such as iguana, foxes, coyotes, eagles, bighorn sheep and rattlesnakes.

南加州的天氣又熱又幹，所以南部地區有很多沙漠這不足爲奇。這些乾旱地區是許多野生動物的家園，比如鬣蜥、狐狸、草原狼、老鷹、巨角岩羊、響尾蛇等等。

California is not all wild terrain. It is also home to large areas of farm land. In fact, California produces nearly half of all the fruit and vegetables grown in the United States. For this reason, California is sometimes referred to as America's fruit basket.

加州並不是只有野生環境。它還擁有大面積的農田。實際上，美國近一半的水果和蔬菜都是加州產出的。因爲這個原因，加州有時也被稱爲美國的水果籃。

重點講解：
1. be known/famous for
以…聞名的；
eg. The university, best known for producing top-notch engineers, hosts students from 126 countries.
這所大學以培養頂尖的工程師而聞名，招收來自126個國家的學生。
eg. It's no coincidence that so many employers on the best companies list are famous for their festivities.
最適宜工作的公司榜單中的許多公司都以快樂工作著稱，這並非巧合。
2. be known as
稱爲；叫做；
eg. They're fond of holding what are laughingly known as literary soirees.
他們愛舉行戲稱之爲文學晚會的活動。
eg. The Qinghai-Xizang Plateau has long been known as the roof of the world.
青藏高原素有世界屋脊之稱。
3. all the way
（強調距離）一路；一直；
eg. Such attitudes go all the way up to the boardroom.
這樣的態度還一直蔓延到董事會中。
eg. The walk from the village to Greystones was uphill all the way.
從村子到格雷斯通斯走的一直都是上坡路。
4. by far
（比較時用作強調）顯然，…得多，大大地；
eg. By far the most important issue for them is unemployment.
對他們來說最重要的無疑就是失業問題。
eg. It was better by far to be clear-headed.
保持頭腦清醒要好得多。
5. in fact
（用於修正、引出相反意見或對比等）事實上，其實；
eg. In fact, it's extremely common.
實際上，這是一種非常普遍的現象。
eg. Employees are in fact eager for such collaboration.
僱員們其實非常渴求這樣的協作關係。