玫瑰是世界上最有名的花。无论任何情况、任何场合之下，花朵饱满、颜色鲜艳的玫瑰花一直深受世界人民的偏爱。根据花色的不同，它们有很多的象征意义。比如白玫瑰的花语是“我值得你拥有”。
orchids 兰花
orchids are also celebrated and very famous for the great variety. they are very adaptable, populating all continents, except for the coldest antarctic continent. the unbelievable orchids are as old as time and as beautiful as rain drops.
兰花也因其品种繁多而赫赫有名。除了最冷的南极洲外，它们适宜在任何大洲种植。不可思议的兰花，古老如岁月，精美如雨滴。
cherry blossoms 樱花
the most treasured flowers in japan, cherry blossoms look truly wonderful. there is nothing more poetic than a flowering cherry tree.
樱花是日本最为珍贵的花，看上去也极为美丽。没有什么能比花团锦簇的樱花树更富有诗意了。
游乐园里乐悠悠
dialogue
sarah's family went to disneyland last weekend. on monday she is talking about it with her colleague susan.
莎拉全家在上周末去迪斯尼乐园了。在周一她正在和同事苏珊讨论这次游玩。
sarah: have you ever been to disneyland,susan?
莎拉：苏珊，你去过迪士尼乐园吗？
susan: when i was young, my parents took me to the one in california.
苏珊：小时候，我爸爸妈妈带我去过加利福尼亚的那个。
sarah: oh, last sunday we took our son to the disneyland. he likes amusement parks very much.
莎拉：哦，上星期天我们带孩子去了。他非常喜欢去游乐园。
susan: did you have a good time?
苏珊：你们玩得尽兴吗？
sarah: of course we did. first we took a roller-coaster. i was sick and dizzy. but my son thought that was totally coolsville! he said the roller-coaster rocked! he wanted to ride it again!
莎拉：我们当然玩得很尽兴。我们刚开始做了过山车，坐得我晕头转向的。但是我们的儿子却觉得很棒。他说做过山车太刺激了，还想再坐一次！
susan: if you don't think twice about the rides and go on every ride that you can,you'll have loads of fun.
苏珊：如果你能不假思索地去坐每样游乐设施，而且什么都能玩，那你就一定能玩得很开心。
sarah: maybe. my son also thought the characters in costumes were cool and when he grew up, he wanted to be one.
莎拉：也许吧。我的孩子还觉得穿道具服的卡通人物很酷，长大了也想做一个卡通人物。
susan: ha-ha, kids are always so cute!
苏珊：哈哈，孩子都是那么可爱！
notes
1. disneyland ['diznil?nd] n. 迪斯尼乐园
2. california [?k?li'f?:nj?] n. 加利福尼亚，加州
3. amusement park 游乐场
4. roller-coaster ['r?ul?'k?ust?] n. 过山车；云霄飞车；惊险游戏车
5. coolsville ['ku:lzvil] adj. <美俚>顶呱呱的，极好的
6. loads of 大量，许多
7. cute [kju:t] adj. 可爱的，聪明的，伶俐的；n. 智取敌方的策略 / 手段，灵巧
小贴士
ferris wheel 摩天轮
giant stride 旋转飞椅
monorail 单轨列车
swinging boat 海盗船
merry-go-round 旋转木马
excursion boat 观览艇
revolving boat 碰碰船
mini-train 小火车
go-cart 单座赛车
mad-mouse 疯狂老鼠
与海洋动物亲密接触
dialogue
susan and julie had an appointment to go to the aquarium together at 9:00 a.m. on sunday. now they meet outside the aquarium.
苏珊和朱莉约好在周日上午9点去海洋馆。现在她们在海洋馆外面碰面了。
susan: hi, julie. i'm sorry for being late. have you waited for a long time?
苏珊：嗨，朱莉。很抱歉我迟到了。你在这等了很久吗？
julie: i've been here for an hour.
朱莉：我已经在这等一个小时了。
susan: what? that's impossible. i couldn't have been late for so long.
苏珊：什么？不可能的。我不可能迟到这么长时间的。
julie: ha-ha, just kidding. i arrived here just now, then you appeared. let's get in. i have bought two tickets.
朱莉：哈哈，开个玩笑。我前脚刚到，你后脚就跟着来了。我们进去吧。我已经买了两张票。
susan: oh, julie. i am at a loss whether to cry or to laugh.
苏珊：噢，朱莉。你真是让我哭笑不得。
julie: look at this! it's so cute! what on the earth is it? it's only about three centimeters long. and more interestingly, it has wings, looks like an angel.
朱莉：看这个！好可爱呀！这到底是什么东西？差不多只有3厘米长。更有趣的是，它还有翅膀，看起来像个天使。
susan: i know it's called a sea angel!
苏珊：我知道这叫海洋天使！
julie: it swims by flapping its wings. wow…it's so beautiful!
朱莉：它靠拍动翅膀来游动。哇……太美了！
susan: yeah, it's also intelligent.
苏珊：是呀，还特别有灵性呢。
notes
1. aquarium [?'kw??ri?m] n. 水族馆；养鱼缸
2. at a loss 困惑，不知所措
3. fla [fl?p] n.拍打，拍打声；片状垂悬物；v. 拍打；鼓翼而飞
4. intelligent [in'telid??nt] adj. 聪明的，智能的；有理性的
小贴士
have you ever seen a whale in an aquarium? “of course”, you may answer.and have you even seen a whale that can talk? a japanese researcher says he has taught a beluga whale called nack to “talk” by using sounds to identify three different objects. isn't it wonderful? nack emits a short, high-pitched sound when he sees a swimming fin, a long, high-pitched sound when he sees goggles and a short, low-pitched sound when he sees a bucket. he correctly chooses the right object when the three sounds are played back to him. the research offers hope that one day humans may be able to hold conversations with sea mammals.
你在水族馆见过鲸鱼吗？你也许会说“当然见过”。那你见过会讲话的鲸鱼吗？日本一位科研人员称，他成功教会了一头名叫纳克的白鲸用声音“说出”三个不同的物体。这难道不稀奇吗？每当纳克看见游动的鳍状物时，它会发出一阵短高音；当它看到潜水镜时，会发出长高音；而看到水桶时，它又会发出一声短低音。之后再将这三种声音播放给它听时，它也能正确地识别出相应的物品。这项研究成果为人类有朝一日与海洋哺乳动物对话带来了希望。