口语课堂：海外学习咨询

　　ENGLISHCOURSES

　　Receptionist: English Courses Abroad, how can I help you?

　　Caller: Yes, I’m interested in learning more about the courses abroad that you offer. I see you have courses in Oxford, Dublin, Brighton and Edinburgh. I’m very interested in Oxford and Brighton, but I don’t know which one to choose. Which one would you recommend?

　　Receptionist: Well, the first thing is the location. Brighton is on the coast, but Oxford has some beautiful countryside. I suppose that’s the first thing you should consider.

　　Caller: Isee. Well, that’s a difficult choice to make. I like the sea and the countryside. Can you tell me anything else about the cities?

　　Receptionist: Certainly. Oxford isn’t as big as Brighton. Brighton has a population of about 480,000 – that covers Brighton city and the smaller towns along the coast. Oxford, on the other hand, has a population of 151,000.

　　Caller: I prefer smaller places, but I’ve heard that Oxford isn’t as lively as Brighton, is that true?

　　Receptionist: Well, not exactly. Oxford and Brighton are both university cities, so there are lots of students in both cities. Besides, cities with a student population are always lively. You might say that Oxford feels more traditional than Brighton. Brighton is quite fashionable and some compare it to London for its diversity.

　　Caller: Interesting. Are there any interesting tourist attractions in these cities? I’ll have plenty of time to do some sightseeing.

　　Receptionist: Oh, yes. The university grounds in Oxford are very interesting. In Oxford, there’s also the botanic garden. It is the oldest in Great Britain and has one of the most diverse collections of plants in the world.

　　Caller:And Brighton?

　　Receptionist: There’s much more to Brighton than the beach. In fact, if you go in May, you’ll be there for the arts festival, which is the biggest one after Edinburgh. There’s theatre and dance and other entertainment all week. Also, if you like… (voice trails off)

　　【译文】

　　接待人员：这里是“海外英语课程”，有什么可以帮您的吗？

　　打电话者：有，我想了解一下你们开设的海外课程。我发现你们在牛津、都柏林、布莱顿和爱丁堡都有课程，但我不知道选哪个课。你有什么建议？

　　接待人员：嗯，首先考虑的是地点。布莱顿在海边，但是牛津的乡村很美。我认为这是你首先要考虑的事。

　　打电话者：我懂了。嗯，这真还不太好选。我喜欢大海和乡村。你能跟我说说几个城市的详情吗？

　　接待人员：没问题。牛津没有布莱顿大。布莱顿的人口是48万，包括布莱顿城区和位于海岸的一些小镇。另外，牛津的人口是15.1万。

　　打电话者：我喜欢小地方，但是我听说牛津没有布莱顿有活力，是这样吗？

　　接待人员：嗯，也不是。牛津和布莱顿两个都是大学城，所以都有很多学生。此外，学生多的城市肯定很有活力。但是如果你要说牛津比布莱顿更传统的话，是有道理的。布莱顿很时尚，有人说其多样性可以和伦敦有一比。

　　打电话者：有意思。这几个城市有没有好玩的景点？我会有很多时间在这些城市观光的。

　　接待人员：有哇。牛津大学的校园很不错。牛津还有植物园。这是英国最古老的植物园，也是世界上植物种类最多样的植物园之一。

　　打电话者：布莱顿呢？

　　接待人员：布莱顿也不仅仅是海滩。实际上，如果你5月份去，你可以看它的艺术节，其规模仅次于爱丁堡的艺术节。整个一周都是戏剧、舞蹈以及其它娱乐活动。此外，如果你喜欢…(声音逐渐变弱)