英語美文欣賞--感受美麗獨特的蘇格蘭(一)

Experiencing Scotland

Scotland is a unique and austere place, laden with history, where you can find aristocratic palaces and castles, as well as the traditional parades in national costumes. It has some of the most beautiful cities in Europe, a living testimony of a proud and splendid past.

蘇格蘭是一個獨特的地方，歷史的厚重感隨處可見。豪門望族的府第與城堡歷歷在目，以及穿著傳統服裝的儀仗隊。這些全歐洲最美麗的城市，訴說著蘇格蘭昔日的榮耀與光芒。

In order to see and discover the true soul of Scotland today, what forged the character of this splendid region, we have to go towards the northern regions, to the Grampian Mountains. Beautiful and unspoiled, it was difficult to farm. The Scots subdued the environment with simple spades and strong arms.

想體驗和發現真正今日的蘇格蘭，追尋這里民族精神的源泉，就得去北部的格蘭扁山區。格蘭扁山區景色怡人，決無污染，曾一度不適合耕作，蘇格蘭人硬是憑著簡單的鋤頭、鐵鍬和他們的雙手征服了生存環境。

The history of this ancient struggle, and its people’s ancient love affair with the hard land, is enclosed within the walls of the Angus Folk Museum. You are able to get a feel of the typical rural atmosphere of times past from the everyday artifacts displayed here.

蘇格蘭先民的艱苦勞作史以及他們自古對這片貧瘠土地的眷戀，在安格斯民俗博物館里一覽無余。從這里展出的平常物品中，你能夠感受到那種典型的往日鄉間氣氛。

From coastal Aberdeen in towards the interior of the Grampian Mountains there runs the Castle Trail, a road that touches on many fortresses, which are witnesses of continual revolts against the dominion of neighboring England in Scottish history.

有一條古堡之路從沿海的阿伯丁一直蜿蜒到格蘭扁山區深處。沿途很多昔日的要塞，都是蘇格蘭在歷史上不斷反抗英格蘭統治的見證。

Perhaps the most uplifting moment for Scottish autonomy is the one experienced inside this ancient abbey of Arbroath, where, in 1320; the Declaration of Independence was celebrated, at the instigation of King Robert the Bruce. He carried out the plan for autonomy drawn up by the great popular hero William Wallace, to whom cinema has dedicated the wonderful film Braveheart, the winner of five Oscars. ( to be continued)

蘇格蘭爭取自治的過程中最大快人心的時刻莫過于1320年，在古老的阿布羅斯修道院，在羅伯特·布魯斯國王的鼓動下慶賀《獨立宣言》的簽訂。布魯斯采納了傳奇英雄威廉·華萊士所獻的計策，完成了自治大業，這個故事后來被改編成精彩的電影《勇敢的心》，并獲五項奧斯卡大獎。