A：Good morning。
B：Good morning。It's a fine day，isn't it？
A：Yes，it is。Shall we take a tour to the Summer Palace？
B：All right。I'll put myself completely in your hand。
A：Thanks。Let's start off now。
B：（At the Summer Palace）Oh，what a wonderful place！Could you give me some information about it？
A：Sure。The Summer Palace is the largest and the best preserved of the imperial gardens in China。It covers an area of 290 hectares，and has halls，pavilions，corridors and bridges almost everywhere。
B：Oh，that's marvelous！But I'm afraid one day is not enough to see all the interesting places。
A：It doesn't matter。We can go up to the Longevity Hill and have a broad view of all the fascinating scenes from there。
B：That's a very good idea。
A：Now，we come to the top of the Longevity Hill。Look，that is Kunming Lake。It is man-made and takes up three-fourths of this palace garden。
B：What a lovely view！The lake is a picture itself。
A：So it is。B，would you feel like having a rest in that pavilion？
B：Good。
A：早上好。
B：早上好。美好的一天，不是吗？
A：我们去颐和园游览好吗？
B：可以，我一切听从你的安排。
A：谢谢，那我们出发吧。
B：（在颐和园里）哇，多美的地方！你能给我介绍一下吗？
A：当然。颐和园是中国最大也是保存得最好的皇家花园。它占地290公顷，亭台楼阁和回廊小桥比比皆是。
B：太好了！可是要看遍所有景观恐怕一天时间是不够的。
A：没关系。我们可以上万寿山，在那儿所有的迷人景色都能一览无遗。
B：真是个好主意。
A：现在我们到了万寿山的山顶。瞧，那就是昆明湖。它是人工湖，占地约整个园的四分之三。
B：多美的景色！这片湖泊风景如画。
A：确实啊。您想到那个亭子里去休息一下吗？
B：好的。
A：Excuse me，are you from Suzhou？
B：Yes，what's up？
A：I'm going to make my first trip to Suzhou for the summer holiday。Can you tell me something about the city？
B：Certainly。Suzhou is a beautiful city。It is called the Venice of the East because of its network of canals，and it is world-famous especially for its landscaped gardens。There are about 150 gardens in Suzhou。Some of them are more than 1，000 years old。These gardens are not large but curious in their designs，and they bring together the beauties of nature，architecture and painting。
A：That's wonderful。I'd like to take a one-day sightseeing tour around the city。
B：I really have to make some suggestions about the places to have to go in Suzhou，or you'll blame me after you come back if I didn't tell you that。
A：Oh，really？I'd like to。I'm totally at lost right now。
B：I really want you to see these places：Zhuozheng Yuan Garden，Shizi Lin Garden，Hanshan Si Temple and Huqiu（Tiger Hill）。
A：Ok，thank you very much。I am most interested in the amazing gardens in Suzhou，so which is the most worth seeing place if my time is limited？
B：Then，you have to go Zhuozheng Yuan Garden and Shizi Lin Garden first。
A：Were they imperial gardens or private gardens？
B：Before liberation，they were privately owned by high officials，landlords or other wealthy men and concealed behind high walls like islands of calm amidst the hustle and bustle of the city。
A：Oh，so what are the characteristics of those private gardens？
B：These private gardens are fine examples showing how the natural landscape both inside and outside could be merged。And these small gardens are truly exquisite in design，the rockeries imaginative。
A：Thanks for your information。I couldn't wait any longer。
A：打扰一下，请问你是苏州人吗？
B：是的，有什么事吗？
A：我打算这个暑假去苏州旅行。这是我第一次去苏州，你能告诉我一些关于苏州的东西吗？
B：当然可以。苏州是一个美丽的城市，它河道密布，被称为东方的“威尼斯”。它尤其以园林闻名于世。苏州大概有150个园林，其中有些都有上千年的历史。园林规模不大，但设计巧妙。这些园林，集自然美、建筑美和绘画美于一体。
A：那太棒了，我想一日就游遍整个苏州。
B：那我一定要建议你去去苏州的这些地方，不然等你回来你会怪我当初没有跟你说的。
A：真的吗？那太好了，我会很乐意去的。我现在完全一片迷茫。
B：我真的很推荐你去这些地方：拙政园、狮子园林、寒山寺和虎丘。
A：非常感谢。我对苏州园林尤其感兴趣，如果我时间有限的话该去参观哪些园林呢？
B：那么你一定要去的是拙政园和狮子园林。
A：它们是皇家园林还是私人园林？
B：这些园林在解放前是属于高官、地主和其他有钱人私人所有的，围在高墙之内，远离城市的喧嚣和匆忙，就像一个幽静的小岛。
A：哦，是吗，那私人园林的特色又有什么呢？
B：这些私人园林恰如其分的诠释了内外自然景观融为一体的内涵。而且小小的园林设计高雅，假山则形态万千。
A：谢谢你提供的信息。我已经迫不及待了。
Preserve v。保存
Pavilion n。（公园等中）小巧玲珑的建筑；亭子；楼阁
Corridor n。走廊，回廊；通路
Conceal v。隐藏
Hustle and bustle n。喧嚣
Merged adj。融合
Exquisite adj。精致的
Rockery n。假山
背景知识——中国园林
Chinese gardens can be divided into two categories，the imperial and the private。The former are seen most frequently in northern China，while more of the latter can be found in the south，especially in Suzhou，Wuxi and Nanjing。Small and delicate，cleverly laid out and pleasing to eye，the streams，bridges，rockeries and pavilion of a private Chinese garden reveal a natural beauty of their own。Most of the bridges in these gardens are of stone，including straight，winding and arched bridges。The straight bridge consists of just one stone slab without any decoration，and is usually level with the riverbank or with the river to make the visitors feel as if they are surrounded by water。The winding bridge has low balustrades。The arch bridges can be divided into the single-arch and the multi-arch varieties。Streams in these gardens do not cover a large area，but fit in well with bridges and islets to yield a uniformed effect。Rocks and rockeries are special features of southern Chinese gardens。Stones of grotesque forms are often attractive with undulated lines and water holes。Some large stones form sceneries of their own，while smaller ones are put together to form artificial hills to add to the fantastic attractiveness of the garden。Corridors form another feature of Chinese gardens。There are water corridors built along a riverside，flower corridors inserted among flowers，willow corridors among rows of willow，and bamboo corridors among rows of bamboo。For visitors，these corridors are good travel guides leading to various views of a big garden。
北方园林 中国园林可分为御花园和私家花园两类。前者都见于北方，后者则多见于南方，尤以苏州、无锡和南京三地为甚。南方私家花园中的溪、桥、山、亭，小巧玲珑，布局精明，尽显其自然美，令人赏心悦目。桥大多为石桥，有直桥、曲桥、拱桥。直桥其实是一块不加装饰的石板，通常与河岸或河水齐高，给人一种临水的感觉。曲桥设有低栏杆，西湖上的九曲桥就属此桥。拱桥可以分为单拱桥和多拱桥两种。园内的小溪虽占地不多，却同小桥与石屿相得益彰，浑然一体。石头与假山是中国南方园林的特色。奇形怪状的石头常带有引人注目的波纹线条和水孔。硕大的石头可自成一景，而较小的石块则堆积成假山，为园林增添无比魅力。走廊是中国园林的另一大特色，有河边的河廊，花丛中的花廊，柳树丛中的柳廊，竹林中的竹廊。对客人来说，这些走廊可谓是优秀导游，在一座大花园里沿廊而行，可以观赏园内的各处景观。
中国南北两种风格的园林
南方园林 中国古典园林是中国建筑文化中的一大瑰宝。中国园林之美主要反映在“诗情画意”上，达到“无处不可画，无景不入诗”的意境。中国园林因其建筑风格与特点，一般分为北方园林和南方园林。北方园林又称皇家园林，以帝王宫苑为代表，南方园林又称私家园林，以江南宅园为代表。中国最早出现的园林是北方的皇家园林，大多根据自然山水改造而成，规模宏大，气势雄伟，平面布局较为严整；建筑壮丽豪华，色彩鲜艳强烈，风格上显得雍容华贵；博采众家之长，荟萃天下美景于一地。南方园林，是私人住宅和花园的结合，面积较小，但布局灵活紧凑，以达到“小中见大”的效果。