London
When we think of Paris，Rome，Madrid，Lisbon，Athens and other European capitals，we think of them as “cities”.When we think of the whole of modern London，that great area covering several hundred square miles，we do not think of it as “a city”，not even as a city and its suburbs.Modern London is not one city that has steadily expanded through the centuries；it is a number of cities，towns and villages that have，during the past centuries，grown together to make one vast urban area.
If you could fly low over London，in a helicopter，for example，you would see below you the winding course of the River Thames，flowing from west to east and dividing London into the two parts known as the north bank and the south bank.The division between “the City”and the “West End”would be less obvious from this bird’seye view.
The Port of London is to the east of the City.Here，today，are miles and miles of docks.This is the East End of London，unattractive in appearance，but very important to the country’s commerce.On the river there are oceangoing ships，and lines of barges pulled along by tugs.Ships up to 6，000tons can come as far as London Bridge，below which is the part of the river called the Pool.They can pass under Tower Bridge.It takes only five minutes to raise the two halves of the roadway to allow a ship to pass.
Some of the London Boroughs are not very well known to people outside Great Britain.Some names are widely known.Chelsea，which is now united with Kensington，is known to many because of the great writers （for example Steele，Smollett，Carlyle）and artists （for example Turner and Whistler）who have lived there.Kensington is well known，partly because of the royal palace and Kensington Gardens，and partly because of the large museums within its boundaries.Greenwich is known because Greenwich time，the time for the meridian of Greenwich，was，until 1968，standard time in Britain.
Greater London，with its nine million population，includes not only the area of the G.L.C.and the City，but the outer suburbs.It has no definite boundaries，but covers an area of about twenty miles radius from Oxford Circus.Because London has grown so large，the Government has decided that it must spread no farther.It is now surrounded by a “green belt”，on which new buildings may be put up only with the permission of the planning authorities.
伦敦
当我们想到巴黎、罗马、马德里、里斯本、雅典和其他欧洲国家的首都时，总把它们看作是一个个“城市”。整个现代伦敦面积大到几百平方英里，我们想到它时却并不把它看作是“一个城市”，也不把它看作是一座城市带郊区。现代伦敦并不是由一座城市经过好几个世纪不断扩大而成，它是由许多城市、乡镇和村庄在过去的几个世纪中共同形成的一个庞大的市区。
如果你有机会乘直升飞机在伦敦上空低飞，就会看到下面的泰晤士河由西向东蜿蜒流去，把伦敦分成两个部分，即北岸和南岸。但是，从飞机上往下看，“伦敦城”和“伦敦西区”之间似乎没有明显的界线。
伦敦港位于该城的东部。现在这里的码头鳞次栉比，长达好多英里。这儿就是伦敦东区，虽然景色不美，但在整个国家的商业中起着极为重要的作用。在泰晤士河上可以看到远洋轮以及由拖轮牵引的一排排驳船。6000吨级的船只可以直达伦敦桥，桥下那部分河段称为“港”。船只可以从塔桥下通过，桥面车行道的两半部只需5分钟就可升起。
伦敦市镇中有的市镇外国人可能不很熟悉，有的可能广为人知。许多人都知道切尔西（现已和肯辛顿合并），因为一些伟大的作家（如斯悌尔、斯摩莱特和卡莱尔）和艺术家（如透纳和惠斯勒）都曾经住在这儿。肯辛顿部分因王宫和肯辛顿公园，部分因大型博物馆而十分闻名。格林尼治所以会有名气，是因为以格林尼治本初子午线所定的格林尼治时间在1968年前一直是英国的标准时间。
“大伦敦”不仅包括大伦敦市政会管辖的地区和伦敦城，还包括外围郊区，共有900万人口。“大伦敦”没有明确的边界，但其大小是以牛津广场为中心约20英里半径之内的区域。由于整个伦敦的规模现已过大，所以政府决定不能让它进一步扩展。如今，伦敦周围是一片“绿化地带”，只有经城市规划部门批准后才许在这里建房。
Denmark
In Denmark the sea embraces people and cities.It accompanies them in their daily life.It marks them in history.
The Danish coastline is 7，313kilometers long，so it’s no wonder that Denmark is one of the leading nations in the fishing industry.It’s one of the most important producers in the world with an annual catch of 2million tons.
The Danes prefer the graceful and modest fishing boats to the bigger more modern factory ships.These small vessels don’t go too far out to sea and often come back to base to unload their catch.
One of the most famous authors of fairy tales in the world，Hans Christian Anderson，was born in Odense in the 19th century.
This is the family home，where the author spent his childhood.His father was a modest cobbler and Hans had to struggle to attract the world’s attention.Today he is highly regarded as one of the most sensitive writers of his time and was the most capable of touching the chords of the human spirit.
In the museum dedicated to him，which was set up in the house where the author was born，we find rare editions of his stories，letters，notes and manuscripts.
The most interesting items in the museum are the writer’s personal effects，enabling us to picture him still at work in these rooms.Here we also find a series of original illustrations by famous artists，inspired by his fairy tales and his life.
Anderson’s works are staged in Odense，with children and visitors acting out the parts.Among his most famous stories are “The Ugly Duckling”，“The Princess and the Pea”.“The little Mermaid”went on to become the symbol of the city of Copenhagan.
The Royal family in Denmark have often made the world take notice of them.Decidedly unusual is the story linked to this type of porcelain，which is still produced by hand today，called Flora Danica，because it features more than 700Danish wild flowers.
In 1789，Christina VII of Denmark set all the best craftsmen of the kingdom to work to create this collection in order to give it as a present to Catherine II of Russia.By the time the 1，800pieces of the colossal work were finished，thirteen years later，Catherine II had already died.
Denmark is a beautiful and dreamlike place.Its beauty and serenity encourage people to create their own fairy tales.
丹麦
丹麦，大海拥抱着这里的城市和人民。它伴随着人们的生活。它记录着丹麦的历史。
丹麦的海岸线长达7323公里。所以丹麦作为世界上最重要的渔业大国之一也就不足为奇了。二百万吨的年捕捞量奠定了它作为最重要的生产国的地位。
比起现代化工厂生产的大型船只，丹麦人更青睐造型优雅、大小适中的渔船。这种小型渔船不能到远海，需要经常回到岸边卸货。
汉斯．安徒生是世界上最著名的童话作家之一。19世纪，他出生在欧登塞。
作家在这所故居里度过了童年。他的父亲是位谦逊的鞋匠，安徒生要靠自己的努力得到世界的认同。今天，他被认为是当时最敏锐的作家之一，他的作品最能够触动人类的灵魂。
安徒生博物馆就建在他出生时的房间里，这里保存着珍贵的作家的故事、书信、笔记及创作手稿。
博物馆中最有意思的是作家的个人财产，从中我们仿佛看到安徒生正在这里进行创作。这里还有一些著名艺术家留下的图画草稿。他们曾在作家的童话和生活中找到了灵感。
安徒生的作品正在欧登塞上演，孩子和游人分别扮演剧中的角色。他的代表作有《丑小鸭》、《豌豆公主》，“小美人鱼”甚至成了哥本哈根的城市象征。
丹麦的皇室曾经常引起世人的注意。他们最不同寻常的一件事和一种叫Flora Danica的瓷器有关，这种瓷器至今仍用手工制作，它描绘了700多种丹麦的野花。
1789年，为了给俄国沙皇凯瑟琳二世献礼，丹麦女皇克里斯蒂娜七世召集了国内所有的优秀工匠，专门制作了一套瓷器。13年后，当1800件作品完成时，凯瑟琳二世早已去世了。
丹麦是个美丽的梦想之国。它的美丽与恬静赋予了人们灵感，创造他们自己的童话故事。