The Square Mile 一平方英里
The Bank of England
John: Hi there from BBC Learning English. It's John here with another On The Town. With me is Oliver.
Oliver: Hi John.
John: Today we’re in the City of London
Oliver: Hang on John, aren't we always talking about the City of London?
John: Well we often speak about London, but not the City of London!
Oliver: I don’t understand!
John: Well when we speak about London generally we normally talk about the commercial areas, and the places where the museums are. And that is quite different from The City Of London.
Oliver: So what is the City of London then?
John: It’s where you’ll find all the main financial institutions of Britain, the big banks and the Stock Exchange!
Oliver: 就是说在伦敦金融城，the City,你可以找到所有的主要金融机构，the financial institutions, 大银行，the banks, 和证券交易所, the Stock Exchange.
John: It’s also the oldest part of London, where you can see the ancient Roman remains 1 of Londinium – that’s the name given to the city of London in Roman times.
Oliver: 伦敦金融城地区是伦敦城区最古老的部分之一，在这里很多历史遗存 remains, 可以追溯到古罗马时代Roman Times.
John: BBC reporter Flora 2 Winfield took a look around the City of London.
Oliver: 她的介绍是从一个非常受欢迎的地方开始的，这个地方在金融城的街道的地底下，让我们听听看她发现了什么。
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I’m standing 3 beneath the streets of the City of London, in the heart of Roman Londinium, in those days, 2000 years ago to be exact, this was the amphitheatre where the Romans held their games. Now it lies underneath 4 the medieval Guild 5 Hall, centre of the government of the modern City of London, known as the Square Mile. The patterns of that medieval life are still clearly visible in the street plan of the modern city.
John: So Flora was reporting from beneath the streets of the City Of London.
Oliver: So, Flora was underground, 地下. FLORA是在金融城的街道底下做的报道， beneath the streets。
John: Flora said that 2000 years ago the place where she was standing was used as an amphitheatre.
Oliver: 圆形剧场an amphitheatre.这是古罗马人举行活动的地方，现在在这座建筑的上面是另外一座古建筑，中世纪的老市政厅, the medieval Guild Hall.
John: Now you heard Flora use a term there to describe the City of London.
Oliver: What was it?
John: The Square Mile.
Oliver: 没错儿，只是伦敦金融城的另外一个名字“一平方英里”。这个词儿经常用来描述在金融城里面的金融机构。The Square Mile.
John: Yes, you’re listening to BBC Learning English with me, John.
Oliver: And me, Oliver.
John: Today we’re talking about The City Of London. So, we’ve heard how the City is the financial area of London, it's also one of the oldest districts in the wider London area. It’s also a place where people live.
Oliver: But not many people though.
John: Yes, you are right Oliver. But those who do live there like it very much. It’s great in the evenings when all the city bankers have gone home – the residents can have the whole place to themselves!
Oliver: 他们真有福气。当白天在这里工作的银行家们the City Bankers，下班回家后，这里的居民就可以享受只属于他们的金融城了。
John: Here’s Daniel Hodson, who has lived in the city for 40 years, to explain what living in the city is like. He also talks about how important he thinks the City of London is to the rest of Britain.
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People like living in the City. It's a welcoming place. There’s a degree of flexibility 6. There’s a realisation that we have something very special, and wanting to continue it. And I think that in the year that we’re celebrating 20 years after 'big bang', which was the thing which really moved the city ahead, I think it’s extraordinary to look back and see how in many ways dominant 7, certainly in the European economy, The City of London is, and we are part of that fabric 8, and we are symbolic 9 in the way it's been able to change.
John: So Daniel said people like living in the City, it's a welcoming place.
Oliver: What did Daniel say about the 'big bang'?
John: Ah yes, he means the day in 1986 when the London Stock Exchange was de-regulated. Then it became much easier to buy and sell shares on the international money markets and that made the City of London a much more important place both to the rest of the UK, and to Europe generally!
Oliver: 金融大爆炸，或金融大改革， the Big Bang,对伦敦证券交易所the Stock Exchange，的交易员们来讲是一个重要的日子。1986年政府减少了对交易所的监管，使大众更加方便的进行金融交易，大大的提高了伦敦金融城的重要性。the City’s importance increased.
John: Well we hope you’ve enjoyed today’s programme, and if you are in London be sure to visit the City of London!
Oliver: 再见!
John: Bye!
- He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
- The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。
- The subtropical island has a remarkably rich native flora.这个亚热带岛屿有相当丰富的乡土植物种类。
- All flora need water and light.一切草木都需要水和阳光。
- After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
- They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
- Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
- She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣，里面套着一条连衣裙。
- He used to be a member of the Writers' Guild of America.他曾是美国作家协会的一员。
- You had better incorporate the firm into your guild.你最好把这个公司并入你的行业协会。
- Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
- The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。
- The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
- She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。