Unit16　Placesandlocations
　　Dialogues/monologues:
　　1、About a block down from here.
　　2、I went to the conference to register and to set up my exhibition stand.
　　3、I set out our brochures ready for the official opening.
　　4、Coal could be moved from Welsh mining villages right into the heart of London.
　　5、Britain 's rail network is still second to none.
　　6、That doesn't necessarily follow .
　　7、There will be taxies to cross down, but it will naturally be more economical to use bicycles and buses or to work.
　　Passage:
　　Washington , D.C. serves as the seat of government for the United States of American. Over the 200 years, Washington , D.C. has grown with the nation, and it now represents the very best of America . From its majestic monuments to its incomparable museums, from the Mall to the steps of the Capital, Washington offers visitors one-of-a-kind attractions.
　　The majestic capital building stands at the center of the city, allowing unobstructed views of the city's most famous attractions. The immense open space of the Mall is marked off by the various museums of the Smithsonian Institution, the largest cluster of museums in the world. The national Air and Space Museum celebrates the nation's achievements in flight and space exploration, from the Wright brother's first biplane to the Apollo moon mission and beyond. Visitors also line up for the Natural History Museum to learn about the sciences and to view the famous Hope Diamond. The Smithsonian Institution also includes the world-famous galleries. Art lovers should also appreciate the nearby National Portrait Gallery and National Museum of American Art.
　　Looking past the Mall, the Washington Monument stands 505 feet above the city. It was the tallest man-made structure in America from its completion until the early 1900' s. Behind this monument are the reflecting pool and the trio of memorials dedicated to remembering President Lincoln and the wounded and killed of the Vietnam and Korean conflicts. New to the area of the tidal basin, and facing the Jefferson Memorial, a memorial to Franklin Roosevelt lies on the Potomac River which hosts millions of visitors each year.
　　The offices of the various government agencies take up most of the space of the city, and most offer free tours to the public. The White House also offers free tours to the public. Just outside of the city, the national zoo houses thousands of animals on 163 acres of park. Among its residents are two giant pandas given to the United States as gifts from the People's Republic of China . Across the river in Arlington , the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier stands amidst the dim, grave and majestic Arlington National Cemetery .
　　Washington has many other distractions from politics. Washington 's theatre life is thriving; it is second only to New York in number of theatre seats. The National Symphony and other musical companies play four schedules. As a temporary home to diplomats from around the world, Washington 's restaurant offerings are the finest and most diverse around.
　　The beauty and grandeur of the nation's capital continue to captivate millions of American and foreign tourists who visit Washington , D.C. each year.

Translate Reference：
　　華盛頓特區(qū)（又稱華盛頓哥倫比亞特區(qū)）是美利堅(jiān)合眾國政府所在地。在過去的 200 多年中，華盛頓特區(qū)與美國一起成長，現(xiàn)在它是美國國家的象征。從宏偉的紀(jì)念牌到無與倫比的博物館，從首都廣場到國會(huì)大廈的臺(tái)階，它以自己的特征吸引著游客。
　　宏偉的國會(huì)大廈聳立于市中心，人們能在此飽覽華盛頓特區(qū)著名的風(fēng)景。首都廣場的碩大空間被世界上最大的博物館群——史密森博物館院的各種博物館劃分開來。國家航空航天博物館展示了美國在飛行和宇宙探索方面取得的成就，從萊特兄弟的第一架雙翼飛機(jī)到阿波羅號(hào)登月任務(wù)以及其他。游客們還排長隊(duì)參觀自然歷史博物館，了解科學(xué)知識(shí)，欣賞著名的“希望之星”。史密森博物院還包括世界著名的藝術(shù)館。藝術(shù)愛好者們肯定會(huì)鐘情不遠(yuǎn)處的國立肖像館和國立美國藝術(shù)博物館。
　　首都廣場過去，就是高 505 英尺的紀(jì)念碑。在二十世紀(jì)初以前，它曾是美國最高的人造建筑。紀(jì)念碑之后是映像池，和林肯紀(jì)念堂及為在越南及朝鮮戰(zhàn)爭中受傷和陣亡的將士建造的紀(jì)念碑。位于潮汐湖畔、與杰弗遜紀(jì)念堂正對(duì)的是新建的弗蘭克林 . 羅斯福紀(jì)念堂，它座落在波托馬克岸邊，每年吸引數(shù)百萬游客。
　　各種政府機(jī)關(guān)的辦公用地占了城市大部分空間，多數(shù)政府機(jī)關(guān)都向公眾提供免費(fèi)參觀時(shí)段，包括白宮在內(nèi)。城外不遠(yuǎn)處的占地 163 英畝的國家動(dòng)物園里容納了數(shù)千種動(dòng)物。其中有兩只是中華人民共和國作為禮物贈(zèng)送給美國的大熊貓。海對(duì)岸的阿靈頓，無名烈士墓坐落在昏暗、莊嚴(yán)肅穆的阿靈頓國家公墓里。
　　華盛頓特區(qū)除了政界機(jī)構(gòu)以外還有許多其他娛樂場所。華盛頓的戲劇非常繁榮，劇院可容納座位數(shù)僅次于紐約。國家交響樂團(tuán)和其它音樂團(tuán)體全天候都有演出。作為來自世界各地的外交官們的臨時(shí)家園，華盛頓所提供的飯店檔次最高，而且種類繁多。
　　作為國家首都的華盛頓，其優(yōu)美景色和宏大建筑將繼續(xù)吸引每年數(shù)百萬美國和外國游客到此參觀瀏覽。