兵马俑

Terra-Cotta Warriors

         西安古称长安，是举世闻名的世界四大文明古都之一，居中国四大古都之首，是中国历史上建都时间最长，建都朝代最多，影响力最大的都城。
        西安建成于公元前12世纪，先后有21个王朝和政权建都于此，中国历史上的四个伟大时代周、秦、汉、唐均建都西安。1981年，联合国教科文组织把西安确定为"世界历史名城"，是国务院公布的国家历史文化名城之一。
        西安又称 "西京"、"西都"、"凤城"、"斗城"等，从古到今的曾用名中以"长安"最为常见和著名，意为"长治久安"。西安建城史已有3100多年，建都时间超过1200年。汉唐时期，西安是中国对外交流的中心，著名的丝绸之路以这个城市为起点；西安是当时最早人口超过百万的国际大都市，"西方罗马，东方长安" 便是其在世界历史中地位的写照。

Xi'an was named Chang'an in the ancient times, which was one of most renowned four civilized metropolitans in the world and was the number one ancient city in China. As regards the number of dynasties and span of time, Xi'an served as an ancient capital beyond compare, which was thus the most influential in China's history.

From the 12 century B.C. onwards, Xi'an or its vicinity was established as the capital city by 21 states and dynasties successively, including four prosperous period of Western Zhou, the Qin, the Han, and the Tang. In 1981, UNESCO listed Xi'an as one of the "world's famous historical cities", and it is also one of the national historical and cultural cities approved by the State Council of China.

Xi'an was also named as "Xijing", "Xidu", "Fengcheng", "Doucheng" and so on in history. "Chang'an" was the most common seen and the most famous former name for Xi'an, which literally means "lasting peace and stability". The history of this place is more than 3100 years, while the history of the city Xi'an is over 1200 years. In Han and Tang Dynasties, Xi'an was the center of international exchanges in China, and also the starting point of the reputable Silk Road. It was also the earliest cosmopolitan city at that time with the population of more than one million. The saying "Just as there is Roman in the west, there is Chang'an in the east" is the portrayal of the importance of Xi'an at the time of its prosperity.

清真寺

A Mosque

        西安古迹众多，城内除了古城墙、鼓楼、大雁塔外，还有小雁塔、大清真寺、碑林、大明宫遗址等，周边还有闻名遐迩的世界八大奇迹之一——秦始皇兵马俑、骊山、华清池等等，真是让人目不暇接。

Xi'an boasts of many historical sites and places of interest, including the ancient city wall, the drum-tower, the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, the Great Mosque, the Forest of Steles, the Site of the Daminggong Palace...Just name a few. Outside of the city, you can visit the world famous Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses, one of the World Wonders, as well as the Li Shan Mountain and Huaqing Hot Spring. The successive beautiful and unique sceneries will just dazzle your eyes.

 老米家的羊肉泡馍和冰峰

Shredded Pancake in Mutton Broth and the "Ice Peak"

　　西安的小吃众多，据称可达数千种，其中最有名的要数"天下第一馍"的羊肉泡馍，还有黄桂稠酒、贾三灌汤包、酸汤水饺、岐山面、肉夹馍、千层油酥饼、黄桂柿子饼、龙须酥、玫瑰镜糕等等。

There are a great many of local snacks in Xi'an. The number is roughly estimated to as many as 1000 kinds. The most famous one is "the best pancake in the world"—the shredded pancake in mutton broth. Besides, there are Huang Guichou liquor, infilled dumpling, hot and sour soup with dumplings, qishan noodles with ground pork, chinese hamburger, crispy fried pastry, deep-fried persimmon pastry, crisp asparagus and the rose mirror cake.

城墙远眺

Having a Distant View on the City Wall

　　如今的西安是陕西省的省会；是中国中西部地区最大最重要的科研、高等教育、国防科技工业和高新技术产业基地；是中国重要的机械制造中心，电子信息产业基地，航空航天工业的核心基地；是中国科技实力最强，工业门类最齐全的特大型中心城市之一；是活力四射的内陆新特区，中国中西部和北方内陆地区的金融中心、交通中心。

Nowadays, Xi'an is the capital city of Shaanxi province, which is also the biggest and most important base of scientific research, higher education, national defense and high technology. It is also one of the most significant machinery manufactory centers, base of electronic information and aerospace industry in China. Xi'an is ranked as one of the largest central cities with the strongest scientific and technological strength and most completed industrial sectors. It is a dynamic new special economic zone in the inland China because of its great financial and transportationbearing on the Middle West and the North.

• prosperous [´prɔspərəs]   a.繁荣的；顺利的   (初中英语单词)
• western [´westən]   a.西的；西方的   (初中英语单词)
• cultural [´kʌltʃərəl]   a.文化(上)的；教养的   (初中英语单词)
• international [,intə´næʃənəl]   a.国际的，世界的   (初中英语单词)
• liquor [´likə]   n.酒类；(溶)液   (初中英语单词)
• province [´prɔvins]   n.省；领域；范围   (初中英语单词)
• scientific [,saiən´tifik]   a.科学(上)的   (初中英语单词)
• research [ri´sə:tʃ]   n.&vi.调查；探究；研究   (初中英语单词)
• industrial [in´dʌstriəl]   a.工业的，产业的   (初中英语单词)
• financial [fi´nænʃəl]   a.金融的，财政的   (初中英语单词)
• transportation [,trænspɔ:´teiʃən]   n.运输；运送；运费   (初中英语单词)
• renowned [ri´naund]   a.有名的，有声望的   (高中英语单词)
• civilized [´sivilaizd]   a.先进的；文明的   (高中英语单词)
• influential [,influ´enʃəl]   a.有力的，有影响的   (高中英语单词)
• historical [his´tɔrikəl]   a.历史(上)的   (高中英语单词)
• literally [´litərəli]   ad.逐字地；实际上   (高中英语单词)
• saying [´seiŋ, ´sei-iŋ]   n.言语；言论；格言   (高中英语单词)
• successive [sək´sesiv]   a.相继的；接连的   (高中英语单词)
• unique [ju:´ni:k]   a.唯一的 n.独一无二   (高中英语单词)
• dazzle [´dæz(ə)l]   vt.使茫然 n.炫耀   (高中英语单词)
• mutton [´mʌtn]   n.羊肉   (高中英语单词)
• roughly [´rʌfli]   ad.粗糙地；毛糙地   (高中英语单词)
• pastry [´peistri]   n.面制糕点   (高中英语单词)
• significant [sig´nifikənt]   a.重要的；意义重大的   (高中英语单词)
• inland [´inlənd, in´lænd]   a.&n.内地的 ad.在内地   (高中英语单词)
• bearing [´beəriŋ]   n.举止；忍耐；关系   (高中英语单词)
• vicinity [vi´siniti]   n.邻近，附近，接近   (英语四级单词)
• asparagus [ə´spærəgəs]   n.文竹；天门冬；龙须菜   (英语四级单词)