Castles and fortresses

THE PICTURE OF THE WORLD

Active Vocabulary

National Stereotypes

Typical of a nation

To be similar to (Ant: different from)

To distinguish between / one from the other

A distorted picture

Stereotypes: Offensive, accurate / exact; Ant: inaccurate, false

Open to new experiences, ideas

To condition national characteristics

To engender the distinctive features

Distinct: Ant: indistinct, vague, uncertain

Distinctive / individual/ rare / exceptional; Ant: ordinary, common, general

Casual, easy-going, formal, hospitable, illogical, materialistic,

narrow-minded, outgoing, sociable, self-confident, tolerant

To value individualism quite highly

To place emphasis on smth

Habits have taken hold in Europe

Trendsetters in lifestyle

A strong sense for public order

Lack of respect for authority

A sense of dignity

A sense of superiority

Toleration of eccentricities

Incurable optimists

To have a pessimistic view of life

A humorist even in adversity

Self-effacing manner

Travel broadens the mind and liberalises one’s outlook.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

Generalizations about nationalities are usually not welcomed.

The world will be a dull place indeed when all the different nationalities behave exactly alike.

Country

It draws in visitors from all over / to draw crowds / to attract smb

It is worth a visit.

It is worth while visiting London. / London is worth visiting.

It is worthy of attention.

It merits a visit.

It is a must on your itinerary.

It demands to be explored.

Lively cities and bijou villages compete for attention.

Sights/ highlight/ glory/ landmark / a place of worship and pilgrimage / architectural treasures

Tourists

Culture hunters

Sightseers

Nature lovers

To time a visit

To tour the city

To travel worldwide

To do / see the sights; to go / do sightseeing

To set off

To hop on/ off a bus

To catch / get a glimpse of

To search for history

To get one’s bearings

To go for a stroll / walk, to wander around / to meander along/ through the narrow streets

To go for a row

To linger near

To have a trip both educational and enjoyable

To plunge into the atmosphere of

To find a treasury of new beauties

To come face to face with history

To discover anew

Impressions

To conjure up images

To bring to visitor’s mind a vision of smth

To capture imagination

To draw inspiration from

A source of inspiration

To go deep into the essence of things (Essential / fundamental; Ant: inessential, non-essential)

To be captivated by / fascinated by / enchanted with, Ant: disenchanted

To be inspired, Ant: uninspired

To award smb with enchanting images

Nature

Beautiful:

Magnificent / imposing; fascinating / enchanting / delightful /charming;

Breathtaking / spectacular; inspiring (Ant: uninspiring),

striking, impressive, dramatic, captivating, stunning, picturesque

Peaceful:

Idyllic, sleepy, unhurried, pastoral, unspoilt

Rivers:

Meandering, ribbon-like, rushing (streams)

To flow / run through the valley into the ocean, to wind its way downstream from… to…

Lakes:

Crystal-clear, jewel-like, island-studded, sparkling (to sparkle with)

Mountains:

Soaring, craggy / rugged / steep / rough, rocky, untamed, dramatic

Hills: rolling, soft

Compare: Landscape / countryside / scenery / view / setting / surroundings

Compare: Seaside / coast / bank / beach / shore

Compare: Channel / canal / strait

The beauty of the... is as hard to define as it is easy to enjoy.

To be wearing a necklace of sparkling lakes

To attest to drama and beauty of the landscape

A stunning combination of mountains and lakes

Fragrant meadows

Bijou villages

Vast expanses

Diversity

Location

In the hub / centre / focus of smth

In / at the heart of smth

Around every corner

At every turn

On the skyline

At the / a crossroads

85 miles from top to bottom

In the vicinity / neighbourhood

On the outskirts

A gateway to smth

On the border; Compare: Border / boundary / frontier

To be surrounded by

To be washed by

To dominate smth

To be dominated by smth

To overlook the beach

To be a landmark

To lay out a park

To be scattered / dotted around (Ant: collect, gather)

Back in History

Compare: historic / historical

Compare: heritage / inheritance (to pass by inheritance)

To have a long and colourful history

To date back to / to date from /to go back 1400 years / to date at about

To trace as far back as… / to trace the history from ancient times to the present day

To hold the traces of the past

To come into existence

To originate

To echo many ages

To be steeped in heritage

To be rich in heritage

To bear witness to the heroic past

To preserve many links with the past (Syn: to retain, save; Ant: destroy)

To preserve the spirit of the ancestors

To retain to this day

To survive from an early age

To change little with time / to change little since medieval times

To experience a revival / renewal of interest in culture

To revive a tradition

Legends and romance flourish / thrive (Ant: decline, wither)there

To maintain a national identity (identical to / with smth, Ant: non-identical)

Remains / remnants of the countrified past / ruins /

relics of ancient tribes and cultures, reminders of historic battles

Ancient tombs

Sacred / holly temples

An open history book

The charm and spirit of history still hangs in the air

Where the past and the present exist side by side

Castles and fortresses

Mighty, imposing, romantic, impressive, majestic, medieval

To be founded / to be started by smb

To survive from medieval times (Syn: outlive)

To be rebuilt from scratch

To be restored to its former splendour

To raise from ruins

To build castles throughout the country

To be built as a defence from

To keep invaders at bay

To be subdued / subjugated by conquerors

To resist the enemy (Syn: defy, confront; Ant: yield)

Troops withdraw from...

Boundary disputes

The site of numerous sieges

Towns

An urban area, Ant: a rural area

A sprawling cosmopolitan metropolis

A town with a character and atmosphere of its own

A spa town, a border town

To be of historical value

To serve as a market centre

To make it a sizeable town

To be instrumental in turning the city into a cultural mecca

To make a single architectural ensemble

To commemorate / in commemoration of

The layout / plan / arrangement of streets

Narrow cobblestone streets

Picture-postcard houses

Tree-lined avenues

Thoroughfare / avenue / highway

Green islands of peace and quiet in the middle of the noisy sea

Luxurious night-clubs abound in this part of the city

Luxury, Ant: poverty

Displays of city splendour

To cover obvious / apparent attractions / highlights of the tour

To enjoy the delights of parks

To go to the residential areas

Hustle and bustle of city life / noise and fuss

A motley / mixed / diverse crowd

To be alive with crowds

To cater for all tastes

To contribute to success (to contribute / to grant / to give / to provide)

Within a few hundred yards we find most of its best-known…

No visit to… would be complete without a look at…

… has something for everyone.

It is sure to exhaust you before you exhaust its possibilities.

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 942