Words & phrases
Model sentences
桂林山水以清澈的江水和奇特的山峰闻名。
guì lín shān shuǐ yǐ qīng chè de jiāng shuǐ hé qí tè de shān fēng wén míng。
Guilin's landscape is known for clear river water and unusual peaks.
小船沿着漓江前行，两岸青山不断展开。
xiǎo chuán yán zhe lí jiāng qián xíng， liǎng àn qīng shān bù duàn zhǎn kāi。
The boat travels along the Li River as green mountains unfold on both banks.
平静的水面映出群山的倒影。
píng jìng de shuǐ miàn yìng chū qún shān de dào yǐng。
The calm water reflects the mountains.
远近不同的山峰呈现出各种形态。
yuǎn jìn bù tóng de shān fēng chéng xiàn chū gè zhǒng xíng tài。
The peaks take on many forms at different distances.
描写景色时，要选择能够表现特点的细节。
miáo xiě jǐng sè shí， yào xuǎn zé néng gòu biǎo xiàn tè diǎn de xì jié。
When describing scenery, choose details that reveal its distinctive features.
作者用绿色的绸带比喻蜿蜒的漓江。
zuò zhě yòng lǜ sè de chóu dài bǐ yù wān yán de lí jiāng。
The writer compares the winding Li River to a green silk ribbon.
桂林山水
桂林的山水，最动人的地方常在山与水相遇之处。漓江穿过群峰，江边的山并不像一道连绵的墙，而是一座座拔地而起，各有自己的姿态。
guì lín de shān shuǐ， zuì dòng rén de dì fang cháng zài shān yǔ shuǐ xiāng yù zhī chù。 lí jiāng chuān guò qún fēng， jiāng biān de shān bìng bù xiàng yí dào lián mián de qiáng， ér shì yí zuò zuò bá dì ér qǐ， gè yǒu zì jǐ de zī tài。
The charm of Guilin often lies where mountains and water meet. The Li River runs among peaks that rise individually rather than forming one continuous wall, each with its own shape.
有的山峰高高挺立，像一根石柱；有的顶部圆一些，仿佛低着头的老人；还有的几座相连，远看像一道展开的屏风。船向前走，山的轮廓也不断改变。
yǒu de shān fēng gāo gāo tǐng lì， xiàng yì gēn shí zhù； yǒu de dǐng bù yuán yì xiē， fǎng fú dī zhe tóu de lǎo rén； hái yǒu de jǐ zuò xiāng lián， yuǎn kàn xiàng yí dào zhǎn kāi de píng fēng。 chuán xiàng qián zǒu， shān de lún kuò yě bù duàn gǎi biàn。
Some peaks stand like stone pillars, others have rounded tops like bowed heads, and some form a screen together. As a boat moves, their outlines keep changing.
清晨，薄雾浮在江面上。近处的水还看得清楚，远处的山却只留下淡淡的影子。太阳升高，雾慢慢散去，绿色的山坡和岸边的竹林渐渐显出来。
qīng chén， bó wù fú zài jiāng miàn shàng。 jìn chù de shuǐ hái kàn de qīng chǔ， yuǎn chù de shān què zhǐ liú xià dàn dàn de yǐng zi。 tài yáng shēng gāo， wù màn màn sàn qù， lǜ sè de shān pō hé àn biān de zhú lín jiàn jiàn xiǎn chū lái。
Morning mist floats on the river. Nearby water is clear, while distant mountains remain faint silhouettes. As the sun rises and mist lifts, green slopes and riverside bamboo emerge.
竹筏从另一边缓缓漂来，撑筏的人站得很稳，手里的竹竿不时落进水中，又带着水珠抬起来。
zhú fá cóng lìng yì biān huǎn huǎn piāo lái， chēng fá de rén zhàn de hěn wěn， shǒu lǐ de zhú gān bù shí luò jìn shuǐ zhōng， yòu dài zhe shuǐ zhū tái qǐ lai。
A raft drifted past, its operator standing steadily and raising a bamboo pole dripping with water.
江水平静时，山峰倒映其中，水上水下仿佛有两座同样的山。一条小船经过，倒影被波纹分开，片刻之后，又慢慢聚在一起。
jiāng shuǐ píng jìng shí， shān fēng dào yìng qí zhōng， shuǐ shàng shuǐ xià fǎng fú yǒu liǎng zuò tóng yàng de shān。 yì tiáo xiǎo chuán jīng guò， dào yǐng bèi bō wén fēn kāi， piàn kè zhī hòu， yòu màn màn jù zài yì qǐ。
In still water, each peak is reflected as if it has a twin below. A passing boat breaks the reflection into ripples; after a while it gathers again.
岸边，有人照料田地，有人在屋前整理东西。一声鸟鸣从竹林里传来，船上的人循着声音望去，却只看见摇动的竹叶。风景里还藏着许多不容易一眼看清的生活。
àn biān， yǒu rén zhào liào tián dì， yǒu rén zài wū qián zhěng lǐ dōng xi。 yì shēng niǎo míng cóng zhú lín lǐ chuán lái， chuán shàng de rén xún zhe shēng yīn wàng qù， què zhǐ kàn jiàn yáo dòng de zhú yè。 fēng jǐng lǐ hái cáng zhe xǔ duō bù róng yì yī yǎn kàn qīng de shēng huó。
On the banks, people tend fields or work outside their homes. A bird calls from the bamboo, but those looking towards it see only moving leaves. The scenery contains lives not immediately visible.
转过一个弯，先前遮住江面的山移到身后，又有新的峰峦出现。水带着船向前，山却像在两边慢慢移动，让人舍不得收回目光。
zhuǎn guò yí ge wān， xiān qián zhē zhù jiāng miàn de shān yí dào shēn hòu， yòu yǒu xīn de fēng luán chū xiàn。 shuǐ dài zhe chuán xiàng qián， shān què xiàng zài liǎng biān màn màn yí dòng， ràng rén shě bù dé shōu huí mù guāng。
Around a bend, a mountain moves behind the boat and new peaks appear. The water carries the boat forward while the mountains seem to move along either side, holding the travellers' gaze.
夕阳时，山色由明转暗，江面还留着一片金光。船靠近岸边，远处的轮廓渐渐安静下来，山、水、竹林和人家，一起留在这一天的记忆里。
xī yáng shí， shān sè yóu míng zhuǎn àn， jiāng miàn hái liú zhe yí piàn jīn guāng。 chuán kào jìn àn biān， yuǎn chù de lún kuò jiàn jiàn ān jìng xià lai， shān、 shuǐ、 zhú lín hé rén jiā， yì qǐ liú zài zhè yì tiān de jì yì lǐ。
At sunset, the mountains darken while gold remains on the river. As the boat approaches shore, the distant outlines grow still. Mountains, water, bamboo and homes remain together in the day's memory.
Conversation
A 你真的去过桂林吗？
nǐ zhēn de qù guò guì lín ma？
Have you actually visited Guilin?
B 没有，所以我说明是从图片中观察。
méi yǒu， suǒ yǐ wǒ shuō míng shì cóng tú piàn zhōng guān chá。
No, so I identify my observations as coming from images.
A 你为什么把山比作柱子？
nǐ wèi shén me bǎ shān bǐ zuò zhù zi？
Why compare a peak to a pillar?
B 因为两者都有挺立、较高的形态。
yīn wèi liǎng zhě dōu yǒu tǐng lì、 jiào gāo de xíng tài。
Both have tall, upright forms.
A 只写很美够吗？
zhǐ xiě hěn měi gòu ma？
Is saying beautiful enough?
B 不够，还要提供颜色、形态和倒影等细节。
bù gòu， hái yào tí gōng yán sè、 xíng tài hé dào yǐng děng xì jié。
No; add details such as colour, form and reflection.
