Yang Li on Brighton Pier

I think in the summer the seafront is a great place to visit as, you know, lots to do and lots of pubs to go to.

I love Brighton, it's my favourite place in the whole world. I really can't think of anywhere that I'd rather spend a sunny summer evening, it's diverse and it's cultured and it's the people are just so friendly. It's completely different to the rest of the UK.

Yang Li: Those are some of the people I spoke to in Brighton last week. 大家好，我是杨莉。

Finn: And I'm Finn and it's a pity I didn't get to go this time, Li, but of course I'm very happy to be presenting this programme with you. Now, Brighton is a wonderful place to visit.

Yang Li: Yes, it is. The main attraction of course is the seaside.

Finn: That's right, but Brighton also has a lot of other interesting places to see, such as the Royal Pavilion, as this university student Andy told us:

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The Brighton Pavilion is Brighton's main landmark. It's the kind of - almost the Taj Mahal - it's Indian architecture on the outside but Oriental design on the inside; it's a fusion of different cultures - it reflects Brighton. It has got a massive history which goes along with the city from its very beginnings when - I think it was - the Prince Regent first built the rail line to come to Brighton which is why it was such a massive city.

Finn: Now, the Royal Pavilion used to be a royal residence which was built in the early 19th Century and it was built as a seaside palace for the then Prince Regent. It's often referred to though, as the Brighton Pavilion.

Yang Li: The Royal Pavilion 和 the Brighton Pavilion 都指的是皇家行宫，是英国摄政王子于19世纪修建的海滨行宫。

Finn: And it's built in a similar style to the famous Taj Mahal in India.

Yang Li: 行宫的建筑风格同印度泰姬陵相仿 the Taj Mahal, 不过，内部装饰却沿袭了东方式的设计。

Finn: Yes, Oriental design, so it's a fusion of different cultures.

Yang Li: 不同文化的融合。

Finn: Now, speaking about different cultures, one of the largest arts festivals in the UK, the Brighton Festival, takes place right here in Brighton.

Yang Li: 没错，一年一度的英国布莱顿艺术节 Brighton Festival 已经开始了，创办于1966年的布莱顿艺术节是英格兰最大规模的多元艺术节，每年五月春暖花开季节举行，为期三周。

Finn: And Brighton Festival has been on the go since 1966, so why do people keep coming back year after year?

Yang Li: Well, I put this question to a few people on the streets:

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I think it's because Brighton's a lovely city to visit and people can see a diverse range of shows, music, theatre. And there's an awful lot going on just all over the city because the Festival is on; not just the main events in the theatres but also in small bars and clubs and restaurants. Everybody is getting into it and contributing.

Yang Li: 他说，布莱顿艺术节活动不仅仅在剧院，音乐厅和海滨广场举行，而且，深入到大街小巷的酒吧，俱乐部和餐馆里，进而人人参与，人人贡献。

Finn: One of the unique things about Brighton Festival are the open house artists.

Yang Li: Open house artists 艺术家对外开放日。

Finn: John Ellis lives in Brighton and he thinks this idea of having open house artists, is wonderful.

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You can have something like over fifty houses that are open. From a Friday night, Saturday, Sunday, you just walk into the house basically and walk around the living room looking at art on the walls. It’s great! Often people will give you a cup of tea or a glass of wine and say hello, and it can be sculpture, it can be water colours, it can be oils, it can be abstract; so you've got a real wide variety, depending what your taste is.

Finn: What a nice idea! You just walk into an artist’s house and look around.

Yang Li: That's true. But talking about art, what is your taste Finn? 你喜欢哪种艺术风格呢？ Sculpture, water colours, oils or abstract?

Finn: Oh, let me see now Li. Sculpture 雕塑， water colours 水彩， oils 油画， or abstract 抽象画? 这些我都喜欢，不过最欣赏的还是抽象雕塑 abstract sculptures. And you?

Yang Li: Well, I like oil paintings best.

Finn: I thought you might.

Yang Li: Now, during the Festival, there are also some debates and lectures taking place.

Finn: Now, let's listen to Andy, who we heard from earlier. He's a media student and he says that these lectures are very engaging.

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There are lectures which go on discussing kind of topical issues and current affairs. They kind of get broadsheet columnists and editors to come down and chair a debate on things about – topical issues like parenting and politics.

Finn: So these aren’t the kind of lectures you might attend at university. Instead he says they discuss things like parenting and topical issues.

Yang Li: Parenting 做父母的艺术。这些活动都是由英国大报的专栏作家 columnists 编辑 editors 来主持的， 看来英国也讲究名人效应哟。

Finn: Well, Li, I think that’s true everywhere. But as long as the audience like you, then that’s what it matters.

Yang Li: Well I hope our audience likes our programme about Brighton.

Finn: You've been listening to BBC Learning English. See you soon.

Yang Li: Bye.