音頻中的美音原版音頻片段，來自“中國讀本”系列叢書
這套書由人民教育出版社與美國國家地理學習聯合出版
旨在弘揚與傳播中華優秀文化的英語讀本
涼亭是蘇州園林中非常重要的一個元素，你知道涼亭最初是用來做什么的嗎？今天我們來了解一下涼亭的歷史：
Traditional Chinese pavilion is normally a covered small structure with little or no wall.
傳統中式涼亭面積較小，大多只有頂，沒有墻。
These open structures were initially erected at the roadside in the Warring States era more than 2,200 years ago as shelters for soldiers. After China was reunited under the Qin, a unified postal system was established, and roadside pavilions were used for the government postmen on horseback to transfer the letters and parcels. It also provided passengers a place to take a rest on a long journey and shelter during the rain.
涼亭這種開放式的建筑最初建于2200多年前的戰國時期，作為士兵休息的地方。秦朝統一中國后，建立了統一的郵政體系，路邊的亭子被騎馬的郵差用作傳送信件和包裹。它還為長途跋涉的人提供了一個休息的地方，同時成為了下雨時遮風避雨的地方。
erect?[??rekt]
v. 搭建，建造
shelter?[??elt?(r)]
n. 居所，住處；（尤指用以躲避風雨或攻擊的）遮蔽物，庇護處；遮蔽，庇護
例：
The city"s bomb shelters were being prepared for possible air raids.
這座城市的防空掩體正在準備中，以防可能發生的空襲。
Although horses do not generally mind the cold, shelter from rain and wind is important.
盡管馬通常不怕冷，但對風雨的遮擋還是很重要的。
But it was in Tang Dynasty, Chinese scholar poets/painters (they were often the same people) began to introduce pavilions into their garden residence to materialise their poems and to convey their 2D paintings into a 3D landscape.?Since Song and Ming and thereafter, pavilions have become essential elements in garden design, which serve two key functions apart from offering covered seating: as a focal point of the garden, and as the base to view the garden scene.
在唐代，學者、詩人、畫家開始將亭子引入他們的花園住宅，把他們詩中的想象變為現實，并將他們的畫作變作真實的場景。宋朝、明朝以來，涼亭已成為花園設計的基本元素，除了為人提供坐下來休息之外，還有兩個關鍵功能：作為花園的中心點和觀賞花園景觀的地點。
materialize?[m??t??ri?la?z]
v. 實現，成為現實
例：
The promotion he had been promised failed to materialize.?
答應給他晉升的許諾未能實現。
I don"t think his plans will ever materialize.?
我認為他的計劃永遠不會實現
