英语翻译
MynameisAliceThompson.IcomefromSydney,AustraliaandI'm18yearsold.RecentlyIhadmyfirstrideonalong-distancetrain.Andwhataride!AfriendandItravelledonthefamousGhantrain.WegotoninSydneyandwegotoffinAliceSprings,rightinthemiddleofAustralia,morethanfourthousandkilometresaway.Wespenttwodaysandnightsonthetrain.
Thetrainwaswonderfulandthefoodwasgreat.Weategreatmealscookedbyexperts!Forthefirstfewhundredkilometresofthejourney,thescenerywasverycolourful.Therewerefieldsandthesoilwasdarkred.
Afterthat,itwasdesert.Thesunshone,therewasnowindandtherewerenocloudsinthesky.Suddenly,itlookedlikeaplacefromanothertime.Wesawabandonedfarmswhichwerebuiltmorethanahundredyearsago.
Thetrainwascomfortableandthepeoplewerenice.Duringtheday,Isatandlookedoutofthewindow,andsometimestalkedtootherpassengers.IreadbooksandlistenedtomyChinesecassettes(I'mstudyingChineseatschool).Onenight,ataboutmidnight,Iwatchedthenightskyforaboutanhour.Thestarsshonelikediamonds.
WhyisthetraincalledtheGhan?Alongtimeago,Australiansneededawaytotraveltothemiddleofthecountry.Theytriedridinghorses,butthehorsesdidn'tlikethehotweatherandsand.Ahundredandfifty
yearsago,theybroughtsomecamelsfromAfghanistan.GhanisshortforAfghanistan.
Camelsweremuchbetterthanhorsesfortravellingalongdistance.Formanyyears,trainedcamelscarriedfoodandothersupplies,andreturnedwithwoolandotherproducts.
TheAfghansandtheircamelsdidthisuntilthe1920s.Thenthegovernmentbuiltanewrailwayline,sotheydidn'tneedthecamelsanymore.In1925,theypassedalawwhichallowedpeopletoshoottheanimalsifthey
wereaproblem.In1935,thepoliceinatownshot153camelsinoneday.