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The tiny country of Nepal is a land-locked nation that is nearly rectangular in shape and borders on India and China. Having such imposing neighbors hasn't prevented Nepal from developing its own rich and diverse culture. This culture has been traced back to the 7th and 8th centuries, when sheep farmers, known as the Kiratis, settled in the breathtaking mountainous region.
Nepal is the birthplace of the Buddha. For several hundred years after the Buddha lived on earth, Buddhism reigned as the dominant religion of the country. When Indian invaders came from the South, Hinduism eventually replaced Buddhism. It was the Hindus who were responsible for introducing the caste system into the country as well as ushering in the first "Golden Age" of classical Nepalese art and architecture. This was also the beginning of a history that has been marked from time to time by bloody revolutions and disharmony that still plagues the country in this day and age.
Folklore forms an integral part of Nepalese society and there are countless traditional stories based on the realities of day-to-day life. Many Nepalese folk stories are told through dance and music. By using their voices and bodies, folk performers act out tales of love, battles, and demons to reflect and explain the local lifestyle, culture, and beliefs. Despite the political unrest in Nepal, the folklore, combined with a long history of art and architecture, creates an ideal travel destination that attracts visitors from all over the world.
1. land-locked a. 內陸的
2. rectangular a. 矩形／長方形的
3. border vi. 毗鄰，接壤
4. imposing a. 氣勢宏偉的
5. mountainous a. 多山的
6. reign vi. 支配；盛行
7. dominant a. 佔優勢的
8. caste system n. 種性制度
9. disharmony n. 不和諧；不一致
10. folklore n. 民間傳說
11. integral a. 不可或缺的
12. unrest n. 不安，動蕩
1. prevent sth/sb from V-ing 防止某事物／某人免於……
2. introduce sth into... 將某事物引進……
3. in this day and age 時至今日
4. be combined with... 與……結合
1. navigate vt. 航行於（河、海、空中）& vt. & vi.（為……）導航
navigate by the sun/stars
靠太陽／星星確定方向
例: Whenever we go on trips, my mother drives while my father navigates the road.
（不管我們去哪旅行，都是爸爸認路，媽媽開車。）
2. be traced (back) to + 時間
追溯至……（時間）
trace...(back) to + 時間
追溯……至……（時間）
例: Our family tree can be traced back to the 12th century.
（我們的家譜可以追溯至十二世紀。）
3. usher in... 領進／引進……
例: The great artist ushered in a new phase in the art world.
（那偉大的藝術家將藝術領進一個新階段。）
4. be marked by/with... 以……為特徵／特色
例: His writing career has been marked by periods of great creativity.
（他的寫作生涯以具豐富創造力的那些時期最具特色。）
尼泊爾是個形狀接近長方形的內陸小國，與印度和中國接壤。擁有這樣氣勢驚人的鄰國並不曾抑止尼泊爾孕育出豐富多元的文化。尼泊爾的文化可追溯至第七、第八世紀，也就是牧羊人（克拉底人）定居在這美麗無邊的山區之時。
尼泊爾是佛陀的誕生地。佛陀誕生數百年後，佛教成為該國主要宗教。印度侵略者從南方入侵後，印度教後來取代了佛教。就是印度人將種性制度引進尼泊爾，同時也帶動了尼泊爾傳統藝術與建築的第一個『黃金時代』，也從此開啟了尼泊爾一段刻滿流血革命與動盪不安的歷史，這些騷動直至今日仍衝擊這個國家。
民間傳說是尼泊爾社會中不可或缺的一環，有無數的傳統故事以現實的日常生活為基礎。許多尼泊爾的民間傳說都是經由歌舞傳頌。利用聲音與肢體，表演者演出愛情、戰爭、鬼怪等故事，以反映及詮釋當地的生活型態、文化與信仰。儘管政治上動盪不安，尼泊爾的民間傳說，結合其悠久的藝術與建築歷史，創造出吸引全世界旅行者的一個理想旅遊景點。
from 常春藤解析英語雜誌
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