Leeds is a large city in the north of England, in the county of West Yorkshire, about three hours by train north of London. It grew rich in the nineteenth century on wool and cloth — the mills and the canal made it one of the engines of the industrial north — and when that industry died it turned itself into a centre for banking, law and offices, which is what it mostly is now. It also has two big universities, and a very large student population is why it has a reputation for nightlife, music and clubs.

Leeds 里茲 is a large city in the north of England 是英格蘭北部的一個大城市，in the county of West Yorkshire 位在西約克郡，about three hours by train north of London 搭火車在倫敦以北大約三小時的地方。in the nineteenth century 十九世紀時 it grew rich on wool and cloth 它靠羊毛和布料致富 — the mills and the canal made it one of the engines of the industrial north 工廠和運河讓它成為工業北部的引擎之一 — and when that industry died 等到那個產業沒落之後 it turned itself into a centre for banking, law and offices 它轉型成金融、法律和辦公業的中心，which is what it mostly is now 也就是它現在主要的樣子。two big universities 兩所大型大學 it also has 它也有，and a very large student population 龐大的學生人口 is why it has a reputation for nightlife, music and clubs 就是它以夜生活、音樂和夜店聞名的原因

For English learners a few practical points matter more than the history.

for English learners 對學英文的人來說 a few practical points matter more than the history 有幾個實用的重點比歷史更重要

First, the spelling: Leeds always ends in -s, and that -s is part of the name, not a plural. It takes a singular verb — 'Leeds is in Yorkshire', never 'Leeds are in Yorkshire'. The one exception is football: British people treat a team name as plural, so 'Leeds are playing at home' means Leeds United, the football club, and that is completely normal English.

first, the spelling 第一，拼字方面：Leeds always ends in -s 里茲永遠以 -s 結尾，and that -s is part of the name, not a plural 那個 -s 是名字的一部分，不是複數。it takes a singular verb 它要搭配單數動詞 — 'Leeds is in Yorkshire' 'Leeds is in Yorkshire' 才對，never 'Leeds are in Yorkshire' 絕不會說 'Leeds are in Yorkshire'。the one exception is football 唯一的例外是足球：British people treat a team name as plural 英國人會把球隊名字當複數用，so 'Leeds are playing at home' 所以 'Leeds are playing at home' means Leeds United, the football club 指的是里茲聯足球俱樂部，and that is completely normal English 這樣說完全正常

Second, people from Leeds are called Loiners, an unusual word tied to the city's old name, but most people, including many British people, will not know it.

second 第二，people from Leeds are called Loiners 里茲人叫做 Loiners，an unusual word tied to the city's old name 這是個跟這座城市舊名有關的特別字，but most people, including many British people, will not know it 但大部分人，包括很多英國人，都不知道這個字

Third, the accent: Leeds is Yorkshire, and the Yorkshire accent is one of the most recognisable in England — short a in 'bath', and 'the' often shrunk to a single sound.

third, the accent 第三，口音方面：Leeds is Yorkshire 里茲就是約克郡，and the Yorkshire accent is one of the most recognisable in England 約克郡腔是英格蘭最容易辨認的口音之一 — short a in 'bath' 'bath' 裡的 a 唸短音，and 'the' often shrunk to a single sound 'the' 也常常縮成一個音

Do not confuse Leeds with Leeds Castle, which is a famous castle hundreds of kilometres away in Kent, in the south-east, and has nothing to do with the city.

do not confuse Leeds with Leeds Castle 不要把里茲跟 Leeds Castle 搞混，which is a famous castle hundreds of kilometres away in Kent, in the south-east 那是一座在東南部肯特郡、相距幾百公里外的知名城堡，and has nothing to do with the city 跟這座城市一點關係都沒有