导读：本文介绍的是水城威尼斯。它是世界上唯一没有汽车的城市；它因水而生，因水而美，因水而兴，号称“亚得里亚海皇后”。 Venice — Queen of the Adriatic The historic city of Venice stretches across a shallow saltwater lagoon in northeast Italy. The city was once a major sea power and an important center for politics and trade. It has since faded from glory and declined in influence, but the "Queen of the Adriatic" remains rich in beauty, art, and tourism. ①Built on a string of islands alongside the Adriatic Sea, Venice is famous for its canals, which serve as roads. The only transportation in the old city center has been by boat or on foot for centuries. Traditional Venetian boats still ferry tourists through the narrow canals, though nowadays most Venetians travel by motorized waterbus. Arched footbridges traverse the canals, ②adding to the picturesque charm of this fairytale city. Venice is Europe's largest car-free area and a World Heritage Site. ③While its unique infrastructure is enough to make it a historic gem, Venice also boasts a rich cultural history. During the Renaissance, Venice was one of the most important musical centers in Europe. Countless books, plays, musical compositions, and works of art have been inspired by Venice. Presently, the city draws more than seven million tourists per year. Sadly, the future of Venice is threatened. Since the 20th century, when wells began to draw water from the ground to support local industry, Venice has been sinking. In many old houses, lower level staircases are now flooded and former ground floors have become uninhabitable. Nevertheless, Venetian life ④goes on and the city continues to charm its many visitors. 威尼斯———亚得里亚海皇后 历史名城威尼斯横跨意大利东北部的一个咸水湖。这个城市曾经是一个主要的海上力量和重要的政治、贸易中心。虽然它昔日的荣耀和影响力已经褪去，这位“亚得里亚海皇后”在美景、艺术与旅游业方面依然非常富有。 建筑于亚得里亚海沿岸的一系列岛屿之上的威尼斯以运河而闻名，运河就是这个城市的道路。几百年来，旧城中心唯一的交通工具就是乘船或者步行。虽然现在大多数威尼斯人乘坐电动水上巴士，传统的威尼斯船只仍然在狭窄的运河中摆渡游客。拱形的人行天桥横贯运河之上，为这座童话般的城市增加了如画般的吸引力。威尼斯是欧洲最大的无车区，也是世界遗产城市。 虽然独特的基础设施足以使它成为历史珍宝，威尼斯还拥有丰富的文化史。在文艺复兴时期，威尼斯是欧洲最重要的音乐中心之一。威尼斯激发了无数书籍、戏剧、乐曲和艺术品的产生。目前，这座城市每年吸引着七百多万游客。 令人难过的是，威尼斯的未来受到了威胁。自从20世纪人们从水井抽取地下水支持当地工业开始，威尼斯开始了下沉。在很多老房子里，低层的楼梯浸在水中，以前的一楼已经无法住人。尽管如此，威尼斯的生活还在继续，这座城市使众多的游客为之陶醉。 重点单词: 1. lagoon [l?'gu?n] n. 咸水湖 2. Adriatic [,eidri'?tik] adj. 亚得里亚海的 3. ferry ['fer?] vt.（乘渡船）渡过；用渡船运送 4. traverse ['tr?v?s; tr?'v??s] vt. 穿过 5. picturesque [,p?kt??'resk] adj. 生动的；图画般的 6. heritage ['her?t?d?] n. 遗产 7. infrastructure ['?nfr?str?kt??] n. 基础设施 8. gem [d?em] n. 宝石 ... ...
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