What images come to mind when you think of a trip to Venice? No doubt you imagine yourself taking a romantic gondola ride along narrow canals and under delicate bridges. Perhaps you picture the beautiful old buildings and famous works of art that have made the city one of Europe’s leading tourist spots.

　　Venice was built on more than 100 islands and has about 150 canals. The best-known of these, the Grand Canal, functions as the“main street”in the part of the city most popular with visitors. The canal winds through each of the six districts that comprise this historic city center before reaching Venice Lagoon.

　　One of these districts, San Marco, is home to many of Venice’s main attractions, including St. Mark’s Basilica. This spectacular church has five main arches and some extraordinary onion-shaped domes. It is decorated with priceless treasures, many of which were stolen from other countries when medieval Venice was a leading sea power.

　　想到威尼斯一游，你的脑海中会浮现出什么画面？毫无疑问你一定会想象自己乘坐浪漫的平底船，沿着窄窄的运河航行，从一座座别致的桥下穿梭而过。也许你还会在脑海中勾勒出那些让威尼斯成为欧洲一流旅游胜地的美丽古老建筑和艺术名作。

　　威尼斯建在100多个小岛上，拥有大约150条运河。最有名的运河就是“大运河”，它位于市区游客最多的地方，并发挥“大街”的功能。这条运河在构成这个历史上的市中心的六个行政区间蜿蜒穿流，最后流入威尼斯湖。

　　行政区之一的圣马可是许多威尼斯主要旅游景的中心，包括圣马可大教堂。这座雄伟的大教堂有五道大拱门和数座壮观的洋葱形圆顶。教堂用很贵重的珠宝装饰，其中许多是在中世纪威尼斯称霸海权时从其它国家掠夺来的。

　　活用词汇

　　1. gondola n.平底船(航行于意大利威尼斯运河上)

　　2. Grand Canal n.大运河

　　3. lagoon n.礁湖；泻湖

　　4. San Marco n.圣马可

　　5. St. Mark’s Basilica n.圣马可大教堂

　　6. arch n.拱门

　　7. dome n.圆屋顶

　　8. medieval adj.中世纪的

1. delicate
adj. fine in construction, appearance, or detail精致的
The girl was pretty; she had a delicate face.
这女孩很美；她有张娟秀的面庞。

2. work
n. creation; product作品；著作
When he finished the painting, he knew it was his greatest work.
他一完成这幅画作，他就知道这是他最好的作品。

3. function
v. to act; to serve发挥作用；运行
He can’t afford to pay the rent, so for now, his car will also function as his home.
他付不起租金，所以目前他的车也当成他的家了。

4. wind
v. to curve; to turn蜿蜒
The road winds through the forest.
这条路蜿蜒穿过森林。

5. comprise
v. to be made up of组成
Seven colors comprise a rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and purple.
彩虹由七种颜色组成：红、橙、黄、绿、蓝、靛、紫。

6. priceless
adj. very valuable; so valuable as to be without a price无价的
Good health is priceless.
健康无价。