Stepping outside the railway station early on an morning, visitors are met with the view of the cold air joining the water, forming a thick, soft blanket of fog over the Grand Canal (运河), the “main street” of Venice. The church of San Simeone Piccolo and the neighboring buildings appear to be floating on the water of the lagoon. It’s a sight that has welcomed millions of visitors from all over the world since the great days of the Serenissima, when the city ruled as one of Europe’s economic superpowers.
Yet, the breath-taking beauty that inspired countless painters, writers and artists over the centuries remains at risk of being lost forever. Like the Abu Simbel temples, the city’s survival is threatened (威胁) by rising water levels. The increase in sea level has caused flooding to be a regular thing.
After 1966, the year of the worst flooding in Venice’s history, UNESCO and the Italian Government started a major project to save the city. Huge movable flood gates were used to protect the lowest areas from flooding. Thirty years later there is agreement on the successful results both of the technical achievements and international cooperation.
But Venice still needs attentive care, and its continued survival calls for careful watch. The city remains threatened on several aspects -mass tourism, the potential damage of city development and the steady stream of large ships crushing its weak foundations.
International pressure around the status of Venice led to the Italian Government’s decision in2021 to ban large ships from the city center. This decision came a few days after UNESCO announced its decision to put the city on its World Heritage in Danger list. Until a suitable docking place (码头) is developed, large ships will be allowed to pull up in Marghera, an industrial suburb of Venice. Such decisions show the difficulty of protecting historic cities and cultural heritage urban centers, which in this particular situation called for specially-made measures and techniques different from those made for the safeguarding of the Egyptian temples.
【小题1】What can we learn about Venice from the first two paragraphs?| A．Venice is Europe’s economic superpower. | B．Many artists are natives of Venice. |
| C．The lagoon is a church in Venice. | D．The “main street” of Venice can be foggy. |
| A．A celebration of life. | B．A painful lesson for all. |
| C．A reflection of human nature. | D．A result of joint efforts. |
| A．Technological advancements. | B．Tourism overload. |
| C．The popularity of water sports. | D．Rising local population. |
| A．The safeguarding of Venice is in process. |
| B．UNESCO called for immediate Venice Ship Ban. |
| C．Italian government was struggling for protection measures. |
| D．The measures to protect Egyptian temples are copied in Venice. |
