2006年VOA标准英语-Tourists Find There's More to Turin Than O

By Steve Schy
Turin, Italy
25 February 2006

 
Della Porigliatti 
  
The world is watching Turin, Italy, because of the Winter Olympics.  But city officials are taking advantage of the worldwide attention to spotlight¹ the history, art and flavor of Turin. VOA's Steve Schy took a cultural tour of the Susa Valley, organized for journalists, and filed this report.

-------------------------------------------------

Tour guide Barbara Papuzzi describes the three points of interest we would visit. 

"A tour in the Val di Susa Valley, first to the romantic abbey, called Sacra Di San Michele, a tour there.  And then to Pinerolo, which is the main town in the Val di Susa [for] lunch with the typical products of the Province of Turin.  And then, Castello Di Rivoli, which is an ancient royal castle, and now it is a worldwide-known museum of contemporary art," she said.

As we drove up into the mountains, the snow began to fall, adding a sense of stillness as we approached the Sacra Di San Michele.  The monastery², which dates back to the 10th century, is located on the top of a mountain overlooking Turin's Susa Valley.  

Turin guitar mass service  
  
The original chapel³ was built into the side of the mountain, but has undergone numerous expansions over the years.  As we march up the steep final approach, we see the ruins of the original small church, which was damaged by fire hundreds of years ago. Sacra Di San Michela guide Della Porigliatti explains the church was named for the Archangel Michael.

"The name of Sacra means, 'consecrated⁴ directly by God, by the Angels,' so Sacra Di San Michele," she added.

We climb another steep stairway, known as the Stairway of the Dead, named for monks⁵ from centuries past entombed in the walls. 

When we reach the current church, a Catholic mass, led by guitars, is being celebrated⁶. 

 
Journalists invited to sample Turin's wines, cheeses, breads, salamis and chocolates 
  
Our next stop is Pinerolo, where we are invited to 'taste the passion' of the typical products of Turin. We dig into a delicious sampling of wines, cheeses, breads, salamis and chocolates, which are among some 30 food products Turin's Development Office is promoting worldwide.
 
Well fed and happy, we travel to the final stop on the tour, the Castello Di Rivoli, a former royal castle that now serves as a contemporary art museum.  The artwork here, including stacks of dirty clothes, and a blade cutting through doors, may not appeal to everyone's taste.  But art is subjective⁷, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder⁸.

Most people may think of Turin as the home of this year's Winter Olympics, or an industrial city that is the home of automaker Fiat⁹.  But the people who live here want you to know that there is so much more.

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 monastery   

n.修道院，僧院，寺院

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• She was appointed the superior of the monastery two years ago.两年前她被任命为这个修道院的院长。

3 chapel   

n.小教堂，殡仪馆

参考例句：

• The nimble hero,skipped into a chapel that stood near.敏捷的英雄跳进近旁的一座小教堂里。
• She was on the peak that Sunday afternoon when she played in chapel.那个星期天的下午，她在小教堂的演出，可以说是登峰造极。

4 consecrated   

adj.神圣的，被视为神圣的v.把…奉为神圣，给…祝圣( consecrate的过去式和过去分词 )；奉献

参考例句：

• The church was consecrated in 1853. 这座教堂于1853年祝圣。
• They consecrated a temple to their god. 他们把庙奉献给神。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 monks   

n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The monks lived a very ascetic life. 僧侣过着很清苦的生活。
• He had been trained rigorously by the monks. 他接受过修道士的严格训练。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

7 subjective   

a.主观(上)的，个人的

参考例句：

• The way they interpreted their past was highly subjective. 他们解释其过去的方式太主观。
• A literary critic should not be too subjective in his approach. 文学评论家的看法不应太主观。

8 beholder   

n.观看者，旁观者

参考例句：

• Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 看起来觉得美就是美。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It has been said that art is a tryst, for in the joy of it maker and beholder meet. 有人说艺术是一种幽会，因为艺术家和欣赏者可在幽会的乐趣中相遇在一起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 fiat   

n.命令，法令，批准；vt.批准，颁布

参考例句：

• The opening of a market stall is governed by municipal fiat.开设市场摊位受市政法令管制。
• He has tried to impose solutions to the country's problems by fiat.他试图下令强行解决该国的问题。