对话文本

Background: 两名美国游客将他们25年前从罗马斗兽场偷窃的一块石头邮寄归还，并表示道歉。

【文本】

Roman Theft

The bit of stone, small enough to fit into a pocket, arrived in a courier package from the United States. The anonymous souvenir hunters sent a letter with it explaining they'd chipped off the piece on a visit to Rome 25 years ago.

The note said, "Every time I looked at my souvenir collection and came across that piece it made me feel guilty".

It went on: "Over the years I started thinking that if all the visitors to that beautiful monument took a piece away with them, nothing would be left standing". The note added "It was a selfish and superficial act".

Rome's archaeological officials have accepted the apology saying the episode proved that "Rome and its monuments are the dream of all the world's tourists". The city has extended an invitation to the couple to come back to Rome.

It's not the first time bits of the city’s ancient heritage have proved tempting for tourists to relocate.

Last August a German visitor was caught trying to sneak out a nine kilogram rock from the Roman Forum in her backpack, whilst in 2006 another German tourist was caught at one of the city's airports with a piece of Roman column in his bag.

口语突破

【口语突破】

courier package 特快专递邮包

souvenir hunters 纪念品寻觅者

chipped off 从墙上铲下一小块（石头）

souvenir collection 纪念品收藏

guilty 愧疚的

monument 纪念碑

selfish 自私的

superficial act 肤浅的行为

archaeological 考古的

ancient heritage 古代遗产

tempting 诱人的

sneak out 偷偷摸摸地拿走

技巧提升

【Exercises】

Questions:

1. How big was the stolen piece of stone?

2. How was the bit of stone returned?

3. How did the tourists feel when they looked at their stolen souvenir?

4. Has the city of Rome forgiven the tourists for stealing a part of the famous Colosseum?

练习答案

【Keys】

Answers

1. How big was the stolen piece of stone?
It was small enough to fit into a pocket.

2. How was the bit of stone returned?
It was returned inside a courier package with a letter of apology.

3. How did the tourists feel when they looked at their stolen souvenir?
They said that they felt guilty and selfish when they looked at their stolen souvenir.

4. Has the city of Rome forgiven the tourists for stealing a part of the famous Colosseum?
The city has accepted the tourist’s apology and invited the couple back to Rome.

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