Frederick William Ⅰ，the King of Prussia , could never have imagined that his greatest gift to the Russian people would have such an amazing history . 普鲁士国王腓特烈·威廉一世绝不可能想到他送给俄罗斯人民的厚礼会有这样一段令人惊讶的历史。 This gift was the Amber Room , which was given this name because several tons of amber were used to make it . 这件礼物就是琥珀屋，它之所以有这个名字，是因为造这间房子用了好几吨的琥珀。 The amber which was selected had a beautiful yellow-brown colour like honey . 选出来的琥珀色彩艳丽，呈现蜂蜜一样的黄褐色。 The design of the room was in the fancy style popular in those days . 琥珀屋的设计采用了当时流行的别致的建筑式样。 It was also a treasure decorated with gold and jewels , which took the country's best artists about ten years to make . 它也是用金银珠宝装饰起来的珍品。一批国家最优秀的艺术家用了大约十年的时间才把它完成。
In fact , the room was not made to be a gift . 事实上，这个琥珀屋并不是作为礼物来建造的。 It was designed for the palace of Frederick Ⅰ. 它是为腓特烈一世的宫殿设计（制作）的。 However, the next King of Prussia , Frederick William Ⅰ, to whom the amber room belonged, decided not to keep it. 然而，下一位普鲁士国王，腓特烈·威廉一世，这个琥珀屋的主人却决定不要它了。 In 1716 he gave it to Peter the Great. 在1716年，他把琥珀屋送给了彼得大帝。In return , the Czar sent him a troop of his best soldiers. 作为回赠，沙皇则送给他一队自己最好的士兵。 So the Amber Room became part of the Czar's winter palace in St Petersburg. 这样，琥珀屋就成了沙皇在圣彼得堡冬宫的一部分。 About four metres long, the room served as a small reception hall for important visitors . 这间琥珀屋长约四米，被用作招待重要来宾的小型会客室。
Later, Catherine Ⅱ had the Amber Room moved to a palace outside St Petersburg where she spent her summers. 后来，叶卡捷琳娜二世派人把琥珀屋搬到圣彼得堡郊外她避暑的宫殿中。She told her artists to add more details to it . 她叫她的工匠在原来设计的.基础上增添了更多精细的装饰。In 1770 the room was completed the way she wanted . 1770年，这间琥珀屋按照她的要求完成了。Almost six hundred candles lit the room ,and its mirrors and pictures shone like gold. 将近600支蜡烛照亮了这个房间，里面的镜子和图画就像金子一样闪闪发光。Sadly , although the Amber Room was considered one of the wonders of the world , it is now missing . 可悲的是，尽管琥珀屋被认为是世界上的一大奇迹之一，可是现在它却消失了。
In September 1941, the Nazi army was near St Petersburg . 1941年9月，纳粹德国的军队逼近圣
彼得堡。 This was a time when the two countries were at war . 这是在两国交战的时期。 Before the Nazis could get to the summer palace , the Russians were able to remove some furniture and small art objects from the Amber Room . 在纳粹分子到达夏宫之前，俄罗斯人只能把琥珀屋里的一些家具和小件艺术饰品搬走。 However , some of the Nazis secretly stole the room itself . 可是琥珀屋本身却被一些纳粹分子偷偷地运走了。 In less than two days 100,000 pieces were put inside twenty-seven wooden boxes . 在不到两天的时间里，10万个部件装进了27个木箱。There is no doubt that the boxes were then put on a train for Konigsberg, which was at that time a German city on the Baltic Sea . 毫无疑问，这些箱子后来被装上火车运往哥尼斯堡，它是当时德国在波罗的海边的一个城市。 After that, what happened to the Amber Room remains a mystery . 从那以后，琥珀屋的去处便成了一个谜。
Recently, the Russians and Germans have built a new Amber Room at the summer palace. By studying old photos of the former Amber Room , they have made the new one look like the old one. 近来，俄罗斯人和德国人已经在夏宫建起了一个新的琥珀屋，通过研究琥珀屋原来的照片，他们建造的新琥珀屋样子和旧的看起来非常像。 In 2003 it was ready for the people of St Petersburg when they celebrated the 300th birthday of their city. 2003年，圣彼得堡人民就用它来庆祝该市建成300周年。
Pausanias, who was a Greek writer about 2,000 years ago, has come on a magical journey on March 18th 2007 to find out about the present-day Olympic Games. 帕萨尼亚斯是大约2000年前的一位希腊作家，他于2007年3月18日作了一次魔幻旅行，来打听当代奥林匹克运动会的情况。He is now interviewing Li Yan, a volunteer for the 2008 Olympic Games. 现在他正在采访一位2008年奥林匹克运动会的志愿者李燕。
P: My name is Pausanias. I lived in what you call “Ancient Greece” and I used to write about the Olympic Games a long time ago. I’ve come to your time to find out about the present-day Olympic Games because I know that in 2004 they were held in my homeland. May I ask you some questions about the modern Olympics?
帕：我叫帕萨尼亚斯。我生活在你们所说的“古希腊”。我曾经写过很久以前奥林匹克运动会的情况。现在我来到你们这个时代，想了解有关当代奥运会的情况，因为我知道2004年奥运会是在我的祖国举行的。我可以问你几个有关现代奥林匹克运动会的问题吗？
L: Good heavens! Have you really come from so long ago? But of course you can ask any questions you like. What would you like to know?
李：天哪！你真的来自那么久远的年代？当然你可以问你想问的问题。你想知道什么呢？ P: How often do you hold your Games?
帕：你们的奥运会多久举行一次？
L: Every four years. There are two main sets of Games-the Winter and Summer Olympics, and both are held every four years on a regular basis. The Winter Olympics are usually held two years before the Summer Games. Only athletes who have reached the agreed standard for their event will be admitted as competitors. They may come from anywhere in the world.
李：每四年一次。运动会有两种：夏季奥运会和冬季奥运会。这两种运动会都是四年举行一次。冬季奥运会总是在夏季奥运会的前两年举行。只有达到他们各自项目统一标准的运动员才会被接受参加奥运会。选手可以来自全世界任何一个地方。
P: Winter Games? How can the runners enjoy competing in winter? And what about the horses? 帕：冬季奥运会？冬天运动员怎么可能赛跑啊？又怎么可能赛马呢？
L: Oh no! There are no running races or horse riding events. Instead there are competitions like skiing and ice skating which need snow and ice. That’s why they’re called the Winter Olympics.
It’s in the Summer Olympics that you have the running races, together with swimming, sailing and all the team sports.
李：噢，不！冬奥会并不包括跑步和骑马比赛，但是却有像滑冰和滑雪这类需要冰雪的比赛项目，所以才叫它冬季奥运会。跑步、游泳、划船和一些团队项目是在夏季运动会上进行。 P: I see. Earlier you said that athletes are invited from all over the world. Do you mean the Greek world? Our Greek cities used to compete against each other just for the honour of winning. No other countries could join in, nor could slaves or women!
帕：我明白了。你原来说邀请来的运动员来自世界各地。你指的是希腊世界？我们希腊各个城市之间曾经为了赢得荣誉而彼此竞争。别的国家不能参加，奴隶和妇女也不能参加。 L: Nowadays any country can take part if their athletes are good enough. There are over 250 sports and each on has its own standard. Women are not only allowed, but play a very important role in gymnastics, athletics, team sports and …
李：现在只要他们的运动员达到了参赛的标准，任何国家都能参赛。总共有250多个运动项目，每个项目都有自己的标准。妇女不仅允许参加，而且她们还在体操、竞技和团队等比赛项目中起着非常重要的作用……
P: Please wait a minute! All those events, all those countries and even women taking part! Where are all the athletes housed?
帕：请等一下！所有这么多项目，所有这么多国家，甚至妇女也都参加！所有这些参赛的人住在哪里呢？
L: For each Olympics, a special village is built for them to live in, a main reception building, several stadiums for competitions, and a gymnasium as well.
李：每届奥运会都有一个特殊的村庄（奥运村）供参赛的人住，一个主要的接待大楼，好几个供比赛用的体育场，还有一个室内体育馆。
P: That sounds very expensive. Does anyone want to host the Olympic Games?
帕：那听起来要花很多钱吧。会有人想承办奥运会吗？
L: As a matter of fact, every country wants the opportunity. It’s a great responsibility but also a great honour to be chosen. There’s as much competition among countries to host the Olympics as to win Olympic medals. The 2008 Olympics will be held in Beijing, China. Did you know that? 李：事实上，每个国家都想抓住这个机会。被选中不仅要承担巨大的责任同时也享有极大的荣誉。国与国之间争取奥运会承办权的竞争就跟争夺奥运奖牌一样的激烈。2008年的奥运会将在中国举行，你知道吗？
P: Oh yes! You must be very proud.
帕：是的，听说过，你一定很自豪。
L: Certainly. And after that the 2012 Olympics will be held in London. They have already started planning for it. A new village for the athletes and all the stadiums will be built to the east of London. New medals will be designed of course and …
李：当然。那么2012年的奥运会将在伦敦举行。他们现在已开始筹划。在伦敦的东部将为运动员建立一个新的奥运村和所有的运动场。当然还会设计新的奖牌……高中英语必修2课文。
P: Did you say medals? So even the olive wreath has been replaced! Oh dear! Do you compete for prize money too?
帕：你刚才说奖牌是吗？就连橄榄枝花环也被取代了！天哪，你们也为奖金而竞赛吗？ L: No, we don’t. it’s still all about being able to run faster, jump higher and throw further. That’s the motto of the Olympics, you know-“Swifter, Higher and Stronger.”
李：不，不是的。仍然是为了能够跑得更快，跳得更高，掷得更远。你知道，奥运会的口号就是“更快，更高，更强”。
P: Well, that’s good news. How interesting! Thank you so much for your time.
帕：这是个好消息。很有趣！占用了你的时间，非常感谢。