Mount Etna (or Aetna， also known locally as Mongibello) is an active volcano on the east coast of Sicily (Italian Sicilia)， close to Messina and Catania. It is the largest volcanovolcano n.火山 in Europe， standing about 3，320 m (10，900 ft) high with a basal circumferencecircumference n.圆周， 周围 of 140 km， making it the highest mountain in Italy south of the Alps. Etna covers an area of 460 square miles (1190 km2). It is by far the largest of the three active volcanos in Italy， being nearly three times the height of the next largest， Mount Vesuvius. It is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and is in an almost constant state of eruption. Although it can occasionally be very destructivedestructive adj.破坏(性)的， it is not generally regarded as being particularly dangerous.
Etna is an isolated peak which dominates the eastern side of Sicily， around 18 miles (29 km) from Catania. Its shape is that of a truncated cone with a ragged top， which is actually a complex of large volcanic cones hosting four summit craters. Around 260 smaller craters， formed by lateral eruptionseruption n.爆发， 火山灰， ［医］出疹， occupy the slopes. On the southeastern side of Etna lies an immense gully， the Valle del Bove， which is between 2000~4000 ft (600~1200 m) deep and over 3 miles (5 km) wide. Many of Etna，s subsidiarysubsidiary adj.辅助的， 补充的 craters reside within this cleft， which is thought to have been created around 3，500 years ago by the collapse of an ancient caldera. The height of the mountain varies with its eruptions； until 1911， there was only one large cone and crater at the summit， but subsequentsubsequent adj.后来的， 并发的 eruptions have created new craters and cones.
The slopes of Etna form three distinct zones. The lower zone， extending up to about 4000 ft (1200 m) is densely populated and planted with vineyards， citrus fruits， and groves of olives， figs and almonds. The middle zone (up to about 6900 ft / 2100 m) is heavily wooded， mostly with pine and chestnut trees. At the top of the mountain is a volcanic wastelandwasteland n.荒地， 未开垦地， 废墟， (生活方式等的)贫乏， dominated by old lava flows， screes and volcanic ash. Few plants grow there and it is covered by snow for much of the year.
Eruptions
Etna is highly active and erupts almost constantly， although most of the time the eruptions are confined to the summit craters and nearby fissuresfissure n.裂缝， 裂沟， (思想， 观点等的)分歧 v.(使)裂开， (使)分裂. Every few years， a major eruption or “outburst” takes place in which spectacular fire fountains appear， often accompanied by flows of lava. As Etnean lava is extremely viscous and flows at a few meters， or even a few tens of meters， per hour， the danger to human life is minimal， although the sheer quantity of lava can sometimes lead to considerable destruction of property. The substantial human population of the mountain，s slopes and base means that largescale lava flows can often threaten to overwhelmoverwhelm vt.淹没， 覆没， 受打击， 制服， 压倒 local settlements.
Etna is known to have erupted over sixty times in recorded history. In 1169 and 1669， immense lava flows descended the flanks of the mountain， reaching the sea and destroying Catania on both occasions. The 1669 eruption saw the creation of a huge rift 20 km long on the mountainsidemountainside n.山腹， 山腰 and the emergence of two new volcanic cones， more than 100m high and measuring nearly 3 km in circumference at their base. These hills were named Monti Rossi. In 1928， the town of Mascali was destroyed by lava. Other major 20th century eruptions occurred in 1949， 1971， 1991， and 2000. In 2001~2002， the biggest series of eruptions for many years threw up a huge columncolumn n.圆柱， 柱壮物， 专栏， 纵队 of ash that could easily be seen from space and fell as far away as Libya， on the far side of the Mediterranean Sea.
Lakes In Italy
意大利的湖泊
意大利北部的阿尔卑斯山的南面分布着众多的大小湖泊，湖泊两岸被群山环抱，自古就是着名的度假胜地。
There are many lakes in Italy， and they are good enough to make you visit colorful！
科莫湖
距离米兰北面约60公里。湖两岸环抱着高大的阿尔卑斯山余脉， 南北长47公里，最宽处4公里，最深处有414米，是欧洲最深的湖。
湖两岸的山坡被茂密的植被覆盖，树种非常丰富，有松树、棕榈树、葡萄树、无花果树、石榴树、橄榄树、栗树和夹竹桃等。从古罗马时代起，这里就是罗马皇帝、墨客、富商们喜爱的休闲度假胜地。此后欧洲各国王室、贵族也相继加入了在湖畔兴建花园别墅的队伍。时至今日湖畔的豪华别墅仍是世界各地名流的首选，如美国影星乔治克鲁尼，德国赛车王舒马赫及国际米兰队的队员们等 都在湖畔有自己的私宅。
国际上的一些着名影片也在此取景，像电影“十二罗汉”和香港电影“嫁个有钱人”等。这里也发生过许多着名的历史事件，如二战后期墨索里尼携情妇逃此，被游击队捕获。
湖边风景最吸引人的还是一些很有历史价值的花园别墅 。这些别墅只有部分对外开放，别墅都附带有精心设计的花园，是典型的意大利式的，多出自名设计师之手，植物错落有致，水池、大理石雕像、柱廊点缀其中。
Lake Como
Lake Como (Lago di Como in Italian， also known as Lario) is a lake of glacialglacial adj.冰的， 冰状的， 冰河的， 冰河时代的， 冰冷的 origin in Lombardy， Italy. It has an area of 146 km2， making it the third largest lake in Italy， after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore. At 410 metres deep， it is also one of the deepest lakes in Europe.
The lake has a very peculiarpeculiar adj.奇特的， 罕见的， 特殊的 n.特有财产， 特权 shape： that of an upsidedown “Y”. The northern branch begins at the town of Colico， while the towns of Como and Lecco sit at the ends of the southwestern and southeastern branches respectively. Lake Como is fed in large part by the Adda River， which enters the lake near Colico and flows out at Lecco. This geological conformation makes the southwestern branch a dead end， and so Como， unlike Lecco， is often flooded.