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1、Challenging Yourself 原文再现ParisParis has long inspired opinionated outbursts, from delusional to denouncing, but on one matter travelers remain in agreement. Its among the most stimulating cities in the world. Paris assaults all the senses, demanding to be seen, heard, touched, tasted and smelt. From
2、 luminescent landmarks to fresh poodle droppings on the pavement, the city is everything it should bethe very essence of all French things. If you come here expecting all youve heard to be true, you wont be disappointed. Paris is at its best during the temperate spring months (March to May), with au
3、tumn coming in a close second. In winter, there are all sorts of cultural events to tempt the visitors, but school holidays can clog the streets with the little folk. August is usually hot and sticky, and its also when many Parisians take their yearly vacations, so businesses are likely to be closed
4、.Muse du Louvre（卢浮宫）Louvre is probably one of the most world-renowned sightseeing places in Paris. This enormous building, constructed around 1200 as a fortress and rebuilt in the mid-16th century for use as a royal palace, began its career as a public museum in 1793. As part of Mitterands grands pr
5、ojets in the 1980s, the Louvre was revamped with the addition of a 21m glass pyramid entrance. Initially deemed a failure, the new design has since won over those who regard consistency as inexcusably boring. Vast scrums of people puff and pant through the rooms full of paintings, sculptures and ant
6、iquities, including the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo and Winged Victory (which looks like its been dropped and put back together). If the clamor becomes unbearable, your best bet is to pick a period or section of the Louvre and pretend that the rest is somewhere across town.Eiffel Tower（埃菲尔铁塔） This towe
7、ring edifice was built for the World Fair of 1889, held to commemorate the centennial of the French Revolution. Named after its designer, Gustave Eiffel, it stands 320m high and held the record as the worlds tallest structure until 1930. Initially opposed by the citys artistic and literary elitewho
8、were only affirming their right to disagree with everythingthe tower was almost torn down in 1909. Salvation came when it proved an ideal platform for the antennas needed for the new science of radio telegraphy. When youre done peering upwards through the girders, you can visit any of the three publ
9、ic levels, which can be accessed by lifts or stairs. Just south-east of the tower is a grassy expanse that was once the site of the worlds first balloon flights and is now used by teens as a skateboarding arena or by activists bad-mouthing Chirac.Avenue des Champs-lyses（香榭丽舍大道）A popular promenade fo
10、r the ostentatious aristos of old, the Avenue des Champs-lyses has long symbolised the style and joie de vivre of Paris. Encroaching fast-food joints, car showrooms and cinemas have somewhat dulled the sheen, but the 2km long, 70m wide stretch is still an ideal place for evening walks and relishing
11、the food at overpriced restaurants.Centre Georges Pompidou（乔治蓬皮杜艺术中心） The Centre Georges Pompidou, displaying and promoting modern and contemporary art, is far and away the most visited sight in Paris. Built between 1972 and 1977, the hi-tech though daffy design has recently begun to age, prompting
12、face-lifts and closures of many parts of the centre. Woven into this mle of renovation are several good (though pricey) galleries plus a free, three-tiered library with over 2,000 periodicals, including English-language newspapers and magazines from around the world. A square just to the west attrac
13、ts street musicians, Marcel Marceau impersonators and lots of unsavoury types selling drugs or picking pockets.Notre Dame（巴黎圣母院）The citys cathedral ranks as one of the greatest achievements of Gothic architecture. Notre Dame was begun in 1163 and completed around 1345; the massive interior can accom
14、modate over 6,000 worshippers. Although Notre Dame is regarded as a sublime architectural achievement, there are all sorts of minor anomalies as the French love nothing better than to mess with things. These include a trio of main entrances that are each shaped differently, and which are accompanied
15、 by statues that were once colored to make them more effective as Bible lessons for the hoi polloi. The interior is dominated by spectacular and enormous rose windows, and a 7,800-pipe organ that was recently restored but has not been working properly since. From the base of the north tower, visitor
16、s with ramrod straight spines can climb to the top of the west facade and decide how much aesthetic pleasure they derive from looking out at the cathedrals many gargoylesalternatively they can just enjoy the view of a decent swathe of Paris. Under the square in front of the cathedral, an archaeological crypt displays in situ the remains of structures from the Gallo-Roman and later periods.Sainte Chapelle（圣礼拜堂）Lying ins
