第一遍：盲听；第二遍：对照原文

原文：

The origins  of Venetian  gondolas are lost to history ,but by 1500’s some 10 000 gondolas transported dignitaries  merchants and  goods through the city’s canals  ,like a  modern day taxi system ,gondolas  were leased to boatman ,who made the round of the city’s ferry stations 。passenger paid fare to be carried from one side of the grand canal to the other , as well as to other points around the city , but gondolas soon develop the bad rap, historical documents describe numerous infractions involving boatmen, including cursing  Grambling , extorting passengers ,even occasional acts of violence ，to minimize the unpredictability of canal travel  , the Venetian  citizens who could  afford it purchase their own gondolas ,just as celebrity  might use a  private  car and  driver today .these wealthy Venetians hires two private gondoliers to ferry around the city and maintain their boats ,the (gondolas soon became  status  symbol ,much like an  expensive cars ,with custom fittings carved and gilded ornamentation ,and seasonal fabrics like silk and velvet .（雕刻和镀金装饰的定制配件，以及丝绸和天鹅绒等季节性面料）

词汇

cursing 诅咒

infractions 犯规行为

extorting 敲诈

grand canal 大运河

leased 出租