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词汇提示

1.vikings 维京人

2.coast 海岸

3.fierce warriors 凶猛的战士

4.oars 桨

5.descended 传宗接代

6.converted 转变

原文

The Vikings

About a thousand years ago，people known as the Vikings were known and feared throughout Europe.

The Vikings were the people of the northern part of Europe，called Scandinavia，which includes the modern countries of Denmark，Norway and Sweden.

The Vikings made their living by farming and fishing.

However，by about the year 700，they began to making attacks，or raids，upon towns along the coast of Europe in order to steal the wealth of those towns.

The Vikings made their attacks very quickly and without any warning.

They were very cruel to the people of the towns they attacked，and they sometimes destroyed the towns by burning down the buildings.

In some parts of Europe，the local kings would often fight against the Vikings

Sometimes，however，the kings would pay the Vikings in order to persuade them  not to attack.

Although the Vikings were known as fierce warriors，they also built excellent ships，

The wooden Viking ships，called longboats，were able to sail in even very bad weather.

Many Viking longboats were about 20 meters long，but some were nearly 90 meters long.

The Vikings sailors used both sails and oars to move their ships.

The Vikings travelled across a large area.

They made many of their attacks in Britain，France and Germany，but sometimes sailed south，into the Mediterranean Sea.

Other Vikings moved to the east，and then south along the rivers of Russia.

Some even went as far as the area that is now the country of Turkey.

In some places，the Vikings decided to stay.

Many Vikings settled in the England and in France，and eventually they mixed with the local people.

Other people settled in Russia，and also mixed with the people there.

The most famous travels of the Vikings were in the Atlantic Ocean.

Vikings sailed westward to the island of Iceland where many of them stayed.

Today，the people of Iceland were descended from the Vikings.

Some Vikings sailed the farther west to the cold island of Greenland.

Vikings lived in Greenland for several generations，but eventually they died out.

Some Vikings had gone even further west and reached the Canadian island of Newfoundland.

The Vikings only stayed for a few years，but they had reached North America about 500 year before Christopher Columbus！

Gradually，the Vikings became converted to be Christian religion.

They also stopped raiding the towns of Europe，and instead of fighting，they became trading with their neighbors.

Today，the Scandinavia countries are known as very peace-loving nations.