学文网Toronto, canada
Toronto is a big, beautiful and efficient city, one that has emerged from relative obscurity1 over the past half century to become the center of culture, commerce and communications in Canada.
With its colorful ethnic2 mix, rich history and breachtaking3 architecture, Toronto offers non-stop adventures for the willing tourist. To get a sense of how big various and magical Toronto is, the best place to start is the CN Tower, the tallest free-standing4 structure in the world. From this vantage point5, visitors get a bird’s eye6 view of the city’s striking skyline and unique geography.
In addition to being an important cultural and commercial center, Toronto is also a major multiethnic metropolis. The city’s population numbers more than 4.5 million people, and its residents come from countries around the world and from all manner of ethnic backgrounds. On any given day, and in most quarters of the city, a hundred different languages can be heard on the streets, from Hindi7 to Greek to French. This, perhaps, explains why former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau once said that Canada is really more a mosaic8 of cultures and languages than a melting pot9.
Street signs in Toronto are mostly in English. Weekly and daily newspapers are published in myriad10 languages, and the city hosts a successfulinterna tional film festival each September. It is also the second-largest live-theater venue on the continent (after New York),and is home to a popular baseball team, the Toronto Blue Jays. Simply put, Toronto has something for everyone.
An often overlooked gem11 of Toronto are the beach-fringed Toronto Islands. These eight tree-lined islands―and more than a dozen smaller islets12 that sit in Lake On tario just off the city's downtown―offer a welcome touch of greenery13. They've been attracting visitors since 1833, especially during the summer months when the more than 550 acres of parkland are most irresistible14. From here, you'll have spectacular views of Toronto's skyline, especially as the setting sun turns the city's skyscrapers to gold, silver, and bronze. If all this isn't enough, and you want something quirkier14, come in January for the annual ice canoe race, when five-man/woman teams haul16 canoes across the ice floes17 off Harbourfront Centre.
注释：
1 obscurity n. 无名，默默无闻
2 ethnic adj. 种族的，种族上的
3 breathtaking adj. 惊人的，激动人心的
4 free-standing adj. ***（式）的，非附属的
5 vantage n. ~point 有利地位，优越地位（或条件）
6 bird's-eye adj. 俯视的，鸟瞰的
7 Hindi n. 印度语
8 mosaic n. 马赛克，镶嵌***案
9 melting pot 熔化锅，本文指各种族同化的国家（或地方）
10 myriad adj. 各种各样都有的
11 gem n. 宝物，精品，精华
12 islet n. 小岛
13 greenery n .绿色植物，绿叶，葱翠
14 irresistible adj. 不可抗拒的，富有诱惑力的
15 quirky adj.离奇的，突兀的
16 haul vt. 用力拖、拉
17 ice floe 浮冰（块）
多伦多是一座美丽而高效的大城市，在过去的半个世纪中它不知不觉地成了加拿大的文化、商业和通讯中心。
多伦多拥有多彩的民族风情、丰富的历史和宏伟的建筑，它使每个对它感兴趣的游客流连忘返。为了感受多伦多到底有多大、如何丰富多彩和富有魅力，最佳去处就是加拿大国家电视塔，它是世界上最高的无辅助支撑物的建筑物。在这个有利的高度上，游客可以鸟瞰全城鲜明的整体轮廓线和它独特的地理特征。
除了作为一个重要的文化和商业中心以外，多伦多还是一个多民族混居的大都市。其城市人口超过450万，居民来自世界各地并拥有本民族的各种文化背景。随便哪一天，在这个城市的大多数街区，都可以听到上百种不同的语言，从印度语到希腊语和法语。这也许可以解释为什么前***皮埃尔・特鲁多曾经说过，与其说加拿大是个文化熔炉，倒不如说它更像一个融有各种语言和文化的马赛克式大拼板。
多伦多的街道标志大多数是英文的。发行的周报和日报则有多种文字。每年9月该市还举办一次盛大的国际电影节。它还有北美第二大现场演出剧场(仅次于纽约)，还是一支广受欢迎的棒球队多伦多蓝鸟队的大本营。总之，多伦多对每个人来说都有其所需要的东西。
还有一个常常被人忽略的好地方就是有海滩环绕的多伦多岛屿。这8座绿树成行的岛屿和十几个远离市中心、散落于安大略湖中的小岛，为人们提供了一个赏心悦目的绿荫之地。自从1833年以来，它们就开始吸引游客，在炎炎夏日里，那550多英亩的草地尤其让人向往。从这里你可以感受多伦多城市景观的轮廓，特别是当落日的余辉将城中的摩天大楼映照成金色、银色和铜色的景象。如果这些还不过瘾，想来点儿更奇特的东西，你可以在1月份来观看每年一次的冰上独木舟赛，届时将有男／女5人一组的竞赛队伍拉着独木舟越过湖滨中心外的浮冰。