國中會考基測試題

Siena is an old city in the north of Italy. It began with a group of people living on its hills over 2,900 years ago. Around the year1 100, Siena became an important business center in Italy. In 1472, the first bank of the world was built in this city and has been doing business ever since.

Today Siena is famous for keeping its “old face.” For example, its city walls, which helped keep the city safe in the past, are hundreds of years old now and look almost the same as before. Also, many old buildings are seen at the Piazza del Campo, the most important meeting place of the city. Few things have really changed in this center of public life for hundreds of years. Now people still go to the open space for sharing news, shopping, or playing sports. There is one more thing that helps keep Siena’s old face: cars cannot enter the city most of the time.

True, Siena is old, but it is beautifully old. People are welcome to visit this beautiful city and walk into the past.