A famous monastery
着名的修道院
What are the St.Bernard dogs used for?
圣伯纳德狗是用来做什么的？
The Great St.Bernard Pass connects Switzerland to Italy.
伟大的圣伯纳德山口连接瑞士和意大利.
At 2,473 metres,it is the highest mountain pass in Europe.
海拔2473米，是欧洲最高的山口。
The famous monastery of St.Bernard,
着名的圣伯纳德修道院,
which was founded in the eleventh century,lies about a mile away.
它始建于十一世纪，位于约一英里远。
For hundreds of years,
几百年来,
St.Bernard dogs have saved the lives of travellers crossing the dangerous Pass.
圣伯纳德犬拯救了穿越危险通道的旅行者的生命。
These friendly dogs,which were first brought from Asia,
这些友好的狗，这是第一次从亚洲带来,
were used as watchdogs even in Roman times.
甚至在罗马时代也被用作看门狗。
Now that a tunnel has been built through the mountains,the Pass is less dangerous,
现在已经通过山脉建造了隧道，通行证就不那么危险了,
but each year,the dogs are still sent out into the snow
但每年，狗仍然被送到雪地里
whenever a traveller is in difficulty.
每当旅行者遇到困难时.
Despite the new tunnel,
尽管新隧道,
there are still a few people who rashly attempt to cross the Pass on foot.
还有一些人轻率地试图步行穿过山口.
During the summer months,the monastery is very busy,
在夏季，修道院非常繁忙,
for it is visited by thousands of people who cross the Pass in cars.
因为它是由成千上万的人谁在汽车穿越通行证参观。
As there are so many people about,the dogs have to be kept in a special enclosure.
由于有这么多人，狗必须被保存在一个特殊的外壳。
In winter,however,life at the monastery is quite different.
然而，在冬季，修道院的生活完全不同。
The temperature drops to -30 degrees,
温度降至-30度,
and very few people attempt to cross the Pass.
很少有人试图越过山口。
The monks prefer winter to summer for they have more privacy.
僧侣们喜欢冬天而不是夏天，因为他们有更多的隐私。
The dogs have greater freedom,too,
狗也有更大的自由,
for they are allowed to wander outside their enclosure.
因为他们被允许在他们的围场外游荡.
The only regular visitors to the monastery in winter are parties of skiers
冬季修道院唯一的常客是滑雪者聚会
who go there at Christmas and Easter.
他们在圣诞节和复活节去那里。
These young people,
这些年轻人,
who love the peace of the mountains,
谁爱山的宁静,
always receive a warm welcome at St.Bernard's monastery.
在圣伯纳德修道院总是受到热烈的欢迎。
