0. Situated (SITUATE) on the southwestern coast of Portugal and 1.___________ (LOOK) the Rio Tejo, Lisbon offers all the delights you’d expect of
Portugal’s
star 2.____________ (ATTRACT).
Gothic cathedrals, 3.____________ (MAJESTY) monasteries and quaint museums are all part
of the 4._____________ (COLOUR) cityscape, but the real delights of 5.__________ (COVER) lie in 6.____________ (WANDER) the narrow lanes of Lisbon’s 7.__________ (LOVE) backstreets.
As bright yellow trams wind their way through 8.___________ (CURVE) tree-lined streets, Lisboêtas stroll through the old quarters,
much as they’ve done for centuries. Village-life gossip in old
Alfama is 9.___________ (CHANGE) at the public baths or over fresh bread and wine at tiny patio restaurants as
fadistas (proponents of
fado, Portugal’s traditional 10.___________ (MELANCHOLY) singing) perform in the 11.______________ (BACK).
Meanwhile,
in other parts of town, 12.__________(VISIT) and locals chase the ghosts of Pessoa (a Portuguese poet)
in 13.____________ (WARM) lit 1930s-era cafés or walk along the seaside that once saw
the 14.___________ (CELEBRATE) return of Vasco da Gama. Yet, while history is very much
alive in ancient Lisbon, its spirit is 15._____________ (DENY) 16.___________ (YOUTH).
In the 17.__________ (HILL) district of
Bairro Alto, dozens of restaurants and bars line the narrow streets, with jazz, reggae, electronica and
fado 18.__________ (FILL)
the air and 19.___________ (REVEL) 20.____________ (PARTY) until dawn. Nightclubs 21._____________ (SCATTER) all
over town make fine use of old spaces, whether on 22.___________ (RIVER) docks or 23.___________ (TUCK) away in eighteenth-century mansions.
The Lisbon experience 24.__________ (COMPASS) so many things, from 25.__________(ENJOY) a fresh 26.__________ (PASTE) and bica (espresso)
on a petite 27.__________ (LEAF) plaza to 28._______________ (WINDOW) in elegant Chiado. It’s 29.___________ (MINGLE) with Lisboêtas at a 30._____________ (NEIGHBOUR) festival or watching the
sunset from the old 31.___________ (MOOR) castle.
Just outside Lisbon, there’s more to explore: the magical 32._____________ (SET) of
Sintra, 33.__________ (GLORY) beaches and 34._____________ (TRADITION) 35.___________ (FISH) villages.
1. overlooking
overlook something: if a building, etc.overlooks a place, you can see that place from the building. E.g. a restaurant overlooking the lake. Our back yard is overlooked by several houses.
2. attraction
3. majestic
4. colourful
quaint /
kweɪnt/ attractive in an unusual or old-fashioned way. E.g. quaint old customs. The quaint seaside village of Deià.
cityscape:
the appearance of a city or urban area, especially in a picture; a picture of a city. E.g. shades of red brick which once coloured the cityscape.
5. discovery
lie (in something) (of ideas, qualities, problems, etc.) to exist or be found. E.g. The problem lies in deciding when to intervene.
6. wandering
wander: /ˈwɒndə(r)/ to walk slowly around or to a place, often without any particular sense of purpose or direction. E.g. She wandered aimlessly around the streets.
lane: a street, often a narrow one with buildings on both sides. E.g. The quickest way is through the back lanes behind the bus station.
7. lovely
backstreet: a small quiet street, usually in a poor part of a town or city, away from main roads. E.g. He was born in the backstreets of Leeds.
8.
curvy
wind /waɪnd/, wound, wound /waʊnd/ (of a road, river, etc.) to have many bends and twists. Move in or take a twisting or spiral course. E.g. the path wound among olive trees. The path wound down to the beach. Wind its way + adverb/preposition The river winds its way between two meadows.
curvy: /ˈkɜːvi/ having curves. E.g. a curvy body. Curvy lines. Curvy streets.
-lined having the object mentioned along an edge or edges. E.g. a tree-lined road.
stroll: /strəʊl/ (+ adverb/preposition) to walk somewhere in a slow relaxed way. E.g. People were strolling along the beach.
quarter: /ˈkwɔːtə(r)/ a district or part of a town. E.g. the Latin quarter. The historic quarter of the city.
9. exchanged
proponent: /prəˈpəʊnənt/ (of something) (formal) a person who supports an idea or course of action. E.g. a strong proponent of the free market and liberal trade policies.
10. melancholic
11. background
12. visitors
13. warmly
14. celebrated
15. undeniably
16. youthful
17. hilltop
hilltop: the top of a hill. E.g. the hilltop town of Urbino.
line: to form lines or rows along something. E.g. line something Crowds of people lined the streets to watch the race. Line something with something The walls were lined with books.
reggae: /ˈreɡeɪ/
electronica: /ɪlekˈtrɒnɪkə/ a popular style of music deriving from techno and rave and having a more ambient (creating a relaxed atmosphere), esoteric (understood or enjoyed by only a few), or cerebral (intellectual) quality.
18. filling
19. revellers
reveller: /ˈrevələ(r)/ a person who is having fun in a noisy way, usually with a group of other people and often after drinking alcohol.
20. partying
21. scattered
scattered: spread over a wide area.
22. riverside
riverside: the ground along either side of a river. E.g. a riverside path. A walk by the riverside. They've built a new house on the riverside.
23.
tucked
be tucked away to be located in a quiet place, where not many people go. E.g. The shop is tucked away down a backstreet.
24. encompasses
encompass: /ɪnˈkʌmpəs/ to include a large number or range of things. E.g. The job encompasses a wide range of responsibilities. The group encompasses all ages.
25. enjoying
26. pastry
pastry: /ˈpeɪstri/ an item of food consisting of sweet pastry (a dough of flour, fat, and water) with a cream, jam, or fruit filling. E.g. brightly coloured cakes and pastries.
paste: a soft wet mixture, usually made of a powder and a liquid. E.g. She mixed the flour and water to a smooth paste.
27. leafy
petite: /pəˈtiːt/ small and thin. E.g. a petite blonde.
leafy: (of a place) having a lot of trees and plants. E.g. leafy suburbs
28. window-shopping
window-shopping looking in shop windows without buying anything.
29.
mingling
mingle: to move among people and talk to them, especially at a social event. E.g. The princess was not recognized and mingled freely with the crowds. If you'll excuse me, I must go and mingle (= talk to other guests). A chance to mingle with celebs.
30. neighbourhood
31. Moorish
Moorish: /ˈmʊərɪʃ/ /ˈmɔːrɪʃ/ relating to the Moors (/mɔː(r)/ /mʊə(r)/ Muslim people living in NW Africa who entered and took control of part of Spain in the 8th century)
32. setting
setting: the place where someone or something is, and all the things, people, or emotions that are part of that place. Sp. marco. E.g. a rural/ an ideal/ a beautiful/ an idyllic, etc. setting. E.g. It was the perfect setting for a wonderful Christmas. People tend to behave differently in different social settings.
33. glorious
glorious: /ˈɡlɔːriəs/ very beautiful and impressive. E.g. a glorious sunset. Both her daughters have glorious red hair.
glory: great beauty. E.g. The city was spread out beneath us in all its glory. The house has now been restored to its former glory.
34. traditional
35. fishing
Full text
Situated on the southwestern coast of Portugal and overlooking the Rio Tejo, Lisbon offers all the delights you’d expect of
Portugal’s
star attraction.
Gothic cathedrals, majestic monasteries and quaint museums are all part
of the colourful cityscape, but the real delights of discovery lie in
wandering the narrow lanes of Lisbon’s lovely backstreets.
As bright yellow trams wind their way through
curvy tree-lined streets, Lisboêtas stroll through the old quarters,
much as they’ve done for centuries. Village-life gossip in old
Alfama is exchanged at the public baths or over fresh bread and wine at tiny patio restaurants as
fadistas (proponents of
fado, Portugal’s traditional melancholic singing) perform in the background.
Meanwhile,
in other parts of town, visitors and locals chase the ghosts of Pessoa (a Portuguese poet)
in warmly lit 1930s-era cafés or walk along the seaside that once saw
the celebrated return of Vasco da Gama. Yet, while history is very much
alive in ancient Lisbon, its spirit is undeniably youthful.
In the hilltop district of
Bairro Alto, dozens of restaurants and bars line the narrow streets, with jazz, reggae, electronica and
fado filling
the air and revellers partying until dawn. Nightclubs scattered all
over town make fine use of old spaces, whether on riverside docks or
tucked away in eighteenth-century mansions.
The Lisbon experience encompasses so many things, from enjoying a fresh pastry and bica (espresso)
on a petite leafy plaza to window-shopping in elegant Chiado. It’s
mingling with Lisboêtas at a neighbourhood festival or watching the
sunset from the old Moorish castle.
Just outside Lisbon, there’s more to explore: the magical setting of
Sintra, glorious beaches and traditional fishing villages.
