عمليات ترميم في فينيسيا (البندقية)

Welcome to BBC Xtra English.

Today Liliane and Cath are talking about plans to restore the beautiful city of Venice.

Venice is built on water and there are fears that it could slowly crumble away. The city authorities say they have no money - their coffers are empty. So they have decided to find private money through advertising to pay for the restoration of the city.

A British advertising company has signed a contract to set up five electronic billboards over the next four years. Each of the billboards will measure 250 square metres and will cover the fronts of historic buildings in the famous St Mark's Square in the centre of Venice.

Money raised from advertisers broadcasting on the billboards will be used to pay for the city's restoration.

But not everyone is happy. A report by the BBC's David Willey says that critics of the plan believe that St Mark's Square could become an imitation of Times Square in New York. A leading local newspaper has deplored the plan and art critics don't like it either.

However officials have promised that the advertising will be tasteful. David Willey says that funding restoration works in this way is already common practice in Italy. In Rome there are electronic billboards that are three storeys high.

How would you feel if you lived in a historic city that needed restoration? Would you want to see electronic advertising covering beautiful buildings? What other ways could the authorities raise money?

كيف سيكون شعورك لو كنت تعيش في مدينة تاريخية بحاجة لأعمال ترميم؟ هل سترغب في رؤية لوحات إعلانية إلكترونية تغطي أبنية جميلة؟ ما هي السبل الأخرى التي باستطاعة السلطات اللجوء إليها لجمع المال؟

أنقر هنا للاستماع للكلمات

restore
يرمم/ يعيد إلى سابق عهده/ يرد

coffers
خزانة/ المقصود المقدرات المالية

private money
أموال من القطاع الخاص

advertising
الإعلان

electronic billboards
لوحات إعلانية إلكترونية

imitation
التقليد، تقليدا لـ

deplored
شجب

art critics
نقاد الفن

tasteful
على درجة عالية من الذوق

شروط وبنود الاستخدام