POMPEII (INTERMEDIATE)


Pompeii is a ruined city, near Naples in the south of Italy. The story of Pompeii has always interested travellers, which is why it is a popular destination. The city was destroyed by a volcano in AD 79. The eruption lasted two days and left behind a perfect picture of Roman life in the first century. For the people in Pompeii, August
24th, AD 79 started like every normal day. The streets were full of activity. People were going to and from their destinations.

Then suddenly, around one o’clock in the afternoon, they saw smoke coming out of Mount Vesuvius. At first, they were shocked to see this, but knew they did not have time to stand and stare. Some people went home to collect valuable things they had left behind. Others tried to leave town immediately, but they didn’t know where to go. In the middle of all this, stones and rocks began to pour into the city, and heavy, black smoke filled the air.

The thick, black cloud from the volcano made it so dark that people couldn’t see where they were going. They were trying to run away, but it was very difficult. They were having problems breathing because of the smoky air; the stones and rocks were
falling down more heavily, and the buildings were shaking violently, but still they ran. Some victims didn’t run away and stayed in the city, trying to hide from the eruption inside their homes.

The people who hadn’t run away were trapped inside their houses because the stones and ash were blocking doors and windows, suffocating the people inside. Others lost their lives as buildings fell down. Others were trapped in the higher floors of buildings where they had found shelter. At sunset, when the volcano calmed down, the survivors who had hidden in their homes came out and were searching for a way to escape.

As the sun was going down, they walked through the destroyed city. They were carrying lamps to light the way to the edge of Pompeii. But unfortunately their journey was pointless. At dawn, the volcano erupted again and killed those who were trying to get out of the city. That morning, at about 7.30 am, the final eruption completely buried Pompeii. Death came to any survivors who were walking in the streets or had hidden on the top floors of buildings or underground. At 8 am, a volcanic river destroyed the highest walls of the buildings and carried away the bodies of the victims.

For the next 1,500 years, the city was undisturbed because people had completely forgotten about it. But then the architect Domenico Fontana decided to build there in the late 16th century. While he was checking out the area, he found a city that had been frozen in time. It was truly amazing! Today, a visit to Pompeii is a step into the past. When you walk there, you are walking in the city as it was nearly 2,000 years ago.

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