The University of Cambridge is made up of 31 different colleges, among which King's College, Queen's College and St. John's College are the most famous1. I went to visit King's College during my summer vacation and I'll tell you something about it.
　　Cambridge University is a leading international research center. King's is very important for supporting research.
　　King's College is the largest of these three famous colleges. Its most famous building is the Chapel2, which was without equal in magnificence3 in either Oxford or Cambridge when it was built. It took nearly a century to finish this Chapel, which is the product of three separate periods of construction.　　In the Chapel, the most valuable thing is the fan vault4—the largest vault of its kind in the world. When I entered the chapel, immediately the sense of the solemnity5 and spaciousness became clear with its fan-vaulted ceiling. I could not help praying6 for myself, my parents and all of my friends.
　　Another famous sight in the chapel is the colorful glass windows. They cover the north, south, east and west sides of the Chapel. Although it is about 5oo years since the windows were completed in the 16th century, they still look new. The figures in them still look very clear and vivid.
　　Leaving the Chapel by the south door, I entered the Front Court7. On my right was the Gibbs Building8, which was begun in 1724 and completed in 1729, and named after its architect9. Now it is mostly used for teaching and studying. On my left, opposite the Gibbs Building was the delicate tracery10 of the Gatehouse and the Screen, designed in the neo-Gothic fashion of the early 19th century by William Wilkins. As suiting the name of the college—King's —the gate has a kingly manner11. Facing me was the Wilkins Building12, which was also designed by Wilkins. He was so great!
　　Across the front lawn at the fountain stood the statue of Henry VI who was called the “Boy King”. He looked so lively.
　　And then I passed by the library and the old provost's lodge13 which were part of the Wilkins Building, and looked across the great lawn extending14 down towards the river on one side, and towards Clare College on another. The bridge afforded picturesque15 views of the River Cam. On the River, there were some people punting with long wooden poles wearing white hats and small blue waistcoats. They looked so leisurely and carefree16. It is said that they were all students in Cambridge who wanted to earn money during the college vacation. The River Cam passes through Clare College to the north, and Queen's College to the south. Standing on the bridge, looking across the River, one was greeted with a lovely view: the willow twigs drooped on the water17, and boats passed them slowly.
　　On the west side of the bridge lies Scholars' Piece18, a glimpse of countryside in the heart of Cambridge. In fact, the Piece is a big ranch19, with knee-high grass. To my disappointment, I couldn't see any cows, sheep or other animals there. Although it was summer, the grass had turned yellow already.
　　Standing on the bridge, looking at the whole of King's, I was lost in deep thought.  There have been so many famous people studying in this famous college, such as the writer Dickens20, the Indian philosopher Sri Aurobindo, the Nobel-Laureate21 physicist Patrick R. Lackett, the poet Rupert Brooke, the writer E.M.Forster, the art critic and painter Roger Fry, the bibliographer22 and ghost-story writer    M. R. James, and   the   economist John Maynard Keynes. They set a good example for me. Suddenly, it seemed that I had become a student of their college, with a black scarf and a long black garment23...
　　What an ancient and great college! 

 

1. 剑桥大学由31个学院组成，其中国王学院、王后学院和圣·约翰学院最负盛名。
2． chapel  n． 教堂   剑桥大学始建于1209年，整个剑桥城大约有20多个风格各异的教堂。
3． magnificence  n． 华丽, 富丽堂皇
 

 

4． fan vault   扇形拱顶
5． solemnity  n． 庄严, 郑重
6． pray [prei] (for)  v． 祈祷
7． Front Court 前庭
8． Gibbs Building 吉布斯大楼
9． architect  n． 建筑师
10． tracery  n． 石制花饰
11． 大门尽显王者风范，真乃名副其实也。
12． Wilkins Building:  威尔肯斯大楼
13． old provost＇s lodge 旧院长住宅         
provost  n． 院长
14． extend  v． 延伸, 伸展
15． picturesque adj． 如画的； 生动的
16． punt  v． 用篙撑
leisurely  adj． 从容不迫；悠闲的 
carefree  adj． 无忧无虑, 轻松愉快的
17． willow  n． 柳树　　
twig [twig] n． 细枝，嫩枝  
droop  v．下垂
18． scholar＇s piece 学者草坪
19． ranch n． 大农场，大牧场
20． Dickens 狄更斯，19世纪英国现实主义作家
21． laureate  n． 戴桂冠的人
22． bibliographer  n． 书志学家
23． garment  n． 衣服，外衣