Question

below is an extract from a guidebook. carefully read it and then answer the question.

in the first paragraph, the article mentions the ponte vecchio. from the description given, what would you infer that the ponte vecchio was?

• the river that flows through florence
• an old bridge
• a sculpture by michelangelo
• an airport
• a port

for works of art and the finest treasures of the renaissance period, look no further than the beautiful city of florence. this is the home of the famous michelangelo statue of david, amazing paintings by da vinci and botticelli in the uffizi gallery, and the magnificent duomo. enjoy an evening stroll on the medieval ponte vecchio, a photographers paradise, or climb giottos bell tower for a wonderful panoramic view of florence.

if you want a change from its cultural history, then visit the many shops and markets for stunning leather goods, gold jewellery and, of course, clothes. florence, after all, is also a city of fashion, choice and taste. after a full day of touring the sites or scooping up all those bargains, what could be better than a traditional plate of pasta in one of the many welcoming restaurants in the piazzas?

back at your 4* hotel in a quiet suburb of florence, yet only 10 minutes from the centre, you can indulge in the luxuries of the indoor pool and health club, sip drinks on the terrace while admiring the magnificent views over the rooftops or enjoy live entertainment in the cafe before retiring to your spacious, air-conditioned room.

Explanation:

Locate the mention of 'Ponte Vecchio' in the text

The first paragraph of the extract contains the sentence: "Enjoy an evening stroll on the medieval Ponte Vecchio, a photographer's paradise, or climb Giotto's bell tower for a wonderful panoramic view of Florence."

Analyze the context clues

The text describes "Ponte Vecchio" with the modifier "medieval" and suggests taking an "evening stroll on" it. In Italian, "Ponte" translates to "bridge" and "Vecchio" to "old". Contextually, a structure that one strolls on in a medieval European city like Florence is a bridge.

Match with the multiple-choice options

Comparing the context of "strolling on" a medieval structure to the given options:

• "The river that flows through Florence" (Incorrect, you stroll across/on a bridge over a river, not on the river itself)
• "An old bridge" (Correct, matches "medieval Ponte [bridge] Vecchio [old]")
• "A sculpture by Michelangelo" (Incorrect, the text mentions the statue of David as the Michelangelo sculpture)
• "An airport" (Incorrect, medieval structures are not airports)
• "A port" (Incorrect, does not fit the context of a medieval stroll in this manner)

Answer:

• The river that flows through Florence
• An old bridge (Correct answer)
• A sculpture by Michelangelo
• An airport
• A port