Vesuvius — usually *Mount Vesuvius* — is the volcano that stands over the Bay of Naples in southwest Italy.

VesuviusVesuvius — usually *Mount Vesuvius*——通常叫 Mount Vesuvius（維蘇威火山） — is that stands over the Bay of Naples in southwest Italy是矗立在義大利西南方那不勒斯灣上方的 the volcano那座火山。

Its famous moment came in AD 79, when it erupted and buried the Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum under ash and rock. That burial is why the name matters far beyond geography: the ash sealed the towns so completely that when they were dug up centuries later, archaeologists found streets, bread in ovens, and wall paintings still in place, giving us our clearest picture of daily Roman life.

Its famous moment came in AD 79它最有名的時刻發生在西元79年, when it erupted and buried the Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum under ash and rock那時它爆發，把龐貝和赫庫蘭尼姆這兩座羅馬城鎮埋在火山灰和岩石底下。That burial is why the name matters far beyond geography這場掩埋正是這個名字的意義遠遠超出地理範圍的原因: the ash sealed the towns so completely火山灰把這些城鎮封得太完整了 that when they were dug up centuries later以至於幾世紀後被挖出來時, archaeologists found streets, bread in ovens, and wall paintings still in place考古學家發現街道、烤爐裡的麵包，還有牆上的壁畫都還在原位, giving us our clearest picture of daily Roman life讓我們得到對羅馬人日常生活最清楚的一幅畫面。

Vesuvius is not finished. It is still active, it has erupted many times since — the last in 1944 — and because around three million people now live within reach of it, volcanologists watch it constantly and call it one of the most dangerous volcanoes on Earth.

VesuviusVesuvius is not finished還沒完。It它 is still active至今仍是活火山, it has erupted many times since之後又爆發過很多次 — the last in 1944最近一次是1944年 — and because around three million people now live within reach of it而且因為現在大約有三百萬人住在它波及得到的範圍內, volcanologists watch it constantly火山學家一直密切監控它 and call it one of the most dangerous volcanoes on Earth稱它是地球上最危險的火山之一。

In English the name is also used figuratively for a person or situation about to explode: "he sat there like Vesuvius, waiting." Being a proper name, it takes a capital V and no article — *Vesuvius*, or *Mount Vesuvius*, never *the Vesuvius*.

In English在英文裡 the name is also used figuratively這個名字也可以比喻 for a person or situation about to explode一個快要爆發的人或情況: "he sat there like Vesuvius, waiting.""he sat there like Vesuvius, waiting"（他坐在那裡像座維蘇威火山，等著爆發）。Being a proper name因為是專有名詞, it takes a capital V and no articleV要大寫，也不加冠詞 — *Vesuvius*, or *Mount Vesuvius*寫成 Vesuvius 或 Mount Vesuvius, never *the Vesuvius*絕不寫成 the Vesuvius。