The largest and most popular shopping mall in the United States is the Mall of America.
全美最大，最著名的購物商場非美國商城莫屬。
It is in Bloomington, Minnesota,in the north-central part of the country near the twin cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul.
該商城位于中北部雙城附近的明尼蘇達州布魯明頓市，
It opened in 1992 and cost 650 million dollars to build.
于1992年開業，耗資6.5億美元建成。
Each year about 40 million people visit the Mall of America.
每年大約有4千萬游客來到美國商城，
Mall officials say 4 out of 10 people who visit have traveled long distances.
該商城的負責人稱，這些訪客里每10位中就有4位是遠道而來的。
Visitors come from more than 32 countries.
到訪該商城的'游客來自多達32個以上不同的國家。
Many people stay several days when they visit the mall.
很多游客都會逗留好幾天去逛這個商城，
There are more than 40 hotels within 8 kilometers.
商城附近8公里以內就有40多家旅館。
The Mall of America has more than 520 stores.
美國商城有520多家商店，
It also has more than 50 places to eat.
還有50多家餐館。
If you lined up all the stores side by side,they would cover a distance of almost 7 kilometers.
如果你們肩并肩地圍著商城內所有商店排成一行，那么這個隊伍將長達7公里。
If you stayed only 10 minutes in each store,it would take over 86 hours to complete your visit.
如果你在每家店待10分鐘，轉遍所有的店需要86小時。
About 11,000 people work at the Mall of America.
大約有1.1萬人在這個商城工作。
During the winter holidays, about 13,000 people work there.
寒假時，工作人員的人數會上升至約1.3萬人。
When the owners designed the mall,they wanted it to be more than just a place to shop and eat.
當初業主們在籌建這個商城之時，并沒有將它定位為一個僅供購物和餐飲的場所，
So they made entertainment a big part of their plan.
因而休閑娛樂設施在他們的規劃中占了很大板塊。
The Nickelodeon Universe is an indoor theme park.
環球游樂場就是一座室內主題樂園，
It has more than 25 rides including several roller coasters.
包括數條云霄飛車在內的游樂設施多達25種。
Another popular part of the mall is the Underwater Adventures Aquarium. It holds about 5,000 sea animals.
商城內另一處廣受歡迎的樂園就是飼養這5000只海洋動物的水底探險水族館。
Visitors walk through a 91 meter glass tube.
當游客們徜徉于91米長的玻璃甬道時，
Sharks and other ocean animals swim above and beside you as you walk through the tube.
鯊魚等海洋動物就在他們的頭頂或者身側悠然劃過。
Some people who visit the Mall of America have other things on their mind besides sharks, shopping, eating and roller coasters.
除了觀看鯊魚，購買商品，品嘗美食和搭乘云霄飛車之外，不少來到商城的游客還別具新意。
They go to the Chapel of Love to be married.
他們來到愛之殿堂許下神圣的婚姻諾言。
More than 5,000 couples have had their weddings at the Mall of America.
至今已有5000多對夫婦在此喜結連理。
More than 650 million people have visited the Mall of America since it opened 18 years ago.
自開業以來18年中，美國商城接待過的游客超過6.5億。
Now the owners have plans for a large addition.
目前，業主們正在計劃為商城加建一個大型的附設分區，
The "Phase Two" plan will nearly double the size of the mall.
而該“二期”增建計劃將會使商城的規模增至接近原來的兩倍之大。
When it is complete,there will be enough room for up to 900 stores.
到其竣工之時，其空間足以容納多達900間商鋪同時入駐。
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