The largest and most popular shopping mall in the United States is the Mall of America.

 

全美最大，最著名的购物商场非美国商城莫属。

It is in Bloomington, Minnesota,in the north-central part of the country near the twin cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul.

该商城位于中北部双城附近的明尼苏达州布鲁明顿市，

It opened in 1992 and cost 650 million dollars to build.

于1992年开业，耗资6.5亿美元建成。

Each year about 40 million people visit the Mall of America.

每年大约有4千万游客来到美国商城，

Mall officials say 4 out of 10 people who visit have traveled long distances.

该商城的负责人称，这些访客里每10位中就有4位是远道而来的。

Visitors come from more than 32 countries.

到访该商城的游客来自多达32个以上不同的国家。

Many people stay several days when they visit the mall.

很多游客都会逗留好几天去逛这个商城，

There are more than 40 hotels within 8 kilometers.

商城附近8公里以内就有40多家旅馆。

The Mall of America has more than 520 stores.

美国商城有520多家商店，

It also has more than 50 places to eat.

还有50多家餐馆。

If you lined up all the stores side by side,they would cover a distance of almost 7 kilometers.

如果你们肩并肩地围着商城内所有商店排成一行，那么这个队伍将长达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分钟，转遍所有的店需要86小时。

About 11,000 people work at the Mall of America.

大约有1.1万人在这个商城工作。

During the winter holidays, about 13,000 people work there.

寒假时，工作人员的人数会上升至约1.3万人。

When the owners designed the mall,they wanted it to be more than just a place to shop and eat.

当初业主们在筹建这个商城之时，并没有将它定位为一个仅供购物和餐饮的场所，

So they made entertainment a big part of their plan.

因而休闲娱乐设施在他们的规划中占了很大板块。

The Nickelodeon Universe is an indoor theme park.

环球游乐场就是一座室内主题乐园，

It has more than 25 rides including several roller coasters.

包括数条云霄飞车在内的游乐设施多达25种。

Another popular part of the mall is the Underwater Adventures Aquarium. It holds about 5,000 sea animals.

商城内另一处广受欢迎的乐园就是饲养这5000只海洋动物的水底探险水族馆。

Visitors walk through a 91 meter glass tube.

当游客们徜徉于91米长的玻璃甬道时，

Sharks and other ocean animals swim above and beside you as you walk through the tube.

鲨鱼等海洋动物就在他们的头顶或者身侧悠然划过。

Some people who visit the Mall of America have other things on their mind besides sharks, shopping, eating and roller coasters.

除了观看鲨鱼，购买商品，品尝美食和搭乘云霄飞车之外，不少来到商城的游客还别具新意。

They go to the Chapel of Love to be married.

他们来到爱之殿堂许下神圣的婚姻诺言。

More than 5,000 couples have had their weddings at the Mall of America.

至今已有5000多对夫妇在此喜结连理。

More than 650 million people have visited the Mall of America since it opened 18 years ago.

自开业以来18年中，美国商城接待过的游客超过6.5亿。

Now the owners have plans for a large addition.

目前，业主们正在计划为商城加建一个大型的附设分区，

The "Phase Two" plan will nearly double the size of the mall.

而该“二期”增建计划将会使商城的规模增至接近原来的两倍之大。

When it is complete,there will be enough room for up to 900 stores.

到其竣工之时，其空间足以容纳多达900间商铺同时入驻。