In northern Italy, there is a small town called Curon with a story that feels almost like a legend. In 1950, the village was deliberately flooded to make way for a hydroelectric dam. Over 160 homes were swallowed by the water, and the residents were forced to leave everything behind. Today, the only part of the old town that remains visible is the tall, narrow church tower, rising alone from the turquoise lake like a silent guardian.
Tourists arrive from all over the world to see it. In winter, when the lake freezes, visitors sometimes walk across the ice, feeling it creak under their feet, and touch the cold stone of the tower. Many take photos, imagining the life that once filled the streets: children laughing as they ran to school, shopkeepers calling out to customers, and the church bell ringing on sunny mornings. Some local stories say that on very quiet nights, you can still hear the bell tolling beneath the water. One visitor whispered to a friend, “Do you hear that? It’s like the town is trying to speak to us.” Of course, most people agree it’s just a story—but it adds a certain magic to the place.
The new Curon, built nearby, is quiet and welcoming. Older residents sometimes sit by the lake, sharing memories. “I have never forgotten the day we left,” one man said softly. “It was the saddest day of my life. But at least people have kept the memory of our town alive.” The lake now provides electricity to thousands of homes, turning a painful loss into something that helps many people today.
Curon is more than a town lost to the water. It is a reminder that places may vanish, but memories and human spirit endure. Even under the surface, the town seems to live on in stories, photographs, and the imagination of those who visit.
Comprehension
1) Why was Curon flooded in 1950?
2) How do visitors interact with the town in winter?
3) What details help visitors imagine life in the old town?
4) What modern benefit comes from the flooded lake?
5) How do legends and stories contribute to the town’s atmosphere?
Vocabulary
Match the words to the definition:
1) Swallowed
2) Guardian
3) Whispered
4) Deliberately
5) Endure
a) completely covered or taken in by something (like water)
b) someone or something that protects or watches over a place
c) spoke very quietly
d) to continue or last through difficulties
e) on purpose; intentionally
Grammar Highlights
Present Perfect (Shows a past experience that continues to affect the present)
- Example: I have never forgotten the day we left.
Cleft Sentences (for emphasis)
- Example: It is a reminder that places may vanish, but memories and human spirit endure.