Language points

（Attention： The following points are not covered by the video. It is better for you to watch the video or listen to the MP3 first and try to take notes on your own. Then you may check here to get more details. ）

1, Verrazano, an Italian about whom little is known, sailed into New York Harbour in 1524 and named it Angouleme.

sailed into New York Harbor 驶进纽约港

2，He described it as 'a very agreeable situation located within two small hills in the midst of which flowed a great river.'

describe sth. as 把......描绘成......，认为......

e.g. I described the attempt as a failure. 我把这次尝试描述成一次失败。

后面可以加“as”的常见动词有：see, view,  look upon, recognize, regard, treat, accept

e.g. I should describe the attempt as a failure. 我把这次尝试描述成失败。新概念英语第二册

e.g. His mother regards him as genius. 他妈妈认为他是一个天才。

e.g. I accept his words as true. 我对他的话信以为真。

located是过去分词短语作定语，修饰 situation;

e.g. I like the village located in two hills.= I like the village which is located in two hills.

in the midst of which 引导一个定语从句，介词短语位于which前，后面的分句要倒装。

e.g. We arrived at a farm house. in front of which is a mountain.我们来到了一个农庄，在这个农庄的前面有一座大山。

in the midst of= in the middle of 在......之中（不仅可以表示方位的“中间”，也可以表示时间的“中间”）

e.g. in the middle of the night == at midnight

e.g. in the middle of the winter\in the middle of the summer