英语短文.

When Italian explorer Marco Polo first called Hang Zhou the greatest city in the world some 700 years ago, he could not have known how clear the waters of West Lake would become.

The transparency of the lake reached 60.07 centimeters on average in 2004.

That means objects to a depth of about 60 centimeters are visible to the naked eye, according to a report from the West Lake Waters' Administration Division in Hang Zhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang Province.
Compared with 2003 and 2002, the average clearness of the water increased by 10.65 centimeters and 16.41 centimeters respectively, according to the report.

The West Lake, covering 6.5 square kilometers, is the most important scenic spot in Hang Zhou. It has been famous for thousands of years for its intoxicating beauty. It was originally a shallow sea inlet before it became a lake due to the laying down of silt.

The increased transparency of this water wonderland is