新概念英语3--（一天学一篇）---课文17 世界上最长的吊桥

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课文17  世界上最长的吊桥
, Y" O$ `- W. a4 X$ Q275. Verrazano, an Italian about whom little is known, sailed into New York Harbour in 1524 and named it Angouleme.
; @$ v+ B/ f' w7 S  ~% ?& P        1524年，一位鲜为人知的意大利人维拉萨诺驾船驶进纽约港，并将该港名为安古拉姆。
276. He described it as 'a very agreeable situation located within two small hills in the midst of which flowed a great river.'
        他对该港作了这样的描述：“地理位置十分适宜，位于两座小山的中间，一条大河从中间流过”。
277. Though Verrazano is by no means considered to be a great explorer, his name will probably remain immortal,
* q4 B& K: m% k1 _# ]$ W; R        虽然维拉萨诺绝对算不上一个伟大的探险家，但他的名字将流芳百世，
278. for on November 21st, 1964, the longest suspension bridge in the world was named after him.
+ g$ `' I: S, u/ ^+ b+ E9 g  n        因为1964年11月21日建成的一座世界上最长的吊桥是以他的名字命名。
279. The Verrazano Bridge, which was designed by Othmar Ammann, joins Brooklyn to Staten Island.
4 V+ R4 U; ?' ]1 j        维拉萨诺大桥由奥斯马.阿曼设计，连结着布鲁克林与斯塔顿岛，
: Z8 A( f) f( P' b3 {, a280. It has a span of 4,260 feet.
2 t2 @  s  O. B" v" Q% X2 l8 r        桥长4,260英尺。
0 D6 u8 V$ x# U% q( O, Z( z281. The bridge is so long that the shape of the earth had to be taken into account by its designer.
$ [- w) B% a( p+ `: T) {7 f        由于桥身太长，设计者不得不考虑了地表的形状。
& O# e1 T( X# O; S282. Two great towers support four huge cables.
: k9 D8 s: Z: A% |        两座巨塔支撑着4根粗大的钢缆。
7 @+ ?) |6 ~5 s  k5 C5 g/ m$ a283. The towers are built on immense underwater platforms made of steel and concrete.
. I5 G6 @) _3 o% |0 l- g        塔身建在巨大的水下钢盘混凝土平台上。
, A2 t0 o. [) O- s7 Y; K284. The platforms extend to a depth of over 100 feet under the sea.
        平台深入海底100英尺。
285. These alone took sixteen months to build.
; J  ]9 R' {$ J( ]: v        仅这两座塔就花了16个月才建成。
286. Above the surface of the water, the towers rise to a height of nearly 700 feet.
% H! a& A, k  ^. \0 T5 A        塔身高出水面将近700英尺。
287. They support the cables from which the bridge has been suspended.
; i' A5 N0 A5 w+ j' F        高塔支撑着钢缆，而钢缆又悬吊着大桥，
288. Each of the four cables contains 26,108 lengths of wire.
+ ^- ]# t- _8 g+ y( e        4根钢缆中的每根由26，108股钢绳组成。
289. It has been estimated that if the bridge were packed with cars, it would still only be carrying a third of its total capacity.
( Z! L! s2 I; ~        据估计，若桥上摆满了汽车，也只不过是桥的总承载力的1/3。
290. However, size and strength are not the only important things about this bridge.
        然而，这座桥重要特点不仅是它的规模与强度。
) V9 m' N6 Q/ e+ n291. Despite its immensity, it is both simple and elegant,
0 b& S! h8 d3 q" U  `2 j" F! a$ S        尽管此桥很大，但它的结构简单，造型优美，
292. fulfilling its designer's dream to create 'an enormous object drawn as faintly as possible'.
; n  Z/ E/ i8 w        实现了设计者企图创造一个“尽量用细线条勾画出一个庞然大物”的梦想。