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
3 b+ d3 q: r$ R, L; H  ^275. Verrazano, an Italian about whom little is known, sailed into New York Harbour in 1524 and named it Angouleme.
2 z( X# V. H* Q( E& m, s        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.'
5 B% r" R; j0 l        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,
        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，
; |8 A/ F$ E7 n$ _278. for on November 21st, 1964, the longest suspension bridge in the world was named after him.
        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。
5 F: b: n) I- a! y2 S6 r2 H279. The Verrazano Bridge, which was designed by Othmar Ammann, joins Brooklyn to Staten Island.
, K' e! E6 ^- \* a" l, U        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，
280. It has a span of 4,260 feet.
( n3 t. {3 p7 k2 b) i$ V        桥长4,260英尺。
, W# k0 M6 a# U4 {0 v281. The bridge is so long that the shape of the earth had to be taken into account by its designer.
        由于桥身太长，设计者不得不考虑了地表的形状。
+ U0 J( A+ N2 r% U* m4 z282. Two great towers support four huge cables.
) f1 a- k( k( B: O7 a. D        两座巨塔支撑着4根粗大的钢缆。
( |9 }0 e) V) v! ~0 {( U  z283. The towers are built on immense underwater platforms made of steel and concrete.
" S7 p% e1 _4 h* }7 F, E        塔身建在巨大的水下钢盘混凝土平台上。
+ Z8 `; [+ a/ Q$ m" Y: e7 R284. The platforms extend to a depth of over 100 feet under the sea.
& G) p) t2 ^1 Q$ I7 N' y        平台深入海底100英尺。
* g: H% k2 v) i: S1 w% T" W285. These alone took sixteen months to build.
8 L: E5 j" ~. q; x8 p, c        仅这两座塔就花了16个月才建成。
0 J  I0 b7 i4 Q! S9 I* z% y286. Above the surface of the water, the towers rise to a height of nearly 700 feet.
* R; e" f$ b  U4 o0 Z5 o( a        塔身高出水面将近700英尺。
- Z  K% Z/ I2 d( y# y2 z287. They support the cables from which the bridge has been suspended.
0 t' v0 H# P8 |2 Z& h  r        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.
1 `; A/ L* e" @1 g8 X        4根钢缆中的每根由26，108股钢绳组成。
; c5 q) I9 O0 K* N7 k289. It has been estimated that if the bridge were packed with cars, it would still only be carrying a third of its total capacity.
        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.
- ~$ {6 V2 w* ]. C( _- n8 s3 H2 S! f        然而，这座桥重要特点不仅是它的规模与强度。
291. Despite its immensity, it is both simple and elegant,
* V; e6 Z7 {6 X% ^. H; k& Z& c        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'.
9 E! i3 y' S; n( w6 {        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。