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
  O6 {4 j  ]# k# q& F% n275. Verrazano, an Italian about whom little is known, sailed into New York Harbour in 1524 and named it Angouleme.
! U0 }1 x) @8 g& }0 ^% S+ Y        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.'
' k, z* f4 w  s6 S6 o- q0 J. A, h        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，
' g& }, K7 F9 j- K  u278. 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。
1 b/ `+ I+ h! o, t279. The Verrazano Bridge, which was designed by Othmar Ammann, joins Brooklyn to Staten Island.
* g+ Q5 @1 q; O9 F        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.
' v4 D1 u3 L3 |1 j        桥长4,260英尺。
( `) N! }3 f  Z  x( V' `+ ^/ R- l281. The bridge is so long that the shape of the earth had to be taken into account by its designer.
5 k4 W5 f' i- x8 s6 D" W        由于桥身太长，设计者不得不考虑了地表的形状。
6 r- |7 E/ z+ O, c( R1 a! W; j282. Two great towers support four huge cables.
        两座巨塔支撑着4根粗大的钢缆。
283. The towers are built on immense underwater platforms made of steel and concrete.
4 C, {( i4 \- g5 }. [- C1 [        塔身建在巨大的水下钢盘混凝土平台上。
284. The platforms extend to a depth of over 100 feet under the sea.
+ f& Z8 }! l4 `        平台深入海底100英尺。
285. These alone took sixteen months to build.
% ^9 r. H! g. Y, `9 w        仅这两座塔就花了16个月才建成。
  ~, n/ d" Z- t6 x' e- v: i" s286. Above the surface of the water, the towers rise to a height of nearly 700 feet.
        塔身高出水面将近700英尺。
287. They support the cables from which the bridge has been suspended.
        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+ `, l, M, C" o  \3 ]. u: W        4根钢缆中的每根由26，108股钢绳组成。
% C3 g$ a& c0 C# U1 J  E. \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.
        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。
" r( a5 p0 u6 i290. However, size and strength are not the only important things about this bridge.
( B1 k5 |9 ?6 z6 \/ }! S7 X        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,
$ M6 `! |3 Z" n$ y        尽管此桥很大，但它的结构简单，造型优美，
/ l% J' ]2 G3 r1 p3 i- F" c292. fulfilling its designer's dream to create 'an enormous object drawn as faintly as possible'.
        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。