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
* J4 F* ~( K. M- C275. Verrazano, an Italian about whom little is known, sailed into New York Harbour in 1524 and named it Angouleme.
: P9 e0 d. [4 A3 c: z4 V7 V9 w        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。
/ p. b0 o+ {2 C; a: O0 x276. 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”。
' ]7 N# M( @7 |( u! ]9 [- {: Q277. Though Verrazano is by no means considered to be a great explorer, his name will probably remain immortal,
, X* b/ n( D% L# |) i9 v$ d! j        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，
- _/ y# L6 L' w: i" U278. for on November 21st, 1964, the longest suspension bridge in the world was named after him.
' W# H, e1 N: F. a        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。
, J5 \( ]* T1 \" N! }) Q; ?$ u; ^/ u, B279. The Verrazano Bridge, which was designed by Othmar Ammann, joins Brooklyn to Staten Island.
5 L6 {5 @3 Z" I) M        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，
9 z/ ?' n+ b7 i9 |+ h  @280. It has a span of 4,260 feet.
        桥长4,260英尺。
% O; }4 r) t8 m2 f' [$ R: n281. The bridge is so long that the shape of the earth had to be taken into account by its designer.
6 e& r; t+ v" j( d        由于桥身太长，设计者不得不考虑了地表的形状。
" `( Q8 t6 L7 b( X282. Two great towers support four huge cables.
$ C: {- F  S" p        两座巨塔支撑着4根粗大的钢缆。
6 W+ l' w- ?' g3 ^0 m283. The towers are built on immense underwater platforms made of steel and concrete.
. o9 Y( Y, X; _& w        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.
        平台深入海底100英尺。
285. These alone took sixteen months to build.
        仅这两座塔就花了16个月才建成。
: l: y# g1 b- e0 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。
0 H6 n' z; ?! M' X1 Q4 l! a287. 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.
' m9 g* h# G7 V* ^% k$ Z        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.
/ q5 f9 p- w; z        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。
/ s# v' G1 Z+ E3 b290. However, size and strength are not the only important things about this bridge.
+ M$ @, C2 V$ i0 y/ `, ~; t0 S, e        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,
        尽管此桥很大，但它的结构简单，造型优美，
& o( }8 p7 R$ S( I8 d2 g292. 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。