新概念英语3--（一天学一篇）---课文17 世界上最长的吊桥

ltlong52010

课文17  世界上最长的吊桥
275. Verrazano, an Italian about whom little is known, sailed into New York Harbour in 1524 and named it Angouleme.
, ^/ p" u  N5 z- |        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.'
# I$ B' s3 Y* G        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”。
) {/ x7 Z. O7 k1 d( S277. 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，
0 s* D8 r5 n) o" v. V( l: c278. for on November 21st, 1964, the longest suspension bridge in the world was named after him.
) {# C4 H* _3 L2 k$ U0 Y        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.
3 M  L# x( z) f9 ^2 M8 i4 ]; C0 c        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，
& v7 K) f* r( L5 a3 U# l280. It has a span of 4,260 feet.
        桥长4,260英尺。
281. 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。
* a& I+ R2 Z8 z# Y282. Two great towers support four huge cables.
; x2 Z. l, e( W* G& I3 m) P        两座巨塔支撑着4根粗大的钢缆。
% V! D8 V' |+ V5 I* F5 D" p  u9 q283. The towers are built on immense underwater platforms made of steel and concrete.
1 c4 Y( W) p$ N4 Q( N1 V# t        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。
286. 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。
3 D) E) v( P0 e7 v  m287. 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，
( E8 Z/ v9 O# c5 x4 a  E288. Each of the four cables contains 26,108 lengths of wire.
        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.
        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.
! c! h! H" m! c  ?) U3 K        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,
1 q' N9 ?6 L; C, \" Q5 n" O        尽管此桥很大，但它的结构简单，造型优美，
' P1 u$ P) U3 A2 I- D( s) i292. 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。