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
, z( d' ^0 g3 p, M+ J275. Verrazano, an Italian about whom little is known, sailed into New York Harbour in 1524 and named it Angouleme.
2 V* C% i7 {2 a8 _" U        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。
1 g* ]3 x" o( W+ U276. 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”。
: U- t. G" I1 n& F; a9 U' @' F6 B277. Though Verrazano is by no means considered to be a great explorer, his name will probably remain immortal,
: e5 D9 Z: B4 E- h$ u. 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.
        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。
' _% w' T0 N2 L+ b279. The Verrazano Bridge, which was designed by Othmar Ammann, joins Brooklyn to Staten Island.
4 R6 J/ r- P$ W  Y. 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，
: u+ {/ ?/ H  }280. It has a span of 4,260 feet.
* N9 O. `9 s' r) R0 r        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。
282. Two great towers support four huge cables.
" ?/ B, e" V9 H        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.
        塔身建在巨大的水下钢盘混凝土平台上。
; D0 o- T1 ^8 K4 L  R) M/ ^0 H284. The platforms extend to a depth of over 100 feet under the sea.
9 R/ a  O5 ~( N! p8 }. F) z        平台深入海底100英尺。
7 U2 \& L6 M- C8 P: ]285. These alone took sixteen months to build.
/ `" P' j! c, D/ y        仅这两座塔就花了16个月才建成。
( P  c6 ^3 I0 T/ _) G286. 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，
2 y) _* G5 ]) M( G! s288. Each of the four cables contains 26,108 lengths of wire.
4 f3 `3 Y& ], v5 L        4根钢缆中的每根由26，108股钢绳组成。
" k* @7 A: ^6 Q- B: `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.
2 J7 K. s3 X& Q& b3 U$ [$ Q) l        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。
2 Y8 ^6 S$ m! o* X8 y290. 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。
2 S, ~0 M: T0 `8 v# q$ r) Z291. 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，
292. 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。