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
5 J; Y# }" p: A275. Verrazano, an Italian about whom little is known, sailed into New York Harbour in 1524 and named it Angouleme.
$ [' y7 m8 a8 m) @  G8 V; a        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。
5 l) Y/ |. h/ R3 |* x% w. x$ }276. He described it as 'a very agreeable situation located within two small hills in the midst of which flowed a great river.'
' `8 R8 S8 X% Q* ~5 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”。
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，
9 m! `% X* R9 x1 U+ p! i278. 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。
8 P, ]! h& H& X1 T279. The Verrazano Bridge, which was designed by Othmar Ammann, joins Brooklyn to Staten Island.
        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.
        桥长4,260英尺。
/ |" m$ p0 K- r" O, `, |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.
        两座巨塔支撑着4根粗大的钢缆。
" X' M% H! m% F+ ]& s283. 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。
284. The platforms extend to a depth of over 100 feet under the sea.
' S# m  `% x- I* P: H+ p' B& b        平台深入海底100英尺。
) b' t! m! E: O& r285. These alone took sixteen months to build.
        仅这两座塔就花了16个月才建成。
0 ~* Q) K0 z, U! v- N8 E) ~% i/ t+ u286. Above the surface of the water, the towers rise to a height of nearly 700 feet.
; k/ k; L: u; x) k' i9 Q        塔身高出水面将近700英尺。
( P( u7 ^! `" d; C# u0 r' f3 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.
        4根钢缆中的每根由26，108股钢绳组成。
9 N$ W2 T4 R/ J5 I3 s) G$ I289. It has been estimated that if the bridge were packed with cars, it would still only be carrying a third of its total capacity.
: B) V  c6 d; W/ L+ S4 ]: U        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。
( ]  v. y: M8 ]5 o7 x- j$ [, J290. However, size and strength are not the only important things about this bridge.
" y3 `0 y( b/ d# K- M0 M9 K6 e' I        然而，这座桥重要特点不仅是它的规模与强度。
4 o1 Y1 h. s8 J0 T" V/ \: Y291. 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，
) ?# `7 R9 ^, q8 T1 ?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。