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
275. Verrazano, an Italian about whom little is known, sailed into New York Harbour in 1524 and named it Angouleme.
; I/ U7 _+ m  t$ \& X) U9 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。
276. 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”。
277. Though Verrazano is by no means considered to be a great explorer, his name will probably remain immortal,
4 Q+ [$ b; X/ f/ v, R8 p6 y' {6 T        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。
$ o8 J( r. f4 g0 C279. 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，
, c% i8 T, L, b2 r0 I5 x, Q280. It has a span of 4,260 feet.
        桥长4,260英尺。
9 u# N' y* {9 i7 Y2 z! @281. The bridge is so long that the shape of the earth had to be taken into account by its designer.
+ b4 _+ E6 d# T6 y        由于桥身太长，设计者不得不考虑了地表的形状。
2 T6 Y* V# E- C. J' e0 L282. Two great towers support four huge cables.
        两座巨塔支撑着4根粗大的钢缆。
& _- U% g' s! B283. 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。
4 }( ^) i2 t) |0 w7 F- f$ K  a284. The platforms extend to a depth of over 100 feet under the sea.
+ M5 F7 v% K' p" }        平台深入海底100英尺。
3 ]- s: B  z! J$ G8 }5 O285. 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。
# d- k( S/ }5 W+ j$ E8 W9 `# g- X287. 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 Z! d$ G  h: k4 J7 T* B, [- W288. 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。
8 H4 a+ G! W: P8 c290. However, size and strength are not the only important things about this bridge.
0 ]( x/ M0 V- x        然而，这座桥重要特点不仅是它的规模与强度。
- i3 m, \  R! j/ H9 @) E& @0 v291. 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，
* n7 {; u% Z8 ]7 w292. 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。