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
8 b: N" u+ y" L275. Verrazano, an Italian about whom little is known, sailed into New York Harbour in 1524 and named it Angouleme.
. c; M: u( r# U. g& g2 {        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。
: V* k% z: ^9 L& y  I+ 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”。
, }5 c, s. @5 ?2 x$ w$ q- k) z277. Though Verrazano is by no means considered to be a great explorer, his name will probably remain immortal,
! f0 `2 n2 v% R" v9 h; w. d% F        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，
' _# B6 g9 {/ O3 A" z  d- H278. for on November 21st, 1964, the longest suspension bridge in the world was named after him.
8 Z$ Y; K' V; n' D# {! Q        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。
% l' e% I, ?7 B- O  S( D6 ]279. The Verrazano Bridge, which was designed by Othmar Ammann, joins Brooklyn to Staten Island.
1 L, n! _7 R! N+ c4 _8 A7 `& }        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。
281. The bridge is so long that the shape of the earth had to be taken into account by its designer.
2 j  I- g, y! W( p% o$ ~5 @( S% X3 k+ X        由于桥身太长，设计者不得不考虑了地表的形状。
9 U: @  ?; k8 _/ k+ x8 K282. Two great towers support four huge cables.
9 q7 ^, D' A2 B. w        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。
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.
1 d3 n6 K& o7 V% N0 W        仅这两座塔就花了16个月才建成。
2 t) z9 l# ^, D/ f! {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。
0 F0 O( R* J4 I8 u; K: ^2 ?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，
288. Each of the four cables contains 26,108 lengths of wire.
( l2 ]- U! H. M/ e( Q        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。
, O% s  k. a, A6 g6 z$ R+ z* G290. 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。
291. Despite its immensity, it is both simple and elegant,
/ `) D& l- D2 O9 p& `        尽管此桥很大，但它的结构简单，造型优美，
' A! k. Y' L1 ?; p8 e( d. [; c7 J292. 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。