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.
3 K: s. x: m7 d& R) h* ^        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.'
5 N* H; \* O4 v% I0 w        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,
1 H- f" z. O; n/ z8 h9 ]+ \        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，
$ A4 Z, L: ~% R, x' t278. for on November 21st, 1964, the longest suspension bridge in the world was named after him.
2 c9 F$ Q' S2 t% }% Q+ w        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.
  _/ M1 B/ ]+ q. ?2 p9 O        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.
5 c% m8 k8 v; L        桥长4,260英尺。
  ~. B% w& I+ y' T  ^4 K281. 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.
$ @$ _- Z8 Y" I9 X1 E: \        两座巨塔支撑着4根粗大的钢缆。
( r% V" ?0 F: O$ Y6 J283. 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.
        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。
4 y- L# |6 O5 h4 v. ~: A287. They support the cables from which the bridge has been suspended.
& C* F2 l- ~2 s6 i5 u' u6 A) Y- s        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。
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.
" V# R& \1 q+ b7 [- E- |        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.
        然而，这座桥重要特点不仅是它的规模与强度。
: f- w( Q8 Z4 z! O4 ?' o9 ^. _. m291. 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，
8 m3 q, t2 w$ y) x3 X292. 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。