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
0 N( m2 v5 ?" R7 ^. |275. Verrazano, an Italian about whom little is known, sailed into New York Harbour in 1524 and named it Angouleme.
, N- a6 T8 [  H& p+ v9 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。
! A( ~( D8 L+ `9 n- e) C276. He described it as 'a very agreeable situation located within two small hills in the midst of which flowed a great river.'
% i0 z0 V0 y) i! W/ _' r        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,
; c6 j4 b3 F0 y8 b# @; r, ~! i7 d9 U        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.
" R- R4 ~. E/ N$ v3 }1 b: g: ?* h* ?  C        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.
        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.
$ }& J' Z) p& d5 M+ v1 H        桥长4,260英尺。
+ Z1 n. @8 t. u' {- j5 w% r3 |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。
/ z: H; R+ n" ^6 P7 i; O282. Two great towers support four huge cables.
        两座巨塔支撑着4根粗大的钢缆。
: _* V( d$ B4 p0 ~' J4 ?' q283. 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。
; L* I& h: ]8 g- w# c- e+ W- o284. 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.
' P! B$ b5 h% d/ J9 P        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。
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，
( [0 G- M: o4 U, Q" i3 v288. Each of the four cables contains 26,108 lengths of wire.
  T& ^$ S7 T8 H" r5 k% f) g% c        4根钢缆中的每根由26，108股钢绳组成。
! p- K6 N3 x4 p5 Q0 C289. 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。
/ j$ ^7 [9 T" z; ?8 U3 x290. However, size and strength are not the only important things about this bridge.
- p9 j7 ?% o5 n  ~& Q& f, ?5 L        然而，这座桥重要特点不仅是它的规模与强度。
: h+ k  Y0 }8 }/ @1 @3 A1 D& n8 G" g291. Despite its immensity, it is both simple and elegant,
' L5 |4 u3 e8 E% L        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'.
$ L' }' ~3 M# o% T        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。