Lesson 17 The longest suspension bridge in the world

歌词
--- lesson 17 The longest suspension bridge in the world
世界上最长的吊桥
--- Listen to the tape then answer the question below.
^听录音,然后回答以下问题。
--- How is the bridge supported?
Verrazano, an Italian about whom little is known, sailed into New York Harbour in 1524 and named it Angouleme.
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。
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”。
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,
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的。
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,
It has a span of 4,260 feet.
^桥长4,260英尺。
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。
Two great towers support four huge cables.
^两座巨塔支撑着4根粗大的钢缆。
The towers are built on immense underwater platforms made of steel and concrete.
^塔身建在巨大的水下钢筋混凝土平台上。
The platforms extend to a depth of over 100 feet under the sea.
^平台深入海底100英尺。
These alone took sixteen months to build.
^仅这两座塔就花了16个月才建成。
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。
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。
Each of the four cables contains 26,108 lengths of wire.
根钢缆中的每根由26,108股钢绳组成。
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。
However, size and strength are not the only important things about this bridge.
^然而,这座桥的重要特点不仅是它的规模与强度。
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,
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。
专辑信息
1.Lesson 1 A puma at large
2.Lesson 2 Thirteen equals one
3.Lesson 3 An unknown goddess
4.Lesson 4 The double life of Alfred Bloggs
5.Lesson 5 The facts
6.Lesson 6 Smash-and-grab
7.Lesson 7 Mutilated ladies
8.Lesson 8 A famous monastery
9.Lesson 9 Flying cats
10.Lesson 10 The loss of the Titanic
11.Lesson 11 Not guilty
12.Lesson 12 Life on a desert island
13.Lesson 13 'It's only me'
14.Lesson 14 A noble gangster
15.Lesson 15 Fifty pence worth of trouble
16.Lesson 16 Mary had a little lamb
17.Lesson 17 The longest suspension bridge in the world
18.Lesson 18 Electric currents in modern art
19.Lesson 19 A very dear cat
20.Lesson 20 Pioneer pilots
21.Lesson 21 Daniel Mendoza
22.Lesson 22 By heart
23.Lesson 23 One man's meat is another man's poison
24.Lesson 24 A skeleton in the cupboard
25.Lesson 25 The Cutty Sark
26.Lesson 26 Wanted: a large biscuit tin
27.Lesson 27 Nothing to sell and nothing to buy
28.Lesson 28 Five pounds too dear
29.Lesson 29 Funny or not?
30.Lesson 30 The death of a ghost
31.Lesson 31 A lovable eccentric
32.Lesson 32 A lost ship
33.Lesson 33 A day to remember
34.Lesson 34 A happy discovery
35.Lesson 35 Justice was done
36.Lesson 36 A chance in a million
37.Lesson 37 The westhaven Express
38.Lesson 38 The first calendar
39.Lesson 39 Nothing to worry about
40.Lesson 40 Who's who
41.Lesson 41 Illusions of pastoral peace
42.Lesson 42 modern caveman
43.Lesson 43 Fully insured
44.Lesson 44 Speed and comfort
45.Lesson 45 The power of the press
46.Lesson 46 Do it yourself
47.Lesson 47 Too high a price?
48.Lesson 48 The silent village
49.Lesson 49 The ideal servant
50.Lesson 50 New Year resolutions
51.Lesson 51 Predicting the future
52.Lesson 52 Mud is mud
53.Lesson 53 In the Public interest
54.Lesson 54 Instinct or cleverness?
55.Lesson 55 From the earth: Greetings
56.Lesson 56 Our neighbour, the river
57.Lesson 57 Back in the old country
58.Lesson 58 A spot of bother
59.Lesson 59 Collecting
60.Lesson 60 Too early and too late