Lesson17 世界上最长的吊桥

The Longest Drawbridge Around the World

 

 

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。

 

 

 

In 1524, a rarely known Italian Verrazano had driven the boat entering the New York harbor, and named it Anguram.

 

 

 

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”。

 

 

 

He describe this harbor like this: “The geological position is very suitable, in the middle of two hills,

a large river flows through.

 

 

 

虽然维拉萨诺绝对算不上一个伟大的探险家，

Thou Salavino completely cannot be called   as a mighty explorer,

 

 

但他的名字将流芳百世，

but his name will be immortal.

 

 

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。

Because the longest drawbridge built on November   21st, 1964 was named as his name.

 

 

 

 

 

 

维拉萨诺大桥由奥斯马.阿曼设计，

The Verrazano Bridge was designed by   Othmar Ammann,

 

 

 

连结着布鲁克林与斯塔顿岛。

 

 

which bind Brookline and Staten Island.

桥长4,260英尺。

The length of the bridge is 4,260 feet.

 

 

由于桥身太长，设计者不得不考虑了地表的形状。

 

 

 

Because the bridge structure is too long, designer have to consider the earth surface’s shape.

 

 

 

两座巨塔支撑着4根粗大的钢缆。

Two huge tower propping up four thick   steel ropes,

 

 

塔身建在巨大的水下钢盘混凝土平台上。

the harmica was built on the undersea big   platform which is made of reinforced concrete.

 

 

平台深入海底100英尺。

The platform is 100 feet deep into the   sea.

 

 

仅这两座塔就花了16个月才建成。

Only these two towers consumed more than   16 months to built.

 

 

塔身高出水面将近700英尺。

 

 

 

The harmica is higher upon the water surface more than 700 feet.

 

 

 

高塔支撑着钢缆，而钢缆又悬吊着大桥，

 

 

 

The high tower heaves the steel ropes, and the steel ropes suspense the bridge.

 

 

 

4根钢缆中的每根由26,108股钢绳组成。

 

Every single one in the 4 wireropes is   made of 26,108 steel ropes.

 

据估计，若桥上摆满了汽车，

As the estimation, if we filled the   bridge surface with cars,

 

 

也只不过是桥的总承载力的1/3。

its only one in third of the bridge’s   bearing capacity.

 

 

然而，这座桥重要特点不仅是它的规模与强度。

 

 

 

Nonetheless, the bridge’s important feature is not only its scale and strength.

 

 

 

尽管此桥很大，但它的结构简单，造型优美，

Though the bridge is large, it’s structure   is simple and it’s profiling is elegant,

 

 

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。

 

 

 

and it achieving the designer’s dream, which is to use thin stripe to sketch a leviathan as far as possible.