Step 1: Intensive reading.
Try to answer the question below while you’re reading:
Question: How is the bridge supported?
Vocabulary:
suspension n. 悬， 吊
concrete n. 混凝土
agreeable adj. 宜人的
suspend v. 悬挂
situation n. 地点，地方
length n. 根，段
locate v. 位于
estimate v. 估计
immortal adj. 永生的，流芳百世的
capacity n. 承受量
Brooklyn n. 布鲁克林（纽约一区名）
immensity n. 巨大
Staten n .斯塔顿（岛）
elegant adj. 优美别致的
span n. 跨度
faintly adv. 微细地
cable n .缆索
Passage:
Verrazano, an Italian about whom little is known, sailed into New York Harbour in
1524 and named it Angoulême. He described it as ‘a very agreeable situation located
within two small hills in the midst of which flowed a great river’. Though Verrazano
is by no means considered to be a great explorer, his name will probably remain
immortal, for on November 21st, 1964, the longest suspension bridge in the world
was named after him.
1524 年，一位鲜为人知的意大利人维拉萨诺驾船驶进纽约港，并将该港命名为
安古拉姆。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” 。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，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。
Notes:
1 describe…as…作“把……描绘成……”、“认为……”讲。
2 located within two small hills in the midst of which flowed a great river, 位于两座
小山之间，一条大河滔滔流过。
located…是过去分词短语作定语，修饰 situation; in the midst of which 引导一个定
语从句，which 指 two small hills。in the midst of, 在……之中。
3 by no means, 无论如何，决不。
4 be named after sb. , 以某人的名字命名。
The Verrazano Bridge, which was designed by Othmar Ammann, joins Brooklyn to
Staten Island. It has a span of 4, 260 feet. The bridge is so long that the shape of the
earth had to be taken into account by its designer. Two great towers support four huge
cables. The towers are built on immense underwater platforms made of steel and
concrete. The platforms extend to a depth of over 100 feet under the sea. These alone
took sixteen months to build. Above the surface of the water, the towers rise to a
height of nearly 700 feet.
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，桥长 4，260 英
尺。由于桥身太长，设计者不得不考虑了地表的形状。两座巨塔支撑着 4 根粗大
的钢缆。塔身建在巨大的水下钢筋混凝土平台上。平台深入海底 100 英尺。仅这
两座塔就花了 16 个月才建成。塔身高出水面将近 700 英尺。
Notes:
5 be taken into account, 被考虑到。
They support the cables from which the bridge has been suspended. Each of the four
cables contains 26, 108 lengths of wire. It has been estimated that if the bridge were
packed with cars, it would still only be carrying a third of its total capacity. However,
size and strength are not the only important things about this bridge. Despite its
immensity, it is both simple and elegant, fulfilling its designer's dream to create ‘an
enormous object drawn as faintly as possible’.
高塔支撑着钢缆，而钢缆又悬吊着大桥。4 根钢缆中的每根由 26，108 股钢绳组
成。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 。然而，这
座桥的重要特点不仅是它的规模与强度。尽管此桥很大，但它的结构简单，造型
优美，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。
Notes:
6 It has been estimated …, 据估计，……。
7 be packed with …作“挤满……”、“装满……”解。
17.2【阅读理解】The longest suspension bridge in the world
Step 2: Comprehension questions.
Comprehension:
1 When did Verrazano sail into New York Harbour? (In 1524.)
2 What did he call it? (Angouleme.)
3 How did Verrazano describe New York Harbour? (As ‘a very agreeable situation
located within two mall hills in the midst of which flowed a great river’.)
4 Why will Verrazano's name be remembered? (Because the longest suspension bridge
in the world was named after him.)
5 Who was the bridge designed by? (Othmar Ammann.)
6 What does the bridge join? (Brooklyn to Staten Island.)
7 What's its span? (Four thousand two hundred and sixty feet.)
8 What did Ammann have to take account of when designing the bridge? (The shape
of the earth.)
9 What do the two great towers do? (Support four huge cables.)
10 What are the towers built on? (Immense underwater platforms.)
11 How far down do these platforms extend? (Over a hundred feet under the sea)
12 How tall are the two towers? (Nearly seven hundred feet.)
13 What is the bridge suspended from? (Four cables)
14 Why are these cables so strong? (Because each one contains twenty-six thousand
one hundred and eight lengths of wire.)
15 Why doesn't the bridge collapse when it is packed with cars? (Because it is
carrying only one third of its capacity.)
17.3【拓展写作】The longest suspension bridge in the world
Step 3: Composition
Describe any bridge you know well. Expand the following into a paragraph of about
150 words.
The bridge I know best is called ... It joins ... to ... From far away it looks ... but when
you get near… It is made of ...and supported by... If you stand on the bridge early in
the morning, you can see ... At this time everything is quiet. During the day,
however, ... I enjoy standing on the bridge at night when...In the darkness, you can
see ... In the stillness... are the only sounds that can be heard.
Key to composition
The bridge I know best is called the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It joins either side
of Sydney Harbour. From far away it looks like a great arch, but when you get near,
you can see a great deck under the arch. It is made of steel and supported by two
towers. If you stand on the bridge early in the morning, you can see the Parramatta
River to the west and the open sea to the east. At this time everything is quiet. During
the day, however, the harbour becomes busy with small boats and large ships moving
in all directions. I enjoy standing on the bridge at night when you see the magnificent
Opera House looking like a great sailing ship. In the darkness you can see the city
lights. In the stillness the traffic and the movement of the sea are the only sounds that
can be heard.
课外练习：
1 Verrazano's name will probably remain immortal because .
(a) it was after he discovered New York Harbour that a bridge was built
(b)he named the river that the new bridge crosses
(c) he was an explorer of considerable means
(d) it has been given to the world's longest suspension bridge
2 The Verrazano Bridge was built with so wide a span because .
(a) it had to cover a wide stretch of water
(b) of the unusual shape of the earth around Brooklyn and Staten Island
(c)the water that lies between Brooklyn and Staten Island is very deep
(d) the number of wires in each cable is so great
3 In designing the Verrazano Bridge, Othmar Ammann .
(a)had to account for the curvature of the earth's surface
(b) spent over a year building the platforms that form the bridge's b
(c)had to consider the number of vehicles that might cross the bridge at any one time
(d) wished to reduce the size of the bridge as much as possible
4 He described it situated.
(a)as being very agreeably
(b)was very agreeable to be
(c)very agreeably having been
(d) very agreeably as being
5 The Verrazano Bridge, the design of Othmar Ammann.
(a) is
(b) was
(c)were
(d)has been
6 The length of the bridge is the shape of the earth.
(a)so that
(b)such that
(c)that which
(d)thus
7 The towers are built on which are sunk beneath the water.
(a)ferro-concrete immense platforms
(b)immense made of ferro-concrete platforms
(c)and made of ferro- immense platforms
(d)immense ferro-concrete platforms
8 Even if the bridge were packed with cars, it could still three times the load.
(a) be carrying
(b) be able to carry
(c) only carry
(d) carry
9 ‘a very agreeable situation with two small hills lying ’
(a) on either side
(b) on every side
(c) besides
(d) side by side
10 The Verrazano Bridge Brooklyn with Staten Island.
(a)attaches
(b)unifies
(c)links
(d)relates
11 A bridge which is hung from cables is known as a bridge.
(a)suspended
(b)suspense
(c)suspension
(d)suspender
12 If the bridge were loaded with as many cars as it could , it would still...
(a)sustain
(b)endure
(c)receive
(d)take
答案：1d 2a 3a 4a5a 6b 7d 8d 9a 10c 11c 12d