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Bridging the Gap In Style 力与美的工程大观：桥

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Many of us cross bridges every day without paying much attention to them. They are a trouble-free way of crossing rivers, valleys, and other obstacles, and enable us to get from point A to point B. From a simple log lying flat across a stream to a concrete road-bridge supporting high volumes of city traffic, these structures come in many shapes and sizes. But some bridges are far more than convenient crossing points. Indeed, some bridges are truly awe-inspiring pieces of architecture.

我们很多人每天过桥时，并没有特别地注意它。桥梁为一种轻松跨越河流、溪谷与其他障碍物的方式，并且让我们可以从A地移动至B地。从简单的一块横置于溪流上的原木到一座可承载城市交通高流量的混凝土道路桥梁，桥有各种外型与大小。然而，有些桥梁并非仅是便利的穿越通道。的确，有些桥梁真的是令人惊叹的建筑杰作。

San Francisco’s magnificent Golden Gate Bridge is both an example of impressive engineering and aesthetic brilliance. Fittingly, the designer, Joseph Strauss, was something of a dreamer, and a poet as well as an engineer. In fact, before this suspension bridge was completed in 1937, many believed that construction would be impossible. But Strauss’s imagination won out, and now the roadway, elegantly suspended from a tower at each end of the 2,000-meter strait, is an internationally recognized symbol of America. Thanks to Strauss and his expert team, it also serves as a reminder that sometimes the seemingly impossible is possible after all.

旧金山壮观的金门大桥既是一项令人印象深刻的工程，也是美学佳作。同样的，设计师乔瑟夫．史特劳斯在某种程度上可说是位梦想家、诗人兼工程师。事实上在这座吊桥于1937年完工前，很多人都坚信这项建设不可能完成。然而史特劳斯的想象力胜出，使大桥上车道能在相距长达2,000公尺的海峡间，自两岸的高塔优雅地悬吊着，也使金门大桥成为了国际知名的美国象征。多亏了史特劳斯与他专业的团队，这座桥提醒了我们有时看似不可能的事终究可能成真。

Another groundbreaking bridge concept can be seen in northern England. The Gateshead Millennium Bridge, which opened in 2001, is a sight to behold, especially when it’s moving! A remarkable piece of engineering, the pedestrian bridge is able to tilt 40 degrees upwards to allow boats to pass beneath it. It then tilts back to ground level so that cyclists and walkers may continue to traverse the waterway. This tilting bridge is the only one of its kind in the world, and rightfully won its architects a number of prestigious awards.

在英国北部可以看到另一座极具创新概念的桥梁，就是于2001年启用的盖特谢德千年桥，它值得一看，特别是当它移动时更是蔚为奇观。盖特谢德千年桥是一件非凡的工程，这座行人便桥可以往上倾斜40度，让船只从桥下通过。接着，桥梁再倾斜回地面高度以便让单车骑士与行人可以继续跨越河流。这是世上唯一的倾斜式桥梁，建造此座桥梁的建筑师们当然赢得了数项大奖。

Vocabulary

单词发音

concrete [ˋkɑnkrit] adj. 混凝土的

awe-inspiring [ˋɔɪn͵spaɪərɪŋ] adj. 令人起敬畏心的；令人惊叹的

architecture [ˋɑrkə͵tɛktʃɚ] n. 建筑，建筑风格

engineering [͵ɛndʒəˋnɪrɪŋ] n. 工程；工程学

construction [kənˋstrʌkʃən] n. 建造，建设

elegantly [ˋɛləgəntlɪ] adv. 优美地；雅致地

suspend [səˋspɛnd] v. 悬挂

strait [stret] n. 海峡

reminder [rɪˋmaɪndɚ] n. 令人回忆的东西; 提示

groundbreaking [ˋgraʊnd͵brekɪŋ] adj. 开创性的

concept [ˋkɑnsɛpt] n. 概念，观念

remarkable [rɪˋmɑrkəb!] adj. 非凡的；卓越的

pedestrian [pəˋdɛstrɪən] adj. 徒步的，步行的

upwards [ˋʌpwɚdz] adv. 向上地，朝上

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单词发音

aesthetic [ɛsˋθɛtɪk] adj. 美学的

brilliance [ˋbrɪljəns] n. 宏伟，壮丽

fittingly [ˋfɪtɪŋlɪ] adv. 适切地；适合地

(be) something of (a something) 有几分 used to describe a person or thing in a way that is partly true but not completely or exactly

win out【口】获得胜利 to succeed or prevail

behold [bɪˋhold] v. 看；看见

tilt [tɪlt] v. 使倾斜

traverse [trəˋvɝs] v. 横渡，横越；越过

rightfully [ˋraɪtfəlɪ] adv. 按理地；有理由地

prestigious [prɛsˋtɪdʒɪəs] adj. 有名望的

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课文讲解

In part, at least, because of its stunning backdrop, but also because of the clean, classical lines of its design and the sheer height of the structure, the Millau Viaduct might be the most breathtaking bridge of them all. The road deck of this bridge is the highest on earth, so if you drive across France’s Tarn Valley, you’ll find yourself 270 meters above the ground. The Millau Viaduct is also the world’s tallest bridge, with one mast reaching 343 meters, just shy of the height of the Empire State Building. It’s certainly not for the fainthearted! The bridge, which spans 2,400 meters, opened in 2004, putting engineer Michel Virlogeux and architect Norman Foster at the forefront of structural design.

米洛高架桥之所以成为最令人惊奇的桥梁，至少有部分原因是由于它四周美丽动人的景色，也因为它简约古典的线条设计以及十足的高度。这座桥的路面是全球最高的，所以如果你开车横越法国塔恩河谷，你将会发现自己离地270公尺高。米洛高架桥也是世界最高的桥梁，最高点高达343公尺，只比帝国大厦低一点点。这座桥绝不适合胆小的人。长达2,400公尺，且于2004年启用的米洛高架桥让工程师米歇尔．维洛热以及建筑师诺曼．福斯特成为建筑设计的前锋。

However, not every noteworthy bridge is a product of modernity. In Japan’s Yamaguchi Prefecture, the Kintai Bridge stands out as a prized part of history. First constructed in 1673 over the scenic Nishiki River, the five wooden arches lead to the foot of Mount Yokoyama, atop which sits Iwakuni Castle. The arches rest on wide stone pillars, spanning a total length of 175 meters. Over the centuries, the bridge has collapsed due to floods, typhoons, and decay, but all reconstructions have remained true to the original style. In 1992, the Kintai Bridge was named a National Treasure. With the beauty of the ancient bridge only enhanced by the cherry blossoms of spring and the maple trees in Fall, it’s little wonder that the area is a year-round tourist hotspot.

然而并非每座值得注意的桥梁都为现代的产物。位于日本山口县的锦带桥则是因为其为历史上重要的一部分而脱颖而出。锦带桥于1673年建造于风光明媚的锦河，此座桥梁为五个木制的拱廊，通往横山山脚，此山顶座落着岩国城。这些拱廊由宽大的石柱支撑，总长长达175公尺。好几个世纪以来，锦带桥曾因洪水、台风以及腐朽而倒塌，但所有的重建工程都忠于原先的风格。在1922年，锦带桥被列为国宝。伴随着春天的樱花以及秋天的枫树使这座古老的桥益加美丽，这也难怪当地一年四季都是旅游胜地。

So, next time you cross a bridge, be it in a concrete jungle or the secluded countryside, take a moment to appreciate it. There’s often more to these feats of engineering than meets the eye.

不论桥是位于都市丛林或是静宁的乡间，下次你过桥时，请花些时间欣赏它们，这些工程壮举通常比你眼睛所见的更为丰富有趣。

－by Alice Davis

Vocabulary

单词发音

stunning [ˋstʌnɪŋ] adj. 令人震惊的; 【口】极漂亮的，绝色的

backdrop [ˋbæk͵drɑp] n. 背景

span [spæn] v. （桥、拱等）横跨，跨越

at the forefront of  处于最前线

structural [ˋstrʌktʃərəl] adj. 结构（上）的﹐构造（上）的

noteworthy [ˋnot͵wɝðɪ] adj. 显著的；值得注意的

modernity [mɑˋdɝnətɪ] n. 现代性

stand out 突出, 显著

scenic [ˋsinɪk] adj. 风景的；景色秀丽的

arch [ɑrtʃ] n. 拱，拱门

rest on 依在...上; 依靠

enhance [ɪnˋhæns] v. 提高，增加

more (to something) than meets the eye 比原想的复杂(或有趣等) [there are] hidden values or facts regarding something

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单词发音

sheer [ʃɪr] adj. (用于强调) 纯粹的，完全的，十足的

mast [mæst] n. 船桅; 桅杆

shy of something  尚缺; 差一点 having less of something than is needed or expected

fainthearted [ˋfentˋhɑrtɪd] adj. 懦弱的,胆小的

secluded [sɪˋkludɪd] adj. 隐蔽的，僻静的

feat [fit] n. 功绩; 壮举

Reading Questions

1.   Why is it “fitting” that Joseph Strauss was a poet and a dreamer?

A.  Because as an engineer, he was a failure.

B.  Because his design was very imaginative.

C.  Because the Golden Gate Bridge was inspired by poetry.

D.  Because all good engineers are poets and dreamers.

2.   Which two bridges allow traffic to pass over them?

A.  The Golden Gate Bridge and the Kintai.

B.  The Gateshead and the Millau Viaduct.

C.  The Golden Gate Bridge and the Millau Viaduct.

D.  The Kintai and the Gateshead.

3.   Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A.  The Golden Gate Bridge is the only one that crosses water.

B.  The Gateshead Millennium Bridge is unique.

C.  The Millau Viaduct is almost as tall as the Empire State Building.

D.  The Kintai Bridge was built long before the others.

4.   What does the author want readers to appreciate about bridges?

A.  They are very convenient structures.

B.  They are modern structures.

C.  They are often the product of clever, innovative design.

D.  They take years to build and are expensive to maintain.

Kintai Bridge

Timelapse of Gateshead Millennium Bridge

Millau Viaduct, France, 2011, HD 1080p

Kintai-kyo bridge (FHD)

Answer