常春藤解析英语【34】Best of Megastructures 伟大工

Best of Megastructures　伟大工程巡礼之最

by Kevin Lustig

In the last 100 years, 11 different skyscrapers² have held the title of world's tallest building. With improvements in technology and materials, humans are pushing the limits of what buildings can do. The National Geographic³ Channel reports on designers pushing the limits in Best of Megastructures.

Dubai is developing a reputation for being the home of the most extreme buildings on the planet. Measuring more than 320 meters high, Dubai's Burj Al Arab is the tallest hotel in the world. As if being taller than the Eiffel Tower wasn't enough, it also stands on a massive man-made island 270 meters off the coast. Inspired by the shape of a traditional sail, the Burj Al Arab has faced, and withstood, numerous challenges to become Dubai's Dream Palace.

Down the beach from the Burj Al Arab and four kilometers into the Persian Gulf⁴, another mammoth⁵ construction project is underway. This one won't break any records for height, but The World will become the largest man-made group of islands ever created. Requiring more than 320 million cubic meters of sand, The World will recreate a map of the globe in the form of 300 islands. After it's completed, 250,000 people are expected to become residents of the World Island Wonder.

Of course, the best plans require the best materials. A variety of buildings, from the Roman Pantheon to the Panama Canal, have stood the test of time because of concrete. Over 9,000 years after inventing bricks, we're still using them by the billions. And speaking of the world's most amazing buildings, it's impossible to ignore steel. The past and future of these amazing building materials are revealed in Megastructures: Concrete, Megastructures: Brick, and Megastructures: Steel.

With the breathtaking structures that are being planned, the sky is literally⁶ the limit. Take a look at what architects are achieving and how they're doing it in Best of Megastructures.

1. Dubai's Burj Al Arab is notable for being the world's _____.
(A) biggest motel
(B) longest island
(C) tallest hotel
(D) largest building

2. What will most likely be true about The World after it is completed?
(A) It will be made up of 320 million islands.
(B) It will be the world's largest artificial island.
(C) It will require exactly 320 million cubic meters of sand.
(D) It will be home to 250,000 residents.

3. What is similar about the Roman Pantheon and the Panama Canal?
(A) They were constructed with concrete.
(B) They are both ancient buildings.
(C) They include a mix of steel, bricks, and concrete.
(D) They used to be the world's tallest buildings.

4. In the fourth paragraph, the author is trying to _____.
(A) explain which building material is the best
(B) list all of the building materials that have ever been used
(C) give examples of some interesting building materials
(D) show the history of materials that have replaced each other

精解字词词组

1. report on...　　报导……的情况
例: Jim's first job on the news show was to report on the war.
（吉姆在新闻节目的第一份工作就是报导战争实况。）

2. reputation n. 名声
have a reputation for...　　有……的名声
例: New York City used to have a reputation for having lots of crime.
（纽约市过去因犯罪频传而声名大噪。）

3. off the coast (of...)　　在（……的）外海
例: This type of fish has only been seen off the coast of Africa.
（这种鱼只有在非洲外海才看得到。）

4. inspire vt. 启发；激励
be inspired by...　　受到……启发
inspire sb to V　　启发∕激励某人做……
例: My teacher's dedication⁷ to her students inspired me to work harder.
（老师为学生牺牲奉献的精神激励我更用功读书。）

5. withstand vt. 承受；抵挡
例: The house couldn't withstand the strong winds of the storm and collapsed⁸.
（那栋房子无法抵挡暴风雨的强风而倒塌。）

6. underway a. 进行中的
例: You can't go into the theater. The play is already underway.
（戏剧已经开始了，因此你不能进入戏院。）

7. in the form of...　　以……的形式
例: The little boy really wanted a bed in the form of a racecar.
（那小男孩非常想要一张赛车形状的床。）

8. be expected to V　　被预期做……
例: Five hundred people are expected to come to the opening of the art gallery.
（预计有五百人会来参加艺廊的开幕。）

9. a variety of...　　各式各样的……
例: Our salon⁹ offers a variety of services including haircuts and perms.
（我们美容院提供各项服务，包含理发和烫发。）

10. stand the test of time　　经得起时间的考验
例: Most old buildings have fallen down, but a few have stood the test of time.
（老旧建筑大部分都倾圮了，只有一些还经得起时间考验。）

11. speaking of...　　说到∕谈到……
例: Speaking of universities, did you know that I was accepted into NYU?
（说到大学，你知道我被纽约大学录取了吗？）

12. breathtaking a. 惊人的；令人叹为观止的
例: The view of the sea from the top of the hill is breathtaking.
（自山顶鸟瞰大海的景观真令人赞叹。）

13. the sky's the limit　　
天空是界线；喻：毫无限制
例: Jessica is so smart that she can go to any school she wants. The sky's the limit.
（洁西卡很聪明，可以就读任何她想去的学校，前途无量。）

14. be made up of...　　 由……组成
= be composed of...
= consist of...
例: The United States of America is made up of 50 individual states.
（美国是由五十个独立的州所组成。）

单字小铺

1. megastructure n. 巨型结构，建筑
2. skyscraper¹ n. 高楼大厦，摩天大楼
3. improvement n. 改善，进步
4. extreme a. 极端的
5. massive a. 巨大的
6. man-made a. 人造的
7. sail n. 帆；帆船
8. mammoth a. 巨大的
9. cubic meter n. 立方公尺
10. resident n. 居民
11. pantheon n. 万神殿
12. canal n. 运河
13. concrete n. 混凝土
14. brick n. 砖块
15. steel n. 钢
16. reveal vt. 揭露
17. literally adv. 确实，的确
18. architect n. 建筑师
19. motel n. 汽车旅馆
20. artificial a. 人造的
21. construct vt. 建造
22. replace vt. 取代

词组小铺

1. break records　　打破纪录
2. take a look at...　　看一看……
3. be notable for...　　以……闻名
4. be home to...　　是……的居住地
5. used to V　　以前曾经∕常常……

中文翻译＆标准答案

过去一百年来，有 11栋高楼大厦曾夺得世界第一高楼的头衔。随着科技与建材的进步，人类正将高楼的功能推向极限。国家地理频道在《伟大工程巡礼之最》节目中，介绍这些将高楼推向极限的设计师。

杜拜正以聚集全球极限建筑而逐渐声名远播。高达 320 多公尺的帆船酒店是世界上最高的饭店。而彷佛比艾菲尔铁塔高还不够，它伫立在离海岸 270 公尺远的巨大人造岛上。帆船酒店的形状受到传统帆船的启发，面对着、也承受着无数的挑战，成为《杜拜的梦幻皇宫》。

从帆船酒店的海滩南下到波斯湾四公里远处，另一个巨大的建造计划正在进行中。这项计划不会打破任何高度纪录，但世界岛会成为有史以来最大的人造群岛。世界岛需要 3 亿 2 千多万立方公尺的砂石建造，届时将以 300 座岛屿重现世界地图。一旦完成，预期将有 25 万人成为《世界岛》的居民。

当然，最好的计划需要最好的材料。各式各样的建筑，从罗马的万神殿到巴拿马运河，都因混凝土而能通过时间的考验。砖头发明后九千年，我们依旧大量使用它们。而说到世界上最惊人的建筑，不可能忽略了钢铁。这些神奇建材的过去与现在都在《伟大工程巡礼: Concrete》、《伟大工程巡礼: Brick》和《伟大工程巡礼: Steel》节目中一一呈现。

随着令人叹为观止的建筑正在规划中，发展确实永无止尽。在《伟大工程巡礼之最》节目中，看看建筑师达成了哪些壮举，他们又是如何办到的。

1. 帆船酒店以世界上 _____ 而闻名。
(A) 最大的汽车旅馆
(B) 最长的岛屿
(C) 最高的饭店
(D) 最大的建筑
题解: 根据第二段，高达 320 多公尺的帆船酒店是世上最高的饭店，故选 (C)。

2. 当世界岛完工后，下列何者最可能成真？
(A) 将由 3 亿 2 千万个岛组成。
(B) 将成为世上最大的一座人工岛。
(C) 将需要整整 3 亿 2 千万立方公尺的砂土。
(D) 将会是 25 万居民的家。
题解: 根据第三段，世界岛会成为有史以来最大的人造群岛。需要 3 亿 2 千多万立方公尺的砂石来建造，届时将包含 300 座岛屿。完成后，预期将有 25 万人成为世界岛的居民，故仅 (D) 的叙述正确。

3. 罗马的万神殿和巴拿马运河有何相似之处？
(A) 都是用混凝土建造。
(B) 都是古代建筑。
(C) 都包含钢铁、砖块和混凝土的混合体。
(D) 都曾经是世界上最高的建筑。
题解: 根据第四段，从罗马的万神殿到巴拿马运河，都因混凝土而能通过时间的考验，因此应选 (A)。

4. 在第四段中，作者试着要 _____。
(A) 解释哪一种建材最好
(B) 列出所有使用过的建材
(C) 举出一些有趣的建材
(D) 显示出材料相互取代的历史
题解: 根据第四段，作者提到一些建筑的材料，包括混凝土、钢铁和砖块，最接近答案 (C)，故选之。

标准答案: 1. (C)　2. (D)　3. (A)　4. (C)

1 skyscraper   

n.摩天大楼

参考例句：

• The skyscraper towers into the clouds.那幢摩天大楼高耸入云。
• The skyscraper was wrapped in fog.摩天楼为雾所笼罩。

2 skyscrapers   

n.摩天大楼

参考例句：

• A lot of skyscrapers in Manhattan are rising up to the skies. 曼哈顿有许多摩天大楼耸入云霄。
• On all sides, skyscrapers rose like jagged teeth. 四周耸起的摩天大楼参差不齐。

3 geographic   

adj.地理学的，地理的

参考例句：

• The city's success owes much to its geographic position. 这座城市的成功很大程度上归功于它的地理位置。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Environmental problems pay no heed to these geographic lines. 环境问题并不理会这些地理界限。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

4 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

5 mammoth   

n.长毛象；adj.长毛象似的，巨大的

参考例句：

• You can only undertake mammoth changes if the finances are there.资金到位的情况下方可进行重大变革。
• Building the new railroad will be a mammoth job.修建那条新铁路将是一项巨大工程。

6 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

7 dedication   

n.奉献，献身，致力，题献，献辞

参考例句：

• We admire her courage,compassion and dedication.我们钦佩她的勇气、爱心和奉献精神。
• Her dedication to her work was admirable.她对工作的奉献精神可钦可佩。

8 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

9 salon   

n.[法]沙龙；客厅；营业性的高级服务室

参考例句：

• Do you go to the hairdresser or beauty salon more than twice a week?你每周去美容院或美容沙龙多过两次吗？
• You can hear a lot of dirt at a salon.你在沙龙上会听到很多流言蜚语。