1-8 西伯利亚大铁路（在线收听）

Trans-Siberian Express

The six thousand mile journey is the longest rail line on earth.

Few things in Russia impact the lives of as many people as the Trans-Siberian Express. And few engineering projects match the scope of this incredible feat.

Russian czar¹ Nicholas the second laid the ceremonial first piece of track at the dedication² in 1891. But the real backbreaking³ work was done by Russian peasants. Amazingly the trans continental railroad was almost entirely built by hand. It was built by men with shovels and with picks and with wheel barrels, which is what makes it an even more impressive feat. It's hard to imagine how difficult the working conditions must've been for the people who were doing the labor on the railroad. In the wintertime, wind chills of one hundred and twenty degrees below zero ripped through clothing. While mid summer temps often topped a sweltering⁴ one hundred degrees Fahrenheit⁵. It is estimated that thousands died during the construction.

Despite the devastating toll⁶, the Trans Siberian ended up being a life saver for the country. At the beginning of the war, when Germany invaded the Soviet Union, a lot of factories were simply moved out of European Russia by the railroad into Siberia. In a period of six weeks, an entire factory could be uprooted and reestablished and go to work again. The Trans Siberian Express not only helped the Russian people survive World War Two, it continues to be one of the country’s greatest assets to this day.

For linking this vast country together, the Trans Siberian Express climbs aboard our list at number eight.

注释：

1.czar [zB:] n. (1917年以前的)俄国沙皇；沙皇

2.dedication [7dedi5keiFEn] n. 落成典礼

3.backbreaking [5bAkbreikiN] adj. 断人腰背的，使人劳累之极的

4.sweltering [5sweltEriN] adj. (天气、季节)闷热的；热得难受的

5.Fahrenheit [5fArEnhait] n. 华氏温标

6.toll [tEul] n.(付出的)代价；(遭受的)损失

西伯利亚大铁路

这6000英里的路程是世界上最长的铁路线。

　　俄罗斯没有什么能像西伯利亚大铁路那样影响这么多人的生活，也没有什么工程能与此惊人业绩相媲美。

　　1891年，俄国沙皇尼古拉二世在开工仪式上放下了第一节轨道，但真正辛苦建造它的却是俄国的农民。令人惊奇的是，这条跨越大陆的铁路干线几乎全是手工建成的。它由人们用铁锹、鹤嘴锄和手推车建造，这就使得这条铁路更是一大壮举。很难想像，当时修建铁路的工人的劳动条件是何等的艰苦。在冬季，零下120华氏度的寒风刺骨；在盛夏，又经常出现100华氏度的高温，热得人喘不过气来。据估计，有成千上万的人在建路过程中死去。

　　尽管为修建西伯利亚大铁路付出了惨重的代价，但它却拯救了这个国家的命运。战争一开始，当德国侵略苏联时，许多工厂就是通过这条铁路从欧陆俄罗斯转移到了西伯利亚。6个星期内就可以搬走整个一家工厂并在西伯利亚重建新厂开工。西伯利亚铁路不仅帮助俄国人渡过了二战期间的困难，今天，它仍是这个国家最宝贵的财富之一。

　　由于将一个浩瀚广袤的国度连为一体，西伯利亚大铁路名列我们排行榜的第8名。