常春藤解析英语 65 60 Tons of Paint　浪漫花都的地标——艾菲尔铁塔

60 Tons of Paint　浪漫花都的地标——艾菲尔铁塔

by Lars Berry

If you'd lived in Paris between 1889 and 1930, you would have enjoyed the sight of the world's tallest building. La Tour Eiffel was named after its head contractor, Gustave Eiffel, and was built to commemorate the centennial of the French Revolution. It remained the world's tallest structure until it was surpassed by New York City's 319-meter-high Chrysler Building in 1931.

Today's towers built close to the Eiffel's height are most often used for communication. Television, radio, and cell phone companies depend on such towers to transmit their signals. But the Eiffel Tower was built before radio communication was necessary, and even before the radio was invented.

As one of the world's most famous monuments, the tower has attracted a lot of attention, but not all Parisians welcomed its construction. The French writer Guy De Maupassant supposedly hated the structure, but ate at its restaurant every day. When asked why, he remarked that it was the only place in the city from which he couldn't see the tower. During the years between 1925 and 1930, the tower acted as the world's largest sign, advertising cars for the French company, Citroen. When the German army invaded Paris in 1940, the lift cables were cut as Hitler's men stormed the city. However, German soldiers still climbed all the way to the tower's flagpole in order to fly the swastika.

Modern structures make the Eiffel Tower look small in comparison. Today's architects design populated buildings that surpass 500 meters—nearly double the height of the Eiffel Tower. Even so, the romance continues, and the tower welcomes over 6 million visitors per year. To keep the 118-year-old structure looking fresh, 60 tons of paint are reapplied every 8 years! Through it all, the grand old tower lives on.

1. The Eiffel Tower was constructed to _____.

(A) honor its head contractor, Gustave Eiffel

(B) celebrate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution

(C) be the tallest structure in the world

(D) compete with New York City's Chrysler Building

2. The tower was not built to be a radio tower because _____.

(A) it wasn't high enough

(B) radios were illegal in France

(C) it was built before the time of radios

(D) radio waves cannot be broadcast from over 300 meters

3. Why were German soldiers forced to climb to the tower's top?

(A) A sudden storm damaged the electrical systems.

(B) They wanted to send radio signals from that height.

(C) Parisians cut the elevator cables.

(D) Parisians were attacking them.

精解字词词组

1. be named after...　　以……命名

例: The new baby is named after his father, Frank.

(新生宝宝是以他父亲法兰克的名字来命名。)

2. commemorate vt. 庆祝，纪念

commemoration n. 纪念

in commemoration of...　　纪念……

= in memory of...

= in remembrance of...

例: They erected a statue to commemorate the martyr.

(他们竖立了一座雕像来纪念这位烈士。)

* martyr n. 烈士

例: They built the bridge in commemoration of the hero.

(他们建了这座桥来纪念那位英雄。)

3. surpass vt. 胜过，凌驾

例: The band's new album has surpassed their previous album in sales.

(该乐团的新专辑销售量超过他们上一张专辑。)

4. depend on... 　　倚靠……，依赖……

= rely on...

例: Residents of this coastal village depend on fishing for their livelihood.

(这座沿海村庄的居民靠捕鱼维生。)

5. transmit vt. 传送，发送

例: This radio is powerful enough to transmit signals into outer space.

(这台无线电装置的讯号很强，足以传送信号到外层空间。)

6. supposedly adv. 据称，据说

例: Supposedly, Tina is the best basketball player, but I've never seen her play.

(据说蒂娜是最佳篮球员，但我从没看过她打球。)

7. act as... 　　充当……

例: I think I should act as your representative because I understand the business.

(我想我应该充当你的代表，因为我了解这个行业。)

8. storm vt. 猛攻，突袭 & vi. 气冲冲地走

storm into/out of...　　气冲冲地走进∕走出……

例: Andrew stormed into the room and yelled at Julian.

(安德鲁气冲冲地走进房间，对着朱利安大吼。)

9. in comparison　　相较之下

in comparison with...　　与……相比

例: This pie is small in comparison with the one I saw on TV.

(这个派跟我在电视上看到的比起来算小的。)

10. reapply vt. 再涂上

apply vt. 涂，敷

apply A to B　　将 A 涂∕敷到 B 上

例: Lucy applied some ointment to her sore wrist.

(露西在她酸痛的手腕上涂了一些药膏。)

* ointment n. 药膏

11. compete with... 　　和……竞争

例: I can't compete with the new runner; he's much too fast for me.

(我无法和新来的赛跑选手竞争，他跑得比我快太多了。)

文法一点灵

*When asked why, he remarked that it was the only place in the city...

本句原为：When he was asked why, he remarked that...

注意:

Though, if, when, while, once 和 unless 等副词连接词所引导的副词子句，若其主词与主要子句中的主词相同时，可化简为分词句构，其化简的原则如下：

a. 删除副词子句之主词;

b. 其后动词化为现在分词;

c. 若该动词为 be 动词时，变成现在分词 being 之后通常予以省略。

例: When you drive at night, you should remember to use headlights.

= When driving at night, you should remember to use headlights.

(晚上开车时，应该要记得开车头灯。)

单字小铺

1. contractor n. 承包者，承包商

2. centennial n. 一百年(纪念)

3. communication n. 通讯;联络

4. monument n. 纪念碑∕塔∕馆

5. construction n. 建造

6. remark vt. 评论，谈到

7. advertise vt. 为……打广告

8. cable n. 缆绳;电缆

9. flagpole n. 旗竿

10. swastika n. 纳粹党徽(反卍字形)

11. architect n. 建筑师

12. populate vt. 居住于

13. double vt. 使加倍

14. construct vt. 建造

15. anniversary n. 周年纪念(日)

16. illegal a. 非法的;legal a. 合法的

17. broadcast vt. 广播

18. elevator n. 电梯

词组小铺

1. all the way　　一路

2. through it all　　经历风风雨雨

3. live on　　继续存在

中文翻译&标准答案

如果你在 1889 年到 1930 年间居住于巴黎，便能一睹世界最高建筑物带来的景色。艾菲尔铁塔是以其主要承包商 Gustave Eiffel 来命名，用以庆祝法国大革命的一百周年纪念。直到 1931 年被 319 公尺高的纽约克赖斯勒大楼超越以前，艾菲尔铁塔一直维持其世界最高建筑物的地位。

现今与艾菲尔铁塔高度相近的高塔大多为通讯用途。电视台、无线电台和手机公司倚靠这类铁塔传送讯号。但是艾菲尔铁塔建造于无线通讯为大众所需之前，甚至早于无线电的问世。

身为世界著名的纪念建筑物之一，艾菲尔铁塔吸引了众多目光，但当初可不是所有巴黎民众都喜欢这座铁塔。据说法国作家莫泊桑很讨厌艾菲尔铁塔，但天天到里头的餐厅用餐。当被问起原因时，他说那里是城里唯一看不到铁塔的地方。1925 年到 1930 年间，艾菲尔铁塔可说是全世界最大的招牌，为法国汽车公司雪铁龙打广告。1940 年德国军队入侵巴黎，当希特勒的士兵势如破竹地攻进巴黎时，电梯缆线被切断。然而，德国士兵仍一路爬到铁塔的旗竿处，就为了挂上有纳粹党徽的旗帜。

和现代建筑物相比，艾菲尔铁塔显得小多了。现今建筑师设计超过 500 公尺可供人居住的大楼，几乎是艾菲尔铁塔的两倍高。尽管如此，铁塔浪漫依旧，每年迎接超过六百万名游客。为了让这座拥有 118 年历史的建筑物保有崭新的外貌，它每八年就必须重新漆上 60 公吨的油漆。一路走来，经过风风雨雨，这座古老的高塔仍屹立不摇。

1. 艾菲尔铁塔是为了 _____ 而建造。

(A) 表彰其主要承包商 Gustave Eiffel

(B) 庆祝法国大革命一百周年纪念

(C) 成为世界第一高建筑

(D) 和纽约的克赖斯勒大楼一较高下

题解: 根据本文第一段，艾菲尔铁塔是以其主要承包商 Gustave Eiffel 的名字来命名，用以庆祝法国大革命的一百周年纪念(centennial)，故选 (B)。

2. 艾菲尔铁塔并非用来作为无线电塔是因为 _____。

(A) 它高度不够

(B) 无线电当时在法国是违法的

(C) 它建造于无线电问世之前

(D) 无线电波超过 300 公尺便无法播送

题解: 根据本文第二段，艾菲尔铁塔建造于无线通讯为大众所需之前，甚至早于无线电的问世，故选 (C)。

3. 为何德国士兵被迫爬到铁塔顶端?

(A) 一场突来的暴风雨毁损了电力系统。

(B) 他们想在那个高处发送无线电讯号。

(C) 巴黎民众切断了电梯缆线。

(D) 巴黎民众攻击他们。

题解: 根据本文第三段，1940 年德国军队入侵巴黎，当希特勒的士兵势如破竹地攻进巴黎时，电梯缆线被切断。德国士兵为了挂上有纳粹党徽的旗帜，仍一路爬到铁塔的旗竿处，故选 (C)。

标准答案: 1. (B)　2. (C)　3. (C)