The Eiffel Tower

湖北洪湖市第二中学 叶红菊

背景介绍

埃菲尔铁塔是法国巴黎的重要景点和突出标志。铁塔于1889年建成，屹立在巴黎市中心的战神广场上。埃菲尔铁塔得名于它的设计者，著名建筑师和工程师古斯塔夫·埃菲尔。为了迎接世界博览会和纪念法国大革命100周年，法国政府决定修建一座永久性纪念建筑。经过反复评选，埃菲尔设计的铁塔被选中。埃菲尔铁塔是现代主义作品，一反当时盛行的古典主义风格，体现了最大胆、最进步的建筑工程艺术。铁塔为钢铁镂空结构，建成后整个塔身高300多米，到1930年它仍然是全世界最高的建筑。

情景对话

Rosanna:I can't believe we're here.Paris at last!

Tom:Hey，look!There it is!

Rosanna:Oh yeah，the Eiffel Tower.It looks bigger on TV，doesn't it?

Tom:I don't think so.It's pretty tall.It was the world's tallest building from when it was built until the 1930s.It held the record for 41 years.

Rosanna:Aren't you a fount of knowledge!

Tom:I read the guide book on the train.

Rosanna:Why did they build it?

Tom:It was built as the entrance arch for the World Fair back in 1889.Can you imagine seeing it back then and walking underneath it?It must have been awe-inspiring!

Rosanna:So how high is it?

Tom:It's 320 meters tall，which is similar to an 81-storey building.

Rosanna:Wow，that's impressive.Just think of the construction workers who had to climb up to build it.

Tom:They certainly needed a head for heights.don't think I could work that high with just a harnes for safety.

Rosanna:It must have taken a large workforce.

Tom:It says here that it took 300 men just ove two years to complete it.Amazingly there was only one fatality(死亡)due to strict safety rules.

Rosanna:That's really good.Was it popular with the locals when it was built?

Tom:There was some controversy when it was first built.A group of architects and artists created a petition against the tower and called it a“hateful column of bolted steel”.

Rosanna:Wow，strong words.

Tom:Yes，there's even an urban myth that once it was open， Guy de Maupassant， a famous French writer，ate lunch in the tower's restaurant every day because it was the only place in Paris where he wouldn't have to see the tower!

Rosanna:Ha，that's funny.Does it still have a restaurant?Shall we go and have lunch there ourselves?

Tom:OK，there are two restaurants in the tower.One of them even has a Michelin star!

Rosanna:Ah，in that case we'll go to the other one.That sounds expensive!

罗莎娜：真不敢相信我们到了这里。终于来到巴黎了！

汤姆：嘿，看啊！在那边！

罗莎娜：噢，是呀，埃菲尔铁塔。它在电视上看起来更大一些，对吧？

汤姆：我不这样认为。它挺高的呀。从它始建时到20世纪30年代，它都是世界上最高的建筑物，这个纪录保持了41年。

罗莎娜：你真是万事通啊！

汤姆：我在火车上读了旅游指南。

罗莎娜：他们为什么要建造这座铁塔呢？

汤姆：建造它是为了给1889年举办的世界博览会作入场大门。你能想象吗，在那个年代，从埃菲尔铁塔下面走过？那一定会令人感到宏伟壮观、深受鼓舞！

罗莎娜：那么这座塔有多高呢？

汤姆：它有320米高，差不多和一座81层的楼一样高。

罗莎娜：哇，那真令人叹为观止。想想建筑工人吧，他们要攀爬着去建造它。

汤姆：那当然需要不恐高的人啦。我觉得，我可没法仅仅系上一条安全带就在那么高的地方干活。

罗莎娜：那一定需要很多劳动力。

汤姆：据说，300个工人仅花了两年多的时间就把这座塔建成了。惊人的是，由于严格的安全规定，只有一个工人因工死亡。

罗莎娜：那真是不错了。刚竣工时，这座塔在当地受欢迎吗？

汤姆：始建时，这座塔引起了一些争议。许多建筑师和艺术家请求不要建造此塔，称它为“由钢铁铆接起来的令人厌恶的柱子”。

罗莎娜：哇，好犀利的表达啊。

汤姆：是的。甚至还有一个都市传说：这座塔刚一开放，法国著名作家莫泊桑每天都到塔上的餐厅吃午餐，因为只有在巴黎的这个位置他才不必看到这座塔！

罗莎娜：哈，那真有趣。塔上现在还有餐厅吗？我们要不要去那里吃午餐呢？

汤姆：好啊，塔里有两家餐厅。其中一家甚至还是米其林星级餐厅呢！

罗莎娜：啊，那样的话，我们还是去另一家吧。那听起来很贵呀！

巧笔妙记

harness n.背带；保护带

workforce n.劳动力；全体员工

controversy n.争论；争议

petition n.请求；请愿书

the World Fair世界博览会

a head for heights不恐高