Giant Structures

It is an impossible task to select the most amazing wonders of the modem world since every year more __1__ constructions appear. Here are three giant structures which are worthy of our __2__ although they may have been surpassed by some more recent wonders.

The Petronas Twin Towers¹

The Petronas Towers were the tallest buildings in the world when they were completed in 1999. With a __3__ of 452 metres, the tall twin towers, like two thin pencils, dominate the city of Kuala Lumpur². At the 41^st floor, the towers are linked by a bridge, symbolizing a gateway to the city. The American __4__ Cesar Pelli designed the skyscrapers.

Constructed of high-strength concrete, the building provides around 1,800 square metres of800 office space __5__ every floor. And it has a shopping centre and a concert hall at the base.Other __6__ of this impressive building include double-decker lifts, and glass and steel sunshades.

The MiUau Bridge³

The Millau Bridge was opened in 2004 in the Tam Valley，in southern France. __7__ the time it was built，it was the world’s highest bridge, __8__ over 340m at the highest point. The bridge is described as one of the most amazingly beautiful bridges in the world. It was built to __9__ Millau"s congestion problems. The congestion was then caused by traffic passing from Paris to Barcelona in Spain. The bridge was built to withstand the __10__extreme seismic and climatic conditions. Besides, it is guaranteed for 120 years!

The Itaipu Dam⁴

The Itaipu hydroelectric power plant is one of the largest constructions of its kind in the world. It consists of a series of dams across the River Parana⁵, __11__ forms a natural border between Brazil⁶ and Paraguay⁷. Started in 1975 and taking 16 years to complete, the construction was carried out as a joint project between the two __12__. The dam is well-known for both its electricity output and its size. In 1995 it produced 78% ofParaguay’s and 25% of Brazil’s __13__ needs. In its construction, the __14__ of iron andsteel used was equivalent to over 300 Eiffel Towers⁸. It is a __15__ amazing wonder ofengineering.

词汇：

worthy / "wɜ:ðɪ /adj.值得的
surpass / sə"pɑ:s /v.超过，胜过
symbolize / "sɪmbəlaɪz /v.象征
congestion / kənˈdʒestʃən /n.拥挤
withstand / wɪð"stænd /v. 经受住
seismic / ˈsaɪzmɪk/ 地震的
dam/ dæm/ n. 堤，坝
hydroelectric / ˌhaɪdrəʊɪˈlektrɪk/ adj. 水电

注释：

1. The Petronas Twin Towers: 国油双峰塔，又称吉隆坡双子塔。建于 1997 年，共有88 层，高达 452 公尺，曾是世界上最高的摩天楼。国油双峰塔由两幢大楼组成，两幢楼的第 41 层由 58 公尺长的天桥连接。这座设计新颖的、大量使用了木锈钢与玻璃等建材的双峰塔是吉隆坡市的象征。不论你在吉隆坡的哪一个角落都可以看到这座十分现代化的建筑物。

2. Kuala Lumpur:吉隆坡（马来西亚首都)

3. The Millau Bridge: 米约高架桥。位于法国西南部的米约市，横跨在塔恩河仙境般的河谷之上，是通住法国南部地中海地区 75 号高速公路段上的枢纽工程。建造这座斜拉索式桥梁共花费了 3 年多的时间，总耗资 3.94 亿欧元。这座大桥全长 2.46 公里，总重 29 万吨，大桥距地面 270 米，大桥斜拉索的最高点距离地面 343 米，髙出埃菲尔铁塔 23 米，是当时世界上最高的桥梁。

4. The Itaipu Dam: 伊泰普水电站。伊泰普水电站是目前世界上最大的水电站之一，由巴西和巴拉圭斥资共建，两国电力公司分别拥有水电站的一半产权。整个坝长 7 853米，水位落差 118.4 米。水库面积 1 350 平方公里(其中巴西侧 750 平方公里，巴拉圭侧 600 平方公里），容量 290 亿立方米。自 1991 年起，伊泰普水电站每年发电收益约23 亿美元。

5. the River Parana: 巴拉那河。南美洲第二大河。

6. Brazil: 巴西(南美洲一国名）

7. Paraguay: 巴拉圭(南美洲一国名）

8. Eiffel Towers: 埃菲尔铁塔。埃菲尔铁塔是法国巴黎著名建筑，也是巴黎的象征。塔高 985 英尺，于 1889 年为世界博览会而建造，其塔身几乎完全由开放晶格的熟铁制成。

空15

题库:理工B类职称英语 类型:共用题干单选题 时间:2016-08-25 15:43:22 免费下载:《第四篇》Word试卷

空15
A.mainly
B.totally
C.rarely
D.truly

;