英语听力：自然百科 圣保罗大教堂
时间：2019-01-22 作者：英语课 分类：自然百科2009年
For nearly 300 years, the dome 1 of the present St. Paul’s Cathedral has presided over London's skyline. Considered one of England’s most beautiful landmarks 2, two designs by noted 3 architect Sir Christopher Wren 4 were rejected at first. But revised plans were accepted in 1675.
"Wren had one great idea, and that was to have a great domed 5 building. That was the one thing that was essential to his concept of the cathedral from beginning to end. It proved to be too revolutionary, I think for the dean and chapter of the time. It was too much a single domed building not sufficiently 6 a building that had nave 7, chancel, choir 8, aisles 9. "
Wren redesigned and persevered 10 for nearly 50 years, living to see the dome’s construction completed. Weighing more than 71,000 tons when finished, it was a logistical and engineering feat 11.
Inside, the cathedral combines architectural splendor 12 with historic memorials. The tombs of British military heroes, the Duke of Wellington and Admiral Horatio Nelson are situated 13 near American military heroes, in a chapel 14 commemorating 15 US service men and women who died during World War II.
Now the cathedral is undergoing its most extensive restoration to date. Parts like the dome were repaired decades before, but items like the peristyle just below needed some attention this time around. The weight of the dome pushed out the supporting wall, causing it to crack.
"While the stones are pushed displaced, they open up and the water can then get in through the skin of the building. Now Wren used a certain amount of iron work.If iron gets wet as we all know, it rusts 16. When it rusts, it expands. When it expands, it blows the stonework to pieces. It’s therefore extremely important that we keep the whole thing watertight."
Water also seeps 17 through stone into an iron belt that supports the dome, destroying the surrounding stone.
What you are actually seeing here is one of the lower fractures that come right down through the chain. We’re just making sure that the chain is whole, protected and doing its job.
The Portland stone blocks replacing those damages in the peristyle are hand-carved, just as they were three centuries ago. But interior walls were gently cleaned, using 21 century mixtures of rubber latex and alkaline base. Combining tradition and technology in this restoration project will allow millions to enjoy the cathedral for centuries to come.
The dean and chapter: The legal corporation and governing body of a cathedral. It consists of the dean, who is chief, and his canon or prebendaries.
- The dome was supported by white marble columns.圆顶由白色大理石柱支撑着。
- They formed the dome with the tree's branches.他们用树枝搭成圆屋顶。
- The book stands out as one of the notable landmarks in the progress of modern science. 这部著作是现代科学发展史上著名的里程碑之一。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- The baby was one of the big landmarks in our relationship. 孩子的出世是我们俩关系中的一个重要转折点。 来自辞典例句
- The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
- Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
- A wren is a kind of short-winged songbird.鹪鹩是一种短翼的鸣禽。
- My bird guide confirmed that a Carolina wren had discovered the thickets near my house.我掌握的鸟类知识使我确信，一只卡罗莱纳州鹪鹩已经发现了我家的这个灌木丛。
- It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。
- The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。
- People gathered in the nave of the house.人们聚拢在房子的中间。
- The family on the other side of the nave had a certain look about them,too.在中殿另一边的那一家人，也有着自己特有的相貌。
- The choir sang the words out with great vigor.合唱团以极大的热情唱出了歌词。
- The church choir is singing tonight.今晚教堂歌唱队要唱诗。
- Aisles were added to the original Saxon building in the Norman period. 在诺曼时期，原来的萨克森风格的建筑物都增添了走廊。
- They walked about the Abbey aisles, and presently sat down. 他们走到大教堂的走廊附近，并且很快就坐了下来。
- She persevered with her violin lessons. 她孜孜不倦地学习小提琴。
- Hard as the conditions were, he persevered in his studies. 虽然条件艰苦，但他仍坚持学习。 来自辞典例句
- Man's first landing on the moon was a feat of great daring.人类首次登月是一个勇敢的壮举。
- He received a medal for his heroic feat.他因其英雄业绩而获得一枚勋章。
- Never in his life had he gazed on such splendor.他生平从没有见过如此辉煌壮丽的场面。
- All the splendor in the world is not worth a good friend.人世间所有的荣华富贵不如一个好朋友。
- The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
- She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。
- The nimble hero,skipped into a chapel that stood near.敏捷的英雄跳进近旁的一座小教堂里。
- She was on the peak that Sunday afternoon when she played in chapel.那个星期天的下午，她在小教堂的演出，可以说是登峰造极。
- He was presented with a scroll commemorating his achievements. 他被授予一幅卷轴，以表彰其所做出的成就。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The post office issued a series commemorating famous American entertainers. 邮局发行了一个纪念美国著名演艺人员的系列邮票。 来自互联网
- Copper nails are better than iron nails because the iron rusts. 铜钉比铁钉好，因为铁会生锈。 来自辞典例句
- The axenic culture of rusts has been achieved on various defined media. 在各种规定的培养基上可得到锈菌的单体纯净培养物。 来自辞典例句