TheGoldenGateBridge,thefirstsightformanypeoplearrivingintheUnitedStatesbyship,isawell-recognizedlandmark,whichspans(横跨)theGoldenGateStrait. Theideaforabridgeacrossthestraithadbeenaroundformanyyears,butitwasnoteasytogettheprojectstarted.Theconstructionofthebridgefinallybeganin1933.Theconstructionworksetnewstandardsforsafety----workerswereamongthefirstrequiredtowearhardhats,andaninnovative(革新的)safetynetsavedthelivesofnineteenmenwhilethebridgewasbuilt.TheGoldenGateBridgewascompletedin1937,whichwasfinishedaheadofschedule. JosephStrausswasthechiefengineerinchargeofthebridgeproject.However,hehadlittleexperiencewiththeconstructionofsuspension(悬浮)bridges.Forthisreason,otherengineers,architects,anddesignersmadegreatcontributionstothedesignandconstructionofthebridge.Forexample,thebridgeowesitsartstyleanduniqueorangecolortothearchitectsIrvingandGertrudeMorrow.CharlesAltonElliswasthemainengineerontheprojectanddidmuchofthetechnicalworknecessarytobuildthebridge. Today,theGoldenGateBridgehasamainspanof4,200feetandatotallengthof8,981feet,makingitoneofthelongestbridgesintheworld.Thebridgeis90feetwide,anditsspanis220feetabovethewater.Thetowerssupportingthehugecables(巨缆)rise746feetabovethewatersoftheGoldenGateStrait,makingthem191feettallerthantheWashingtonMonument.About40millioncarscrossthebridgeeveryyear.Therearefoghorns(雾角)toletpassingshipsknowwherethebridgeis,andaircraftbeacons(信号灯)onthetopsofthetowerstostopplanesfromcrashingintothem. 小题1:Thepurposeofthepassageisto_______. |