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上海中心大厦是世界上技术最先进的摩天大楼，也是中国最高的建筑，上海位于三级地震带上，所以抗震是一项非常艰巨的任务。应用日本古塔的抗震设计原理，加上波士顿约翰•汉考克大厦的调谐质块阻尼器系统，上海中心大厦成为了地球上最抗震的摩天大厦之一。

The Shanghai Tower is the most technologically advanced skyscraper in the world and the tallest building in China. The tower’s tapered notched V design maximizes its aerodynamic performance, making it one of the most wind-resistant skyscrapers on the planet.

上海中心大厦是世界上技术最先进的摩天大楼，也是中国最高的建筑。它的锥型顶部有凹口的燕尾形设计使其空气动力性达到最优，让它成为了地球上最抗风的摩天大厦之一。

★ advanced  a.先进的

★★ skyscraper  n.摩天大楼

★★★ tapered  a.锥型的

★★★ notched  a.有凹口的

★ maximize  v.使最大化

★★★ aerodynamic  a.空气动力的

★★ wind-resistant  a.抗风的

Shanghai is in a level three seismic zone. Building the Shanghai Tower strong enough to survive an earthquake will be a daunting task.

上海位于三级地震带上，建造坚不可摧又足以抵御地震侵袭的大厦是一项非常艰巨的任务。

★★★ seismic zone  地震带

★★★ daunting task  艰巨的任务

Earthquakes can be some of the most devastating natural disasters on the planet, leveling buildings and triggering tsunamis.

地震也许是世界上最具杀伤力的自然灾害，它足以将建筑夷为平地并引发海啸。

★★ devastating  a.毁灭性的

★ level  v.摧毁，夷平

★★ trigger  vt.引发

★★★ tsunami  n.海啸

China’s neighbor, Japan, is the most seismically active country on the planet. But for years, no one could understand why modern buildings would collapse in an earthquake while traditional pagodas stayed standing.

中国的邻国日本是地球上地震发生最频繁的国家，但是长久以来，无人知晓为什么现代建筑会在地震中倒塌，而传统的塔寺却安然无恙。

★★★ seismically  ad.地震地

★ collapse  vi.倒塌

★★★ pagoda  n.塔

The typical pagoda consists of five floors. Its floors have the ability to move independently of each other. When an earthquake strikes, its snake-like pattern keeps the center of gravity more upright than a rigid building would.

一般塔寺具有五层结构，每层都可以相对其他层独立运动，当地震袭击时候，古塔的蛇形结构使它的重心相对于固定式的建筑物更能保持垂直。

★ consist  vi.由…组成

★ center of gravity  重心

★ upright  a.垂直的

★ rigid  a.僵硬的

And the wooden joints that support each floor are made up of several separate components, so each part can slide and move.The friction the parts create acts like a damper to soften any movement.

而且连结每个塔层的木质结体是由多个单独的部件组成，所以每个部分都可以滑动，零部件滑动产生的摩擦力可以削弱运动强度，起到了减震器的作用。

★ joint  n.关节，结合处

★ component  n.零件

★ slide  v.滑动

★ friction  n.摩擦力

★★★ damper  n.减震器

Today’s engineers will need to take the five-floor pagoda’s innovative earthquake proof design and apply it to the 128-floor Shanghai Tower with a 21st century twist.

如今工程师将要用五层塔寺这种创新的抗震设计，并将其应用在128层高的上海中心大厦上，并加上21世纪的改良。

★★ innovative  a.创新的

★ earthquake proof  抗震

★ twist  n.旋转

The Shanghai Tower’s design is similar to an ancient pagoda. Its structure is divided into nine vertical zones around a central composite steel and concrete core. To further strengthen the tower, huge perimeter columns and outriggers have been attached to the central core.

上海中心大厦的设计与古塔结构相似，大厦的构造可分为九个垂直的区域，围绕着一个钢筋混凝土的核心区域。为了进一步巩固大厦结构强度，工程师又在核心区域外周安装了柱形结构和悬臂支架。

★ vertical  a.垂直的

★★ composite steel  复合钢

★ concrete  n.混凝土

★★★ perimeter column  周边柱

★★★ outrigger  n.悬臂架

Boston’s John Hancock tower was completed in 1976. Its futuristic glass-clad design was ahead of its time. But not long after it opened, upper-floor occupants complained of motion sickness as the building swayed with the wind. Engineer William Lemessurier came up with an ingenious solution.

波士顿的约翰•汉考克大厦建成于1976年，它超前的玻璃幕墙设计领先于时代。然而，开放不久，顶楼的用户便开始抱怨说大厦随风摆动，令他们感到眩晕。工程师威廉•勒梅萨里尔提出了一个很巧妙的解决方案。

★★★ occupant  n.居住者

★ sway  v.摇摆

★★ ingenious  a.巧妙的

What I’ve got here is a very simple model of a skyscraper. It’s a beam structure going up several stories. Turning a handle at the base of the structure mimics an earthquake.

摆在我面前的是个简单的摩天大厦模型，这是个多层的梁架构，旋转架构底座上的把手可以模仿地震。

★★ skyscraper  n.摩天大楼

★ beam  n.梁

★★★ mimic  vt.模仿

Lemessurier’s idea was to counteract the sway at the John Hancock tower. He installed two steel boxes on the 58th floor. Each box was filled with several hundred tons of lead and placed on a steel plate.

勒梅萨里尔的想法就是在大厦结构中抵消摆动的力量，他在第58层中安装了两个钢质箱子，每个箱子里装着几百吨重的铅，并被放置在一个钢板上。

★★★ counteract  vt.抵消

★ install  vt.安装

★ lead  n.铅

It’s amazing. The structure is hardly moving. I mean it’s quite phenomenal. So what we’re seeing here is the mass damper oscillating out of phase with the vibration of the structure.

不可思议，模型架构几乎不移动了，我是说效果非常明显。我们看到的阻尼器的摆动方向与模型架构的振动方向相反。

★★ phenomenal  a.显著的

★★★ damper  n.减震器

★★★ oscillate  v.振动，摇摆

★ out of phase  不相同，不协调

★ vibration  n.振动

注：一星词汇为四级难度，二星词汇为六级、考研难度，三星词汇为雅思、托福及以上难度，大家根据自己的考试要求选择性学习