原文赏析

The New York Central railroad

纽约中央铁路公司

became the centerpiece of his empire,

成为了他整个帝国的中心

and it came to him as the sudden result

这一切正是他在复仇中

of a skillfully executed campaign to get revenge.

熟练策划反击的结果

Railroads soon criss-cross America,

铁路很快就在美国交错纵横

tying together the country in a way

全国联系的紧密程度

that just fifteen years earlier was unimaginable,

在15年之前是完全无法想象的

and providing over 180,000 jobs.

提供了18万个工作岗位

Laying tracks becomes America's engine for unprecedented growth

推动了美国空前的发展

Railroads allowed the industrial economy

铁路让工业经济

to boom in ways that it couldn't have before.

能以前所未有的方式蓬勃发展

One advance after the other,

一个接一个的技术进步

which essentially was led by the railroads,

归根结底都是由铁路的发展带动的

largely because there was

这很大程度上是因为

a need to close the gap

人们有缩小

between those east of the Mississippi and those on the West Coast.

密西西比河以东同美国西岸之间差距的需要

Vanderbilt has made himself

范德比尔特让自己成为了

the undisputed king of railroads.

铁路业无可争议的王者

And now, he wants the world to know it.

现在 他要向世界宣告这一点

He envisions a monument that will symbolize his immense power.

他设想了一座象征自己巨大权力的纪念碑

Work will begin on building a new station

新车站的建立工作即将开始

that will bring together the three railroads:

它将连起三条铁路

the Harlem, the Hudson, and the Central.

哈莱姆 哈德逊和中央区

It shall be in the heart of New York

位于纽约中心

and be called the Grand Central Depot.

名字称作大中央车站

Thousands of workers labor

成千上万的工人

over the next two years,

经过两年时间

on the most ambitious urban construction project America has ever seen.

完成了这一美国历史上前所未有的雄伟城市建筑项目

Grand Central is the biggest building in all of New York City,

大中央车站是纽约市最庞大的城市建筑

and the biggest train station in the country,

也是全国最大的火车站

covering some twenty-two acres.

占地面积达到22英亩

This enormous building towered

这座巨型建筑

over every other building in New York at the time.

高耸在纽约当时的所有建筑之上

And it was a physical symbol of the size and power of Vanderbilt's railroad empire.

它是范德比尔特铁路帝国规模和权力的象征

Its importance as a physical symbol,

它不仅具有象征意义

as a physical capital of his empire,

还是铁路帝国的首府

cannot be underestimated.

重要性不可低估

And it still stamps New York's geography to this day.

直到现在 它仍然是纽约的一大标志性建筑

Vanderbilt may be on top of the world,

范德比尔特或许站在了世界之巅

but his blind ambition will soon make him vulnerable

他盲目的野心将很快让他受到威胁

to a challenge coming from the most unlikely pair imaginable.

挑战来自于或许最意想不到的两个对手

To Vanderbilt's money!

为范德比尔特的钱干杯

视频资料

视频资料

洛克菲勒、范德比尔特、卡内基、阿斯托、福特和摩根，他们的名字几乎是美国梦的近义词，也代表着美国梦的历史。他们转变了他们所接触的每个行业：石油、铁路、钢铁、船运、汽车，还有金融。他们的付出改变了一个国家。出身贫寒，他们却多次涉足总统选举，设立经济政策，影响他们那个年代——内战到大萧条时期。他们，被称为造就美国的人。

重点讲解

重点讲解：

1.criss-cross

构成十字形(或交叉)图案:

The city is criss-crossed with canals.

这座城市里运河纵横交错。

2.close the gap

削减差距

3.tower over

高于,超过(附近的人或物):

The cliffs towered above them.

悬崖峭壁高耸于他们上方。

He towered over his classmates.

他的个儿比班里其他同学高出一大截。

(在能力、品质等方面)胜过,远远超过(其他):

She towers over other dancers of her generation.

她远远超过同时代的舞蹈演员。

4.vulnerable (to sb / sth) (身体上或感情上)脆弱的,易受…伤害的:

to be vulnerable to attack

易受攻击

She looked very vulnerable standing there on her own.

她独自站在那里看上去弱不禁风。

In cases of food poisoning, young children are especially vulnerable.

遇到食物中毒,幼儿尤其容易受危害。

The sudden resignation of the financial director put the company in a very vulnerable position.

财务部主任的突然辞职使得这家公司岌岌可危。

5.pair

两个共事(或有特殊关系)的人；俩；对:

Get pairs of students to act out the dialogue in front of the class.

叫学生两人一组在课堂上演出这个对话。

Get the students to do the exercise as pair work (= two students work together).

让学生两人一组做练习。

(informal) I've had enough of the pair of you!

你们俩让我烦透了！