有声英文阅读-国油双峰塔：亚洲出头天！

Tradition Facing Forward
国油双峰塔：亚洲出头天！

With pinnacles¹ ascending² 452 meters above Kuala Lumpur, the Petronas Twin Towers have a slender elegance³ reminiscent1 of the graceful⁴ spires2 of Muslim temples. The Islamic influence extends right down to the towers? floor plans, which are based on an eight-pointed star.

However, the Petronas Twin Towers are not merely a tribute to Malaysia’s cultural and religious heritage. They are Malaysia’s challenge to the Asian financial hegemony3 of Hong Kong and Singapore. In building the towers, Malaysia was proclaiming that it, too, wanted to be a center of world trade.

Each tower is supported by a solid 23-x-23-meter core of high-strength concrete. In addition, the towers are joined by a walkway at the 41st stories. The increased stability enabled architects to boost the buildings? height-to-width ratio, giving the towers an air of elegance.

In erecting⁶ their towers to the heavens, the builders did not wish to compromise the security and comfort of those who worked there. The twin edifices4 were equipped with three major safety networks. Each tower has its own building control system, fire alarm system, and building security system. In case of a computer failure, these systems can be controlled separately by each tower, independent of the main network.

With a state-of-the-art computer system nestled within traditional architectural motifs⁸, the Petronas Twin Towers are both Malaysia’s monument to its past and the hope of its financial future.

1. reminiscent a. 使想起的
2. spire⁵ n. 尖塔
3. hegemony n. 霸权
4. edifice⁷ n. 建筑物，（尤指）大厦

坐落在吉隆坡的国油双峰塔，是两座高452米，耸入云霄的尖塔状建筑，其修长雅致的外观不由让人想起穆斯林教堂优雅的尖顶。伊斯兰的影响力还扩及到塔底以八角星为基准的地面设计。

然而，国油双峰塔不只是对马来西亚文化和宗教遗产的献礼，更表现了马来西亚对香港及新加坡亚洲经济霸权的挑战。通过建造双峰塔，马来西亚向世界宣告，它也要跻身世界贸易中心的行列。

支撑每座高塔的是23×23m2的坚固的标号混凝土芯。此外，双塔在41楼由一条走廊连结了起来。这样增加了建筑的稳定性，建筑师们就可以提高建筑的高宽比例，使双塔具有高贵典雅的外观。

在建造高耸入云的双塔时，建筑师们也兼顾到了大厦里工作人员的安全和舒适。这两座大厦里设有三大安全网络。各塔都有自己的控制系统、火警系统和大楼安全系统。万一计算机出现问题，各塔有各自的安全网络。

拥有最先进的计算机系统和传统建筑的外观的国油双峰塔既是马来西亚历史的纪念碑，也是未来经济发展的希望。

1 pinnacles   

顶峰( pinnacle的名词复数 )； 顶点； 尖顶； 小尖塔

参考例句：

• What would be the pinnacles of your acting and music? 对你而言什麽代表你的演技和音乐的巅峰？
• On Skye's Trotternish Peninsula, basalt pinnacles loom over the Sound of Raasay. 在斯开岛的特洛登尼许半岛，玄武岩尖塔俯瞰着拉塞海峡。

2 ascending   

adj.上升的，向上的

参考例句：

• Now draw or trace ten dinosaurs in ascending order of size.现在按照体型由小到大的顺序画出或是临摹出10只恐龙。

3 elegance   

n.优雅；优美，雅致；精致，巧妙

参考例句：

• The furnishings in the room imparted an air of elegance.这个房间的家具带给这房间一种优雅的气氛。
• John has been known for his sartorial elegance.约翰因为衣着讲究而出名。

4 graceful   

adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的

参考例句：

• His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
• The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。

5 spire   

n.(教堂)尖顶，尖塔，高点

参考例句：

• The church spire was struck by lightning.教堂的尖顶遭到了雷击。
• They could just make out the spire of the church in the distance.他们只能辨认出远处教堂的尖塔。

6 erecting   

v.使直立，竖起( erect的现在分词 )；建立

参考例句：

• Nations can restrict their foreign trade by erecting barriers to exports as well as imports. 象设置进口壁垒那样，各国可以通过设置出口壁垒来限制对外贸易。 来自辞典例句
• Could you tell me the specific lift-slab procedure for erecting buildings? 能否告之用升板法安装楼房的具体程序？ 来自互联网

7 edifice   

n.宏伟的建筑物(如宫殿，教室)

参考例句：

• The American consulate was a magnificent edifice in the centre of Bordeaux.美国领事馆是位于波尔多市中心的一座宏伟的大厦。
• There is a huge Victorian edifice in the area.该地区有一幢维多利亚式的庞大建筑物。

8 motifs   

n. （文艺作品等的）主题( motif的名词复数 )；中心思想；基本模式；基本图案

参考例句：

• I try to develop beyond the old motifs. 我力求对传统的花纹图案做到推陈出新。 来自辞典例句
• American Dream is one of the most important motifs of American literature. “美国梦”是美国文学最重要的母题之一。 来自互联网