VOA慢速英语2015 美国会大厦圆顶进行翻新修复

AS IT IS 2015-03-17 150-Year-Old US Capitol Dome¹ Under Repairs 美国会大厦圆顶进行翻新修复

The United States Capitol Dome in Washington, DC, is recognized around the world as a symbol of the U.S. government. Since last November, the dome has been surrounded by metal poles, or scaffolding, and heavy cloth as part of a repair project.

The last major repair work on the U.S. Capitol took place in 1960.  Since then, the dome has become weathered and worn. The Architect of the Capitol group reports the dome has more than 1,000 narrow breaks on its surface and other damage.

The dome was completed around 1863.  U.S. Senate Historian² Don Ritchie says the dome’s cast iron frame is at special risk of weathering.

“The capitol dome, being cast iron, has been hit by lightning countless³ times.  And so the current construction is to repair the leaks, to fill the cracks, to take off excess layers of paint.”

Workers are removing old paint. They covered a large part of the building in plastic and a special cloth to protect workers from the wind and other elements.

Much of the work is done at night, when lawmakers are not in the building. Some recent visitors to the Capitol were unhappy about its current appearance. They had hoped to get a picture of the usually shining dome.

Joyce, a visitor from China, said the sight of the Capitol building left her disappointed.

“It was dramatic, and very fantastic, and all white, but when I come here today, it is under construction so my family cannot see it clearly, [it] is kind of a disappointment.”

Others were more understanding of the repairs. Rick Jones, another visitor, said he was not upset to see the repairs, because it will be better in the future.

“It's a little inconvenient⁴ for us not to see the dome but you have to think about the future and the people will be coming to this place for centuries…and you know, there just needs to be preventive maintenance⁵. I am not upset with that at all."

The project is expected to take more than two years to complete. The dome should be ready for the inauguration⁶ of a new president in January 2017. 

Words in This Story

dome – n. a large rounded roof or ceiling that is shaped like half of a ball

weathered – adj. worn by long exposure to the air

construction – n. the act or process of building something (such as a house or road)

maintenance – n. the act of keeping property or equipment in good condition by making repairs, correcting problems, etc.

occasionally – adv. sometimes but not often

upset – adj. angry or unhappy

1 dome   

n.圆屋顶，拱顶

参考例句：

• 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。

2 historian   

n.历史学家，编史家

参考例句：

• As a historian,he was most typical of the times in which he lived.作为历史学家，他是他所处时代最有代表性的人物。
• He calls himself a historian,but his books are a mere journalism.他自称为历史学家，但是他的书都是些肤浅的通俗作品。

3 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

4 inconvenient   

adj.不方便的，令人感到麻烦的

参考例句：

• You have come at a very inconvenient time.你来得最不适时。
• Will it be inconvenient for him to attend that meeting?他参加那次会议会不方便吗？

5 maintenance   

n.维修，保养，扶养费，维持，保持

参考例句：

• His small farm provides maintenance,but not much more.他的小农场能使他们维持生活，但仅此而已。
• He has to pay maintenance to his ex-wife.他必须给前妻赡养费。

6 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。