文本选自：The Guardian（卫报）
作者：Angela Giuffrida
原文标题：Bologna seals off ‘leaning tower’ over fears it is tilting too far
原文发布时间：30 Oct. 2023
Bologna seals off 'leaning tower' over fears it is tilting too far
The square surrounding Bologna's medieval "leaning tower" is to be closed off for "a few years" amid concerns that the 12th-century structure is tilting a little too precariously. The Italian city's mayor, Matteo Lepore, said the closure of Piazza di Porta Ravegnana was necessary in order to "save" the Garisenda tower. "We're not intervening because we think it could collapse at any moment, we're intervening because we want to make it safe and restore it, " he said.
The fate of the 48-metre-high Garisenda, which sits alongside the twice-as-high Asinelli tower, has been a topic of much discussion in the Emilia-Romagna city after scientists from the University of Bologna detected an anomalous increase in the tower's oscillation. The Garisenda, which also left Charles Dickens spellbound during a visit to Bologna, slants at 4 degrees, compared with 3.9 degrees for Italy's more famous Leaning Tower of Pisa. The slant is believed to be due to ground subsidence during the 14th century.
The tower is being monitored for cracks and sensors have been installed to track any shifting. Its foundations will be shored up with new materials to make the structure more secure. The Asinelli tower, which visitors are able to climb, has also been closed. Bologna council is establishing a special committee to oversee the Garisenda's restoration. "I will seek the best possible professionalism, nationally and internationally … we will look for anyone who can help us, " Lepore said. But while the mayor has struck a reassuring tone, others from Bologna fear the tower could collapse.
博洛尼亚封闭了“斜塔”，因为担心它过度倾斜
精听党背景导读
据英国《卫报》29日报道，意大利古城博洛尼亚一座建于中世纪的著名斜塔近来倾斜度增加，引发担忧。当地政府宣布该塔对游客关闭，预计维修加固工作将持续数年。博洛尼亚大学研究人员监测显示该塔目前倾斜角度为4度。
文本选自：The Guardian（卫报）作者：Angela Giuffrida原文标题：Bologna seals off ‘leaning tower’ over fears it is tilting too far原文发布时间：30 Oct. 2023关键词：斜塔 倒塌 修复
精听党带着问题听
1.“中世纪建筑”用英语可以如何表达？2. 如何理解第二段的“spellbound”？3. 意大利著名的比萨斜塔的倾斜度为多少？
精听党选段赏析
标题解读
Bologna seals off ‘leaning tower’ over fears it is tilting too far
博洛尼亚封闭了“斜塔”，因为担心它过度倾斜
seal off 封锁；1. The police seals off the area for investigation. 警方为了调查封锁了该地区。
leaning tower 斜塔；1. The leaning tower of Pisa is a famous landmark. 比萨斜塔是一个著名的地标。
fear n. 担忧；1. He has fears about the future. 他对未来感到担忧。
tilt vi. 倾斜，倾侧；倾向于，偏向于；
段一
The square surrounding Bologna’s medieval “leaning tower” is to be closed off for “a few years” amid concerns that the 12th-century structure is tilting a little too precariously. The Italian city’s mayor, Matteo Lepore, said the closure of Piazza di Porta Ravegnana was necessary in order to “save” the Garisenda tower. “We’re not intervening because we think it could collapse at any moment, we’re intervening because we want to make it safe and restore it,” he said.
medieval adj. 中世纪的；1. The castle is a medieval structure. 这座城堡是中世纪的建筑。
precariously adv. 不稳定地；1. He balanced precariously on the edge of the cliff. 他在悬崖边缘不稳定地保持平衡。
mayor n. 市长；
closure n. （永久的）关闭，倒闭；（尤指通路、边境的）封锁；1. The closure of the factory affected many workers. 工厂的关闭影响了许多工人。
intervene vi. 干预，干涉；1. The government is intervening in the economic crisis. 政府正在干预经济危机。
collapse vi. 倒塌，塌下；崩溃，瓦解；突然倒下，昏倒；
restore vt. 恢复；1. The old building was restored to its original state. 这座老建筑被恢复到了原来的状态。
参考译文
博洛尼亚中世纪“斜塔”周围的广场将被封闭“几年”，因为人们担心这座12世纪的建筑倾斜得有点太不稳定了。意大利市长马泰奥·莱波雷表示，为了“拯救”加里森达塔，有必要关闭拉韦格纳纳门广场。他说:“我们进行干预不是因为我们认为这座斜塔随时可能倒塌，我们进行干预是因为我们想要保证这座斜塔的安全并尝试修复它。”
段二
The fate of the 48-metre-high Garisenda, which sits alongside the twice-as-high Asinelli tower, has been a topic of much discussion in the Emilia-Romagna city after scientists from the University of Bologna detected an anomalous increase in the tower’s oscillation. The Garisenda, which also left Charles Dickens spellbound during a visit to Bologna, slants at 4 degrees, compared with 3.9 degrees for Italy’s more famous Leaning Tower of Pisa. The slant is believed to be due to ground subsidence during the 14th century.
fate n. 命运；1. The fate of the project is uncertain. 项目的命运尚不确定。
anomalous adj. 异常的；1. The scientists detected an anomalous increase in temperature. 科学家们检测到温度异常增加。
oscillation n. 振荡；振动；摆动；1. The oscillation of the pendulum was used to keep time. 用钟摆的振动来计时。
spellbound adj. 着迷的；出神的；1. The audience was spellbound by the performance. 观众被表演迷住了。
slant vi. 倾斜，歪斜；1. The roof slants at a steep angle. 屋顶以陡峭的角度倾斜。
subsidence n. 下沉；1. The subsidence of the ground caused many problems for the construction project. 地面的下沉给建设项目带来了许多问题。
参考译文
博洛尼亚大学的科学家发现48米高的加里森达塔的振荡异常增加后，它的命运一直是艾米利亚-罗马涅市讨论的话题。加里森达塔坐落于两倍高的阿西内利塔旁。加里森达斜塔的倾斜度为4度，而意大利更著名的比萨斜塔的倾斜度为3.9度。查尔斯·狄更斯在博洛尼亚访问时也曾被加里森达塔迷住。人们认为这种倾斜是由14世纪的地面下沉造成的。
段三
The tower is being monitored for cracks and sensors have been installed to track any shifting. Its foundations will be shored up with new materials to make the structure more secure. The Asinelli tower, which visitors are able to climb, has also been closed. Bologna council is establishing a special committee to oversee the Garisenda’s restoration. “I will seek the best possible professionalism, nationally and internationally … we will look for anyone who can help us,” Lepore said. But while the mayor has struck a reassuring tone, others from Bologna fear the tower could collapse.
monitor vt. 监视；监听（外国广播或电话）；监控（无线电或电视传输信号）；1. The situation is being closely monitored by the government. 政府正在密切监控这种情况。
sensor n. （探测光、热、压力等的）传感器，敏感元件，探测设备；1. Sensors are used to detect changes in temperature. 传感器用于检测温度变化。
shore up 加固；1. The wall was shored up with steel beams. 墙壁用钢梁加固。
establish vt. 建立；1. They are establishing a new company in the city. 他们正在城市里建立一家新公司。
oversee vt. 监管，监督；看到，无意中看到；
reassuring adj. 安慰的；1. His words had a reassuring effect on the team. 他的话对团队产生了安慰的效果。
参考译文
塔身正在被监测是否有裂缝，并安装了传感器来跟踪任何变化。它的地基将用新材料加固，使这座斜塔更加安全。游客可以攀爬的阿西内利塔也已关闭。博洛尼亚议会正在建立一个特别委员会来监督加里森达斜塔的修复工作。莱波雷说:“我将在国内和国际上寻求最好的专业能力……我们将寻找任何可以帮助我们的人。”但是，尽管市长的语气令人放心，但博洛尼亚的其他人却担心这座塔可能会倒塌。
精听党每日单词
seal off
封锁；
leaning tower
斜塔；
fear
/fɪr/ n. 担忧；
tilt
/tɪlt/ vi. 倾斜，倾侧；倾向于，偏向于；
medieval
/ˌmediˈiːvl/ adj. 中世纪的；
precariously
/prɪˈkeriəsli/ adv. 不稳定地；
mayor
/ˈmeɪər/ n. 市长；
closure
/ˈkloʊʒər/ n. （永久的）关闭，倒闭；（尤指通路、边境的）封锁；
intervene
/ˌɪntərˈviːn/ vi. 干预，干涉；
collapse
/kəˈlæps/ vi. 倒塌，塌下；崩溃，瓦解；突然倒下，昏倒；
restore
/rɪˈstɔːr/ vt. 恢复；
fate
/feɪt/ n. 命运；
anomalous
/əˈnɑːmələs/ adj. 异常的；
oscillation
/ˌɑːsɪˈleɪʃn/ n. 振荡；振动；摆动；
spellbound
/ˈspelbaʊnd/ adj. 着迷的；出神的；
slant
/slænt/ vi. 倾斜，歪斜；
subsidence
/səbˈsaɪdnsˌˈsʌbsɪdns/ n. 下沉；
monitor
/ˈmɑːnɪtər/ vt. 监视；监听（外国广播或电话）；监控（无线电或电视传输信号）；
sensor
/ˈsensər/ n. （探测光、热、压力等的）传感器，敏感元件，探测设备;
shore up
加固；
establish
/ɪˈstæblɪʃ/ vt. 建立；
oversee
/ˌoʊvərˈsiː/ vt. 监管，监督；看到，无意中看到；
reassuring
/ˌriːəˈʃʊrɪŋ/ adj. 安慰的；
精听党文化拓展
比萨斜塔（意大利语：Torre pendente di Pisa或Torre di Pisa，英语：Leaning Tower of Pisa）建造于1173年8月，是意大利比萨城大教堂的独立式钟楼，位于意大利托斯卡纳省比萨城北面的奇迹广场上。
奇迹广场的大片草坪上散布着一组宗教建筑，它们是大教堂（建造于1063年-13世纪）、洗礼堂（建造于1153年-14世纪）、钟楼（即比萨斜塔）和墓园（建造于1174年），它们的外墙面均为乳白色大理石砌成，各自相对独立但又形成统一罗马式建筑风格。比萨斜塔位于比萨大教堂的后面。
比萨斜塔从地基到塔顶高58.36米，从地面到塔顶高55米，钟楼墙体在地面上的宽度是4.09米，在塔顶宽2.48米，总重约14453吨，重心在地基上方22.6米处。圆形地基面积为285平方米，对地面的平均压强为497千帕。倾斜角度3.99度，偏离地基外沿2.5米，顶层突出4.5米。1178年首次发现倾斜。
精听党每日美句
"Do not be embarrassed by your failures, learn from them and start again." - Richard Branson
“不要因为失败而感到羞愧，从中学习并重新开始。”——理查德·布兰森