综合英语教程第二册第二版第一课教案

Silverstein says he will rebuild the Center. However, it is unclear what the new center will be like. Some architects have suggested creating four shorter buildings. These structures would have about 50 levels. A park between the buildings would contain a memorial to victims of the attack.

Other New York citizens called for rebuilding the World Trade Center as it was. For example, former mayor Ed Koch urged replacement复位 of the two skyscrapers. He said this would show the terrorists that New York remained undefeated.

However, some city planners believe such extremely tall structures should not be replaced. Instead, some experts advise copying other New York buildings that are not as tall.

The Urban Land Institute is a research and educational organization for planners and building designers. Some members believe skyscrapers waste space. These experts say some buildings use their lower levels mainly to get people to the upper levels.

Some experts also believe the office needs of businesses are changing. Most large companies now have their headquarters in skyscrapers. This permits their employees to work together in one place. However, employees today can communicate easily though electronic mail and other technology. So some planners believe there will be less need for skyscrapers in the future.

The Empire State Building is now the tallest building in New York City. It was built in 1931. It was the tallest building in the world for more than 40 years. It still is one of the most popular. Thousands of millions of visitors have seen New York from observation areas in this building. Some Americans now say they are worried about the Empire State Building. However, a wealthy New York property owner has offered as much as 57 million dollars to buy it. He says he believes fear of skyscrapers will be temporary.

Many of American skyscrapers have increased safety measures since the terrorist attacks. Owners have placed barriers around the buildings at street level. Security devices and guards examine people who enter the buildings. Building occupants are receiving information about what to do in an emergency.

Skyscrapers were invented in the United States. As early as the 1880s, two new technical developments made these taller buildings possible. One development was the mechanical elevator. It meant that people would not have to climb many steps to reach the upper floors of tall buildings. The development of steel also helped make taller buildings possible.

The first skyscraper was built in Chicago, Illinois in 1885. The Home Insurance Building was almost 55 meters tall.

Chicago became home to the world’s tallest buildings in 1973 when the Sears Tower was built. It is 442 meters tall. The Sears Tower was the tallest building in the world for 23 years. Then, in 1996, two taller buildings were completed. They are the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. They are about 452 meters tall.

Recently, businessman Donald Trump proposed another very tall building for Chicago. Mr. Trump and the owners of the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper wanted to build a structure 457 meters high along the Chicago River. Mr. Trump and the newspaper owners have been seeking more money for the project. Now, however, it is unclear if they will continue proposing such a big skyscraper. Developers in China want to build the tallest skyscraper ever. They are planning an International Financial Center for Shanghai. The Center is to be more than 487 meters tall.

The building would have several safety measures not included in the World Trade Center buildings. For example, the areas containing steps would be wider than those in the World Trade Center. Areas called refuge floors would be placed every ten to twelve levels. These open-air

places are designed to protect people from smoke. They are legally required in China and some other Asian countries.

Experts say there is almost no engineering limit to the height a skyscraper can be. Still, people’s feelings may limit the size of skyscrapers in the future.

For example, a New York City stock trader works in an office high in a skyscraper. He says he once liked to look out his office window and see the other tall buildings of the city. But his feelings have changed since the terrorist attacks.

Now, he says, he would like to work much closer to the ground. (1,230 words)

Notes

1. … the buildings held up well. (Paragraph 4) … the buildings stayed in a reasonably good condition after it was struck.

2. … the towers imploded and fell down in their own space. (Paragraph 6) … the towers burst inward instead of outward and fell down in their own space.

3. the Empire State Building (Paragraph 16) The Empire State Building is a 102-storey Art Deco skyscraper in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It stood as the world’s tallest building for more than 40 years, from its completion in 1931 until construction of the World Trade Center’s North Tower was completed in 1972. The Empire State Building was named by the American Society of Civil Engineers as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.

4. the Sears Tower (Paragraph 21) Standing at 1,450 feet and 110 storeys high, Sears Tower is the tallest building in North America. Offering more than 3.8 million square feet of office and retail space, Sears Tower is the business location in Chicago.

5. Petronas Towers (Paragraph 21) Kuala Lumpur, being the capital of Malaysia, is full of high-rise buildings and skyscrapers. Petronas Towers, the tallest in the world with the height of 1,438 ft, are located there.

6. Donald Trump (Paragraph 22) He was born in 1946 and is a billionaire real estate developer that has massed a fortune through owning key New York properties (e.g. Trump Towers) and Atlantic City casinos. Donald Trump took over his father’s New York real estate business and by the 1970s had fashioned himself a deal-maker in Manhattan.

7. an International Financial Centre for Shanghai (Paragraph 23) It refers to the skyscraper officially known as the Shanghai World Financial Centre, abbreviated as SWFC. It is a 101-storey supertall skyscraper with multiple functions, located in the Lujiazui Financial District, Shanghai, China. Its foundation stone was laid on August 27, 1997. Because of fund shortage caused by the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s, its construction was delayed, and was not completed until September 14, 2007, on which day the skyscraper was topped out at 492 meters. It is currently the world’s third tallest completed building by roof. On August 28, 2008, the SWFC officially opened for business. On August 30 the Observation Deck opened with a view from 3 levels. The highest view is at 474 meters above sea level.

Questions for discussion

1. What was special about the World Trade Center in New York?

1. The World Trade Centre, a symbol of New York, was the tallest building in the city with more

than 100 levels. Its sturdy structure was shown by the fact that it remained standing for a fairly long time after it was hit in the September 11 attacks. Besides, when it did fall down, it collapsed within its own space.

2. What makes Americans feel uneasy about extremely tall buildings?

2. The September 11 attacks make them worry about the safety of extremely tall buildings. 3. What do some experts think of skyscrapers now? What’s your idea about skyscrapers?

3. Some think skyscrapers are only a waste of space; others do not think skyscrapers are a must any more, as modern technology enables employees to communicate easily without having to work in their headquarters in skyscrapers.

4. How many ways of restoring the World Trade Centre are mentioned in the passage? Which of them do you think is the best one? Why?

4. Four ways of restoring the World Trade Center are mentioned in the text: 1. putting up a memorial called Towers of Light; 2. rebuilding the Centre, but it’s unclear what the new one will be like; 3. creating four shorter buildings of about 50 levels with a memorial to victims of the attack in a park between these buildings; 4. rebuilding the World Trade Center as it was. On the other hand, however, some city planners believe that such tall structures should not be replaced at all. Instead, some experts advise copying other New York buildings that are not as tall. Personally I think the last alternative, i.e. not replacing such skyscrapers at all, is the best choice, not only because it seems to be safer, but also because we are closer to our Mother Earth when we live and work in lower buildings.

II. Memorable Quotes

Read the following quotes and find out the meaning of life implicated by them. 1. But whether on the scaffold high Or in the battle’s van,

The fittest place where man can die Is where he dies for man! — Michael J. Barry

（为Michael J. Barry 加注：）

Michael Joseph Barry (1817 –1889) was an Irish poet, author, and political figure.

Paraphrase: The most suitable way for man to die is to die for the mankind no matter he is sentenced to death on the scaffold or dies in the battlefield.

2. O suffering, sad humanity! O ye afflicted ones, who lie Steeped to the lips in misery, Longing, yet afraid to die,

Patient, thou sorely tried!

— Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

（插入Henry Wadsworth Longfellow图片并加注）

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882) was an American educator and poet. This quotation is taken from his ―The Goblet of Life‖ which is about how to live our life to the fullest.

Paraphrase: Humanity has undergone sad suffering, and deep in great pain are you who long for the future, but are afraid to die. Although you are painfully tested, be patient with life.