VOA常速英语2016--现代建筑者用古老方法建造法国城堡

AS IT IS 2016-10-17 Modern Builders Construct French Castle the Old-Fashioned¹ Way 现代建筑者用古老方法建造法国城堡

In France, a man walks on what can only be described as a human-sized hamster wheel.

The wheel moves around and around, as the man keeps walking. What is he doing?

He is lifting a heavy object to the top of a tower the same way workers moved such objects 800 years ago.

In the 13th century, workers did not have the 100-meter tall cranes² they now use to build tall buildings. So they had to be creative and come up with simple machines to get their work done.

The man on the large wheel is walking at a reasonable speed. The wheel turns and pulls a rope connected to a pulley at the top of the tower. Another rope tied to the pulley lifts supplies from the ground.

This is just one way skilled³ craftsmen⁴ are building a 13th-century castle without using modern tools. Crews have been working on the castle since 1997. It is being built in the Burgundy area of central France.

Organizers expect the work to last another 10 to 15 years. That means it will take close to 30 years to finish the project.

The crews are making progress at about half the speed of the workers from 800 years ago. That is because many of them are accustomed to using modern tools. When the crews use heavy chisels⁵ and hammers to break rock, as they did hundreds of years ago, they are learning⁶ as they go.

The goal of the project is to learn more about old building techniques in case they might be of use today.

Clement⁷ Guerard, 44, is a stonemason; he cuts and builds with stone. He has been working on the castle for 17 years.

He said one way he is able to work on something like this for so long is by forgetting “some of the pace of modern life, to be able to adapt to working by hand.”

At a given time, about 40 people are working on the project. One of them is Nick Platt, a retiree from Britain. He wants to improve his building skills.

“I don't like using electric tools, except perhaps drills,” he said. “So when I came here, I found the use of hand tools was natural. But the saws that we use are very, very different and initially⁸ quite cumbersome⁹ to use. But now I find they are eminently¹⁰ perfect for the job."

Platt is one of hundreds of people who volunteer their time. Many tourists come to watch the crews at work. Tourist donations¹¹ fund¹² the project so it can continue.

One visitor, Nathalie Bonis, said the workers have made a lot of progress in 10 years.

“We now understand the time taken to build a castle,” she said. “It's extraordinary to see these men from back then who could build such a thing with the strength of their arms and their sweat.”

Words in This Story

hamster – n. a small animal that is kept in some homes

pulley – n. a wheel or set of wheels that is used with a rope or chain, to lift or lower heavy objects

technique – n. a way of doing something by using special knowledge or skill

stonemason – n. a person who cuts, prepares, and builds with stone

heritage¹³ – n. traditions or beliefs that are part of the history of a group or nation

pace – n. the speed at which something happens

adapt – v. to change your behavior so that it is easier to live in a particular place or situation

drill – n. a tool used for making holes in hard substances

saw – n. a tool that has a blade¹⁴ with sharp teeth and that is used to cut through wood, metal, and other hard material

cumbersome – adj. hard to deal with because of size or weight

castle – n. a large building usually with high, thick walls and towers that was built in the past to protect against attack

1 old-fashioned   

adj.旧式的，保守的，挑剔的

参考例句：

• Why do you still dress in an old-fashioned mode?你为什么还穿款式陈旧的衣服？
• Here is an old-fashioned pump for drawing water from a well.这里有一个旧式水泵可从井里抽水。

2 cranes   

n.鹤( crane的名词复数 )；起重机，吊车

参考例句：

• Laborers were trained to handle 50-ton compactors and giant cranes. 工人们接受操作五十吨压土机和巨型起重机的训练。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Huge cranes are swinging cargo up. 巨大的起重机正在吊运货物。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

3 skilled   

adj.(in)熟练的，有技能的；需要技能的

参考例句：

• Unskilled workers usually earn less money than skilled workers.无技能的工人通常比有技能的工人挣钱少。
• She was skilled enough in French to translate a novel.她法语娴熟，足以翻译小说。

4 craftsmen   

n. 技工

参考例句：

• rugs handmade by local craftsmen 由当地工艺师手工制作的小地毯
• The craftsmen have ensured faithful reproduction of the original painting. 工匠保证要复制一幅最接近原作的画。

5 chisels   

n.凿子，錾子( chisel的名词复数 )；口凿

参考例句：

• Chisels, brushes, paints-all are the products of technology. 凿子、刷子、颜料―这些都是工艺技术的产物。 来自辞典例句
• He selected the right chisels from a pile laid out beside him. 他从摊在身边的一堆凿子中挑出适用的几把。 来自互联网

6 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

7 clement   

adj.仁慈的；温和的

参考例句：

• A clement judge reduced his sentence.一位仁慈的法官为他减了刑。
• The planet's history contains many less stable and clement eras than the holocene.地球的历史包含着许多不如全新世稳定与温和的地质时期。

8 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

9 cumbersome   

adj.笨重的，不便携带的

参考例句：

• Although the machine looks cumbersome,it is actually easy to use.尽管这台机器看上去很笨重，操作起来却很容易。
• The furniture is too cumbersome to move.家具太笨，搬起来很不方便。

10 eminently   

adv.突出地；显著地；不寻常地

参考例句：

• She seems eminently suitable for the job. 她看来非常适合这个工作。
• It was an eminently respectable boarding school. 这是所非常好的寄宿学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 donations   

n.捐赠( donation的名词复数 )；赠送；捐款；捐赠物

参考例句：

• The hospital receives a good deal of money in donations. 这家医院收到捐赠来的大笔款项。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The charity is completely reliant on public donations. 这一慈善团体完全依靠公众捐款。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 fund   

n.基金，资金，存款，财源，贮藏；vt.提供资金，积累

参考例句：

• They decided to set up a fund for this purpose.他们决定为此专立一项基金。
• This fund may not be drawn on without permission.这笔钱非经批准不得动用。

13 heritage   

n.传统，遗产，继承物

参考例句：

• The ancient buildings are part of the national heritage.这些古建筑是民族遗产的一部分。
• We Chinese have a great cultural heritage.我们中国人有伟大的文化遗产。

14 blade   

n.刀刃，刀片；叶片

参考例句：

• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。
• He is a good blade.他剑术高明。