第 36 至 39 題為題組 Opened in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was the first long-span suspension bridge to carry motor
traffic, and it quickly became the model for the great suspension bridges of the following century.
Spanning New York’s East River, it provided the first traffic artery between Manhattan Island and
Brooklyn. Before that, the only transportation was by ferries, which were slow and could be dangerous in
winter.
The construction of a bridge over the East River had been discussed since the early 19th century, but
the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 deflected all consideration of the project. When the war ended in
1865, the bridge became an important issue once more. In 1867, the New York State legislature passed an
act incorporating the New York Bridge Company for the purpose of constructing and maintaining a bridge
between Manhattan Island and Brooklyn.
John Augustus Roebling was chosen to design the bridge. Born in Germany in 1806, he held radical
views as a student and was listed by the German police as a dangerous liberal. He emigrated to America
in 1830 to escape political discrimination.
Roebling proposed a bridge with a span of 1,500 feet (465 m), with two masonry towers in the East
River serving as the main piers. The bridge that was actually built is longer—1,597 feet (486 m), the
longest suspension bridge at that time.
【題組】36. What was the purpose of building the Brooklyn Bridge?
(A) To replace an old bridge.
(B) To set up a model for bridge construction.
(C) To build a suspension bridge for the Civil War.
(D) To provide faster and safer transportation than boats.