(三)
A famous building in New York City is turning 100 years old this month. A yearlong celebration is planned for Grand Central Terminal, which is usually called Grand Central Station.
The huge building has not changed much since it opened in February, 1913. About 750,000 people pass through Grand Central every day, making it the sixth mostvisited place in the world. Some just come to look at it, and others come to visit the stores. But most are there to catch the trains that enter and leave from the station. With 67 underground train tracks, it is the largest train station in the world.
The main part of the building has large, arched windows, a jewelled foursided clock and ticket windows. Grand Central has been seen in many movies through the years. Having worked for the transit authority at Grand Central for 30 years and never having lost interest in the building, Dan Brucker is with the New York City Transit Authority, which operates the station.“Grand Central is the kind of temple, cathedral that shows the magnificence of rail transportation, and the kind that God would have built if he'd had the money.”
This is the beginning of 20th century architecture. The ceiling overhead, with its famous mural of the stars, is one of Grand Central Terminal's most famous features. However, eagleeyed visitors will notice that the zodiac(黄道带) on the ceiling is depicted backwards. Some have assumed that this was a mistake by the artist, Paul Helleu. The real reason, according to official documents, is that the painter was inspired by a medieval(中世纪的) painting that showed the heavens as they would have been seen from outside the celestial sphere(天球).
Justin Ferate, a historian, has been giving tours of Grand Central Station for 30 years. He says the station was designed to make travel a pleasure.
“You know that you're a traveller, that you're going off on a great adventure, and that you're going to follow your stars and find your dream. You're also going to find your train where it's supposed to be—which is one of the brilliant parts of the design of the building.”
Justin Ferate likes to show how the building was designed for large numbers of people.
“Why people don't run into each other in Grand Central is simple: each block of stone in Grand Central is the length of your leg. Each block of stone in Grand Central is the length of your arm. Each block of stone is a different colour, so it's a checkerboard, based on you.”
A tenyearlong fight against a plan to build a huge office building over Grand Central in 1968 helped create the modern preservation movement. Now, no one would think of changing the beauty of the station.
9.The main purpose of the passage is to ________.
A.announce to people that a celebration is planned for Grand Central
B.encourage people to go to visit Grand Central
C.introduce to people the architectural feature of the building of Grand Central Station
D.tell people the important role Grand Central played in history
10.What can we learn about Grand Central Station?
A.It receives about 750,000 passengers every day.
B.Despite its long history, it almost remains what it was.
C.With a huge office building over it, it has become more beautiful.
D.It is under the charge of Dan Brucker.
11.According to the passage, what impresses Justin Ferate most is ________.
A.the long history of the building
B.the mystery of the building
C.the ceiling of the building
D.the way the building was designed
12.What Dan Brucker said showed the________ of Grand Central.
A.importance B.grandness
C.perfectness D.value
