A
Gems (珍宝) of Grand Central Terminal (GCT)
The Transportation Sculpture
This impressive sculpture — all 1,500 tons of it — really rocks. Three figures from Roman mythology (神话) rest above the terminal’s main entrance on 42nd Street. Hercules (on the left) represents strength; Mercury (in the middle) is linked to speed, commerce, and transportation; and Minerva (on the right) represents wisdom.
Designed by French sculptor Jules-Félix Coutan, Transportation is 66 feet wide and stands 48 feet tall at its highest point. Coutan made a small-scale model of the sculptural group, and craftsmen in Long Island City carved it from Indiana limestone.
The Tiffany Clock
A Jewel-like clock made by world-renowned Tiffany Studios sits in the middle of The Transportation Sculpture. With a diameter of 14 feet, this colorful timepiece is said to be the largest Tiffany glass clock in the world.
The Clock on the Information Booth
Another famous GCT timepiece is the four-sided, brass-and-opal (黄铜和猫眼石) clock on top of the information booth in the main concourse (大厅). It’s a popular meeting point in this busy transportation center. The clock is capped by an acorn. Beneath the clock, a hidden staircase goes down to another booth on a lower level of the terminal.
The Main Concourse’s Ceiling Mural (壁画)
In a 1913 edition of The New York Times, a railway official joked that people might spend so much time stargazing at the mural on the main concourse’s ceiling that they’d miss their trains. It’s easy to see why. Groups of stars — a mix of gold leaf (thin sheets of gold) and artfully placed light bulbs — twinkle across the ceiling sky. The starry scene, which was designed by a French artist named Paul César Helleu, brings to mind travelers of the past who navigated by the stars.
21. What do The Transportation Sculpture and The Tiffany Clock have in common?
A. They are both located above the GCT’s main entrance. B. They were both designed by Jules-Félix Coutan.
C. They are both linked to Roman mythology. D. They were both made of glass.
22. What do we know about The Clock on the Information Booth?
A. It is forty-eight feet high. B. It is on top of a huge statue.
C. It is connected to a lower level booth. D. It is the largest opal clock in the world.
23. What does the ceiling mural show to the passengers?
A. Some stories from mythology. B. Thousands of stars in the sky.
C. Various clocks from history. D. Craftsmen in ancient times.
【答案】21. A 22. C 23. B
【解析】
【分析】本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了中央车站的四件珍宝。
【21题详解】
推理判断题。根据The Transportation Sculpture部分中“Three figures from Roman mythology (神话) rest above the terminal’s main entrance on 42nd Street.(在第42街的航站楼正门上方，有三个罗马神话中的人物)”及The Tiffany Clock部分中的“A Jewel-like clock made by world-renowned Tiffany Studios sits in the middle of The Transportation Sculpture.(由世界著名的蒂芙尼工作室制作的珠宝状时钟坐落在交通雕塑的中央)”可知，The Transportation Sculpture和The Tiffany Clock都位于中央车站的主路口的上方。故选A。
【22题详解】
细节理解题。根据The Clock on the Information Booth部分中“Beneath the clock, a hidden staircase goes down to another booth on a lower level of the terminal.( 在时钟下面，一个隐藏的楼梯向下延伸到航站楼较低层的另一个展位)”可知，The Clock on the Information Booth连接到一个较低水平的展位。故选C。
【23题详解】
细节理解题。根据The Main Concourse’s Ceiling Mural(壁画)部分中的“Groups of stars — a mix of gold leaf (thin sheets of gold) and artfully placed light bulbs — twinkle across the ceiling sky.(一组组的星星——由金箔(薄薄的金色薄片)和巧妙放置的灯泡组成——在天花板上闪烁)”可知，天花板上的壁画向乘客展示了天空中的星星。故选B。
