Lesson 8 Washington Monument

Open to the public in 1888, the Washington Monument was built as a memorial^① to George Washington, the first President of the United States. At the beginning, the design of the Washington Monument was created in 1836 by an architect^② named Robert Mills. It included a statue^③ of Washington in a chariot^④ at the top of the structure. Building began on July 4,1848, but several special things stopped the workers from building the monument. By 1858, the beginning of the Civil War^⑤ made a break in further building.

After the war was over, Lieutnant Colonel Thomas L. Casey went on with the project in 1876 by designing the monument again in the shape of an obelisk^⑥, or a thin, four-sided pointed structure. His plan did not contain a statue of Washington or any other building. This tall monument is a simple yet beautiful design that stands today in Washington, D.C. to remind people of the first American national leader.

（160 words）

Notes

① memorial [mə'mɔːrɪəl] n. 纪念碑，纪念馆；纪念仪式；纪念物

adj. 记忆的；纪念的，追悼的

② architect ['ɑːkɪtekt] n. 建筑师；缔造者

③ statue ['stætjuː; -tʃuː] n. 雕像，塑像

vt. 以雕像装饰

④ chariot [ 'tʃærɪət ] n. 二轮战车

vt. 驾驭

vi. 乘战车；驾驭战车

⑤ the Civil War 南北战争（美国内战）

⑥ obelisk ['ɒbəlɪsk ] n. 方尖碑；方尖塔；[印刷] 剑号；疑问记号

Exercises

Ⅰ. How well did you read?

[Check the details] [Evaluate the information]

Write the events in the correct place on the time line.

（1） In 1836______________

（2） In 1848______________

（3） In 1858______________

（4） In 1876______________

（5） In 1888______________

Ⅱ. Read for words.

1. Choose one best paraphrase for the underlined words.

（1） At the beginning, the design of the Washington Monument was created in 1836 by an architect named Robert Mills. （Para. 1, line 4）

A. invention to be used

B. plan in the mind

C. drawing to be built

（2） It included a statue of Washington in a chariot at the top of the structure.（Para. 1, line 6）

A. had 　B. made 　C. helped

（3） This tall monument is a simple yet beautiful design that stands today in Washington, D. C. to remind people of the first American national leader.（Para. 2, line 5）

A. places 　B. keeps 　C. lies

2. Choose one best paraphrase or Chinese meaning for the underlined expressions.

（1） Open to the public in 1888, the Washington Monument was built as a memorial to George Washington, the first President of the United States.（Para. 1, line 1）

A. Going out in the open air

B. People opened the door

C. To be open to the people

（2） Casey went on with the project in 1876 by designing the monument again in the shape of an obelisk, or a thin, four-sided pointed structure. （Para. 2,line 3）

A. 方尖塔结构 　B. 四面结构 　C. 四周圆形结构

language box

___________________________________________________________________