Southern Chinese city to reinvent the wheel 華南城市重新創造摩天輪

◎自由時報轉載

China is planning to build the world’s highest ferris wheel in the southern city of Guangzhou to give tourism in the city a lift, state media said, stealing thunder from the capital Beijing.

國營媒體報導，中國打算在南方城市廣州興建全世界最高的摩天輪以提振該市的觀光，不讓首都北京專美於前。

The wheel, the highest if not the largest in the world, will be built on the sloping roof of the 450-metre Guangzhou TV tower and open before October 1, 2010, when the city, capital of the booming province of Guangdong, hosts the 16th Asian Games.

這座全球最大或最高的摩天輪，將興建於450公尺高的廣州電視塔的傾面屋頂上，並在2010年10月1日以前開幕，屆時身為廣東省省會的廣州，正在主辦第16屆亞運會。

"The ferris wheel will withstand an earthquake of up to magnitude 8, owing to its quake-resistant design," the China Daily said. "Lightning arresters will form part of the design to make sure there is little damage during storm and lightning."

「這個摩天輪的抗震設計將使之能抵擋得住規模8的地震」，中國日報說。「避雷裝置將會是設計的一部分，以確保（該摩天輪）在雷雨閃電時不會有太大損傷。」

The newspaper said the wheel would be the world’s highest, but did not specify dimensions.

該報說，這個摩天輪將是全球第一高，但並未詳述其規模。

Beijing is already planning a giant ferris wheel, higher than both the London Eye and the Singapore Flyer.

北京已經計畫興建一座大型摩天輪，高度超越「倫敦眼」摩天輪與新加坡Flyer摩天輪。

新聞辭典

give someone a lift ：片語，給某人搭便車；提振某人士氣使之覺得更好。例句：Could you give me a lift? I’m already late for the meeting.（可以讓我搭便車嗎？我已經開會遲到了。）

steal somebody’s thunder：片語，搶人風采，做某事奪走稍早已做過此事的人所獲得的矚目。

owing to：片語，由於，基於。