The Leaning Tower of Pisa no longer leans quite so much after a 20 million project to save it was hailed a complete success yesterday. The tower, which was on the verge of collapse, has been straightened by 18 inches returning it to its 1838 position.

The tower, which has been leaning almost since building work first began in 1173, was closed to the public in 1990 because of safety fears. The 183 – foot tower was nearly 15 feet off vertical (垂直) and its structure was found to have been weakened by centuries of strain.

The last attempt at straightening the tower was carried out under orders from Benito Mussolini, who wanted it to be perfectly vertical.

Concrete was poured into the foundations, but the result was that the tower sank further into the soil.

The straightening work involved the extraction of around 70 tonnes of earth from the northern side of the tower, causing it to sink on that side. Before the digging started, the tower was anchored with steel cables and 600 tonnes of lead weights.

However, halfway through the project, concerns at the ugliness of the weights led to their removal and the tower lurched (傾斜) dramatically. “In one night, the tower moved more than it had averaged in an entire year,” said Prof. Burland. The weights were hastily reattached.

The tower’s stonework has also been restored and tourists can clearly see the difference between its levels of limestone and marble.

“If we had not stepped in, the tower would have collapsed between 2030 and 2040,” said Salvatore Settis, the president of the rescue committee. “This is crucial for the tower’s stability and it was a totally Italian success.”

The Italian government stepped in after a tower collapsed in Pavia in 1989, killing four people.

1．What is the passage mainly about?

       A．The Italian government always steps in when towers are to collapse.

       B．Leaning Tower of Pisa no longer leans.

       C．How straightening work for Pisa Tower went on.

       D．Leaning Tower of Pisa is saved from collapse.

2．Why were people not allowed to watch the tower in 1990?

       A．It was destroyed.

       B．It was moved.

       C．It was in danger and also dangerous.

       D．Every tower in Italy was closed then.

3．The underlined phrase “their removal” in paragraph 6 refers to              .

       A．removal of concerns                            B．removal of tower

       C．removal of ugliness                              D．removal of lead pieces

4．According to the passage, we may infer that the tower lean to the          side of its foundation.

       A．east                    B．west                   C．north                  D．south

5．Which of the following statements is right?

       A．20 million project straightened the tower vertical.

       B．The tower has been straightened where it was in 1838.

       C．Concrete poured into the foundations worked in straightening work.

       D．The tower may collapse between 2030 and 2040.

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Why does the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy lean? It leans because of a mistake. It has leaned almost since the day the tower was built.

   In 1173, the people of Pisa, Italy, wanted to build a bell tower. They wanted the tower to be the most beautiful bell tower in all of Italy. The city also needed a bell tower because the church did not have one.

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   It took almost 180 years to finish the tower. Since then, the tower has leaned by another millimeter every year. Today, the Leaning Tower has eight floors and is 54.5 meters tall. By 1990, it was leaning by about 4 meters to one side. It was also slowly sinking into the ground. Many people became worried that it would soon fall apart.

   In 1998, repair works began on the tower, and by the end of 2001, it had been moved back by 45 centimeters. The tower will still lean, however, so it will need to be repaired again---in another 200 years.

1.why did the people of  Pisa want to build the tower?

     A. They needed a new church         B. They wanted to build the tallest tower in Tower         C. They  needed a bell tower.            D.  They wanted to build a leaning tower.

2.When did the tower begin to lean?

     A. from the first day it was built          B. after the first floor was built

     C. after the last floor was built           D. 180 years after it was built

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     A. in 1173     B. in 1180      C. in 1353    D. in 1474

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