The Eiffel Tower: A Monumental Landmark
The Eiffel Tower is one of the most visited monuments in the world, with 7 million visitors annually. Located in the heart of Paris, it was built for the 1889 Exposition Universelle to showcase French technological prowess.
Construction and Design
The tower was designed by Gustave Eiffel and his engineers Maurice Koechlin and Émile Nouguier. It was inspired by the Latting Observatory, a wooden structure built for a world’s fair in New York City in 1853. The tower’s design features a square base, three levels, and iconic trusses that support the structure.
Initial Reception and Controversy
Many artists and architects opposed the tower’s construction, citing its height and potential impact on the city’s aesthetic. The tower was initially intended to be demolished after 20 years, but its usefulness for radio telegraphy, communications, and other purposes led to its preservation.
Secrets and Interesting Facts
The tower has a secret apartment at the top, designed by Gustave Eiffel for entertaining guests and conducting experiments. The apartment is now open to the public. The tower’s lights are protected by copyright, and the structure expands and contracts by 15 centimeters daily due to temperature changes.
Legacy and Maintenance
The Eiffel Tower has become an iconic symbol of Paris and one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world. It has been declared a historical monument and UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its maintenance is crucial to ensure its longevity.
| Term | Definition | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Latent | Existing or potential, but not yet apparent; hidden or concealed | The tower’s design features a latent connection to the Latting Observatory, a wooden structure built for a world’s fair in New York City in 1853. |
| Iconic | Widely recognized and symbolic; serving as a representation or symbol | The Eiffel Tower has become an iconic symbol of Paris and one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world. |
| Historical | Relating to or originating from the past; having historical significance | The Eiffel Tower has been declared a historical monument and UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its maintenance is crucial to ensure its longevity. |
| Preservation | The act of keeping something in its original state or condition; conservation | The tower’s usefulness for radio telegraphy, communications, and other purposes led to its preservation, despite initial plans to demolish it. |
| Expansion | The act of increasing something’s size or scope; enlargement | The tower’s structure expands and contracts by 15 centimeters daily due to temperature changes. |
| Copyright | A set of exclusive rights granted to the creator of an original work; intellectual property | The tower’s lights are protected by copyright, and the structure expands and contracts by 15 centimeters daily due to temperature changes. |
| Latent | Existing or potential, but not yet apparent; hidden or concealed | The tower has a secret apartment at the top, designed by Gustave Eiffel for entertaining guests and conducting experiments. |
| Legacy | The impact or influence that something has after it is no longer in existence; lasting effect | The Eiffel Tower has become an iconic symbol of Paris and one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world, leaving a lasting legacy. |
| UNESCO | The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; a specialized agency of the United Nations | The Eiffel Tower has been declared a historical monument and UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its maintenance is crucial to ensure its longevity. |
Vocabulary Quiz: The Eiffel Tower
Choose the correct answer for each question:
- What does the phrase “technological prowess” mean in the context of the Eiffel Tower’s construction?
- A) The ability to build something quickly
- B) The ability to build something with advanced technology
- C) The ability to build something with minimal materials
- D) The ability to build something with a small workforce
- What inspired the design of the Eiffel Tower?
- A) The Latting Observatory, a wooden structure in Paris
- B) The Latting Observatory, a wooden structure in New York City
- C) The Eiffel Tower’s design was entirely original
- D) The design of the Louvre Museum
- What was the initial intention for the Eiffel Tower after 20 years of its construction?
- A) To renovate it completely
- B) To demolish it
- C) To sell it to a private company
- D) To keep it as a historical monument
- What happens to the Eiffel Tower due to temperature changes?
- A) It shrinks by 15 centimeters daily
- B) It expands and contracts by 15 centimeters daily
- C) It remains the same size regardless of temperature
- D) It changes color depending on the temperature
- What has the Eiffel Tower been declared as?
- A) A historical monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- B) A cultural icon and a tourist attraction
- C) A symbol of French culture and a national treasure
- D) A man-made wonder of the world
Answer Key:
- B) The ability to build something with advanced technology
- B) The Latting Observatory, a wooden structure in New York City
- B) To demolish it
- B) It expands and contracts by 15 centimeters daily
- A) A historical monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Use of the Passive Voice
| Explanation |
|---|
| The passive voice is used to emphasize the action rather than the doer of the action. It is often used in formal or technical writing to describe processes, procedures, or events. In the given text, the passive voice is used to describe the construction and design of the Eiffel Tower, as well as its maintenance. The passive voice helps to focus on the tower itself, rather than the people involved in its construction and maintenance. |
Quiz
| Question 1 |
|---|
| Which of the following sentences is in the passive voice? |
| The Eiffel Tower was built by Gustave Eiffel and his engineers. Gustave Eiffel and his engineers built the Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower is a famous landmark in Paris. The Eiffel Tower has a secret apartment at the top. |
| Question 2 |
|---|
| The sentence “The tower’s design features a square base, three levels, and iconic trusses that support the structure.” is an example of: |
| active voice passive voice descriptive writing technical writing |
| Question 3 |
|---|
| Why is the passive voice often used in formal or technical writing? |
| to emphasize the doer of the action to focus on the action itself to make the writing more informal to avoid using verbs |
| Question 4 |
|---|
| The sentence “The tower has been declared a historical monument and UNESCO World Heritage Site…” is an example of: |
| active voice passive voice descriptive writing technical writing |
| Question 5 |
|---|
| What is the main purpose of using the passive voice in the given text? |
| to emphasize the people involved in the construction and maintenance to focus on the action itself and the tower’s characteristics to make the writing more informal to avoid using verbs |
Answer Key
| Answer Key |
|---|
| 1. a) The Eiffel Tower was built by Gustave Eiffel and his engineers. |
| 2. c) descriptive writing |
| 3. b) to focus on the action itself |
| 4. b) passive voice |
| 5. b) to focus on the action itself and the tower’s characteristics |
