1905年，清政府决定修建连接首都北京到重要商贸城市张家口的铁路，这条铁路对清政府来说具有重要的战略意义。所以，清政府决定该铁路的修建不能依靠外援。由政府出资，不能雇佣外国工程师。因此，詹天佑被任命为铁路总工程师。最初，很多人都怀疑清政府是否能独立在崎岖的山区修建铁路。但是，詹天佑证明了自己是位出色的工程师，并在预算内提前两年完成这项工程。他设计了人字形向上铁路，在青龙桥切换路线以克服陡坡。在挖掘八大岭隧道时，他采用了立井施工加快进程。1909年，京张铁路修建完成。
It was the first railway constructed by the Chinese people themselves without foreign assistance. It wrote a brilliant chapter in the history of China’s railway building. For his contributions to railroad engineering in China， Jeme is still known as the “Father of China’s Railroad”.
这是第一条没有外援靠中国人民自己修建的铁路，在中国铁路发展史上写下了光辉的一页。鉴于詹天佑对中国铁路做出的贡献，人们将他称为“中国铁路之父”。
Jeme was responsible for setting many railroad standards that are still in force in China today. He was also the founding member of the China Institute of Engineers. Jeme was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by the University of Hong Kong in 1916.
詹天佑负责确立的很多铁路标准，直到今天还在中国使用。他还是中国工程师学会的创始人。1916年，詹天佑被香港大学授予荣誉法学博士学位。
Jeme died in Hankou in 1919 at the age of 58. He was buried at the Qinglongqiao railway station， where the Peking-Kalgan railway crossed the Great Wall and the rugged mountains north of Beijing.
Afterwards， the museum was also established to commemorate the works of Jeme Tien Yow.
1919年，詹天佑病逝于汉口，享年58岁。他被葬于青龙桥火车站附近，是京张铁路穿过长城和北京北部山区的地方。之后，人们建成詹天佑纪念馆以纪念他的功绩。
In 2004， Guangzhou government decided to rebuild Jeme Tien Yow’s Former Residence and establish a museum for him. No.42， yacai Lane， Enning Road is the place where Jeme Tien Yow was born and spent his childhood. This old building had two storeys and its floor area was only 40 sq. m.
2004年，广州市政府决定重修詹天佑故居，同时建立詹天佑博物馆。詹天佑故居地处恩宁路芽菜巷42号，是詹天佑出生和童年生活的地方，原址为二层建筑，占地面积仅40多平方米，且相当破旧。
Newly renovated museum can be divided into three parts： the Former residence， Memorial and front and rear gardens. The floor space expands to 200 sq. m. It is a typical original Xiguan grand estate characterized by classic grey bricks， Manzhou Windows and Tanglong wood door. The museum displayed many relics of Jeme Tien Yow， like couch， drawing instruments， copybook and ink disk that he used before， the steel rails and copper bells from Peking- Kalgan railway and the sleeper of railway track in the initial stage of Yue-Han Railway etc.
整修后的詹天佑故居纪念馆分为故居、纪念馆和前后花园等部分，占地面积扩大至200多平方米。它是典型的西关大屋格局，以古朴的青砖，满洲窗和木趟栊为特色。纪念馆陈列了很多詹天佑的遗物，有他用过的睡椅、画图工具、字帖、调墨盘，有京张铁路的钢轨和铜铃，还有粤汉铁路初期铁道枕木等。
Besides the museum， a primary school named after Jeme Tien Yow is connected with the museum by a green garden. The miniature zig zag upwards railway and Badaling Great Wall are built in the garden in the memory of Jeme Tien Yow- the Father of China’s Railroad.
在纪念馆的旁边，是一所以詹天佑名字命名的小学，一个绿色小花园将故居和学校连接在一起，花园内建有微型的“人”字铁路和“八达岭长城”，这是对“中国铁路之父”詹天佑的
纪念。
Vocabulary 轻松学单词
residence [rezd()ns] n. 住宅，住处；居住
Please fit up a house for my residence.
请准备一间房子供我居住。
dedicate [dedket] vt. 致力；献身；题献
She vowed to herself that she would dedicate her life to scientific studies.
她默默地发誓要献身于科学研究。
award [wd] vt. 授予；判定n. 奖品；判决
This new invention won the highest award.
这项新发明获得最高奖。
appoint [pnt] vt. 任命；指定；约定vi. 任命；委派
The president has appointed a civilian as defence secretary.
总统任命了一位平民做国防部长。
rugged [rgd] adj. 崎岖的；坚固的；高低不平的；粗糙的
We were hobbled through the rugged depression.
我们深一脚浅一脚地穿过了那块高低不平的洼地。
imperial [mprl] adj. 帝国的；皇帝的；至高无上的；威严的
Imperial sovereignty rests on a mixed constitution.
帝国的主权基于一种复杂的构成。
Skeptical [skptkl] adj. 怀疑的；怀疑论的，不可知论的
He is skeptical about everything.
他对于一切事都持怀疑的态度。
honorary [ n()(r)r] dj. 荣誉的；名誉的；道义上的n. 名誉学位；获名誉学位者；名誉团体
Harvard awarded him an honorary degree.
哈佛大学授予他荣誉学位。
commemorate [kmemret] vt. 庆祝，纪念；成为······的纪念
The city commissioned a monument to commemorate the battle.
该市委托人修建了一座纪念碑以纪念这次战役。
establish [stbl] vt. 建立；创办；安置
We had already established contact with the museum.
我们已经与那个博物馆建立了联系。
track [trk] n. 轨道；足迹，踪迹；小道vt. 追踪；通过；循路而行；用纤拉
The wheel plays in a track.
轮子在轨道上转动。
storey [str] n. [建] 楼层；叠架的一层
There’s a nine-storey apartment building next to the bank.
银行旁边有一座九层高的公寓大楼。
couch [kat] n. 睡椅，长沙发；床；卧榻vi. 蹲伏，埋伏；躺着vt. 使躺下；表达；弯下
When I came home， all I wanted to do was to crash and burn on the couch.
当我回家时，我想做的就是一头栽进沙发睡一大觉。
initial [nl] adj. 最初的；字首的vt. 用姓名的首字母签名
n. 词首大写字母
After the initial cheers， the noise of the crowd began to die away as the group started playing.
开始的欢呼声结束以后，乐队开始演奏，人们的喧闹声也随之逐渐消失。
Dialogue 对话
Carol：
Hello， Peter. It’s the first time to see you after the summer vacation！
Peter：
Hello， Carol. I miss you so much！ How is your summer holiday
Carol：
It couldn’t be better. I’ve been to many places of interests in Guangzhou.
Peter：
Wow， bravo！ What’s your most impressive place
Carol：
Of course， the Jeme Tien Yow’s Former Residence. You know， Jeme Tien Yow is a great railroad engineer in Chinese history and made a significant contribution to our country.
Peter：
Yes， yes， I’ve heard his prodigious feats before. We should look up to him as an example.
Carol：
You are exactly right！ I have a lot to tell you about my holiday stories. Let’s have a drink.
Peter：
OK， let’s go.
卡罗：
你好，皮特。这是暑假之后我第一次见你！
皮特：
你好，卡罗。我好想你啊！暑假过得怎么样？
卡罗：
太棒了！我去了很多广州的名胜古迹。
皮特：
哇！棒极了！你印象最深的是哪个地方？
卡罗：
当然要数詹天佑纪念馆啦！你知道詹天佑是中国历史上伟大的铁路工程师，为我们国家做出了巨大贡献。
皮特：
是啊，是啊。我以前听过他的丰功伟绩，我们应该以他为榜样。
卡罗：
你说的太对了！我有好多暑假的故事想要告诉你呢，我们去喝一杯吧！
皮特：
好啊，我们走吧！
背景知识：（background knowledge）
“人”字形铁路
从南口北上要穿过崇山峻岭，坡度很大，按照国际的一般设计施工方法，铁路每升高1米，就要经过100米的斜坡，这样的坡道长达10多公里。为了缩短线路、降低费用，詹天佑大胆创新，设计了“人”字形铁路线路，为了安全、平稳，北上的火车到了南口以后，就用两个火车头，一个前面拉，一个在后边推，过了青龙桥，火车向东北方向前进，进入了“人”字形铁路线路的岔道口后，就倒过来，原先推的火车头改成拉，而原先拉的火车头又改成推，使火车向西北前进，这样一来火车上山爬坡就容易多了。在20世纪初时的如此大胆的设计，在中国铁路建筑史上，是一个不小创举。