哥特风格携带浓重的宗教色彩，这使她超越了单纯的艺术表现，也比中世纪其他的文化收获更叫人叹为观止。她有高耸入云的尖塔，棱纹拱顶；她大多是教堂；她的代表作品就是大家熟悉的巴黎圣母院
Many persified1 characteristics will help identify a structure as Gothic: ogee archways, ribbed vaults2, and the wondrous3 flying buttresses4 are a few. Yet, it is always the craft placed high above, which captures our eyes and imaginations most effectively.
Since all works of religious art rise beyond mere5 artistic6 expression, bearing potent7 symbolic8 reference, we must accept that our attention was intended to be focused upwards9. Within the span of the passing centuries, the cathedrals of the Middle Ages themselves rise up above other cultural achievements. At the center of these towering legacies10 resides Notre Dame11 de Paris, Our Lady.
重点词语
Gothic a. 哥特式的
ogee n. 弯曲，S形
archway n. 拱门，拱道
vault n. 拱顶
ribbed a. 有棱纹的，有肋骨的
buttress n. （建筑）扶壁
few n. 极少数，几乎没
cathedral n. 大教堂
the Middle Ages n. 中世纪
potent a. 有力的，有效的
legacy n. 祖先传下的遗产
towering a. 高耸的，杰出的
reside v. 居住
Notre Dame de Paris n. 巴黎圣母院