Smoke billows as flames burn through the roof of the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral on April 15, 2019. [Photo:AFP/Fabien Barrau]

French President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to rebuild(重建 chóngjiàn) Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, after a colossal fire tore through the building(建筑 jiànzhú), sending the spire(尖塔 jiāntǎ) crashing to the ground and wiping out centuries of heritage.

French President Emmanuel Macron (C) is accompanied by Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo (3L), French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe (L), French Culture Minister Franck Riester (2L) and Archbishop of Paris Michel Aupetit as he speaks at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019, after a fire engulfed the building. [Photo: AFP/Philippe Wojazer]

Macron expressed relief that "the worst had been avoided(避免 bìmiǎn)" in a blaze that had at one point threatened the entire edifice, and left France in shock over the damage to a building described as the soul of the nation.

Flames rise from Notre Dame cathedral as it burns in Paris, Monday, April 15, 2019. [Photo:AP]

The inferno destroyed the roof(屋顶 wūdǐng) of the 850-year-old UNESCO world heritage landmark(地标dìbiāo), whose spectacular Gothic spire collapsed as orange flames and clouds of grey smoke billowed into the sky.

A fire fighter uses a hose as Notre Dame cathedral is burning in Paris, Monday, April 15, 2019. [Photo: AP]

Around 400 firefighters battled into the night to control(控制 kòngzhì) the flames(火势 huǒshì), declaring in the early hours of Tuesday that the fire was under control, around nine hours after it broke out.

People pray as Notre Dame cathedral burns in Paris, Monday, April 15, 2019. [Photo: AP/Christophe Ena]

Paris fire brigade chief Jean-Claude Gallet said "we can consider that the main structure(结构 jiégòu) of Notre-Dame has been saved and preserved" as well as the two towers.

重点词汇 Key word:

火

• <名词 n.> fire
  E.g. Dàhuǒ zài xùnsù mànyán.
  大火在迅速蔓延。
  The fire was spreading quickly.

• <副词 adv.> urgently
  E.g. Dàpī yīwù rényuán huǒsù gǎn wǎng chūshì dìdiǎn.
  大批医务人员火速赶往出事地点。
  Large numbers of medical workers hurried to the spot of the accident.

• <名词 n.> anger; temper
  E.g. Nǐ zěnme zhème dà de huǒ'er?
  你怎么这么大的火儿?
  Why are you in such a temper?

• <形容词 adj.> flourishing; thriving
  E.g. Shēngyì hěn huǒ.
  生意很火。
  Business is brisk.