书城外语课外英语-美国各洲小知识(一)(双语版)
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第1章 阿拉巴马州(1)

阿拉巴马州小档案:

人口:约4,700,000

面积:约133,667平方公里,排名第29位

州府:蒙哥马利Montgomery

阿拉巴马州名称来自印地安语,其意义为:“披荆斩棘”I clear the thicket。

1699年,本州是法属路易斯安那省之一部。1763年割与英国。1817年,成为美国领土。1819年12月14日,列为美国第22州。

本州别名“金色啄木鸟之州”Yellowhammer State.本州箴言为“我们敢于保卫自己的权利”We Dare Defend Our Rights,以山茶花Camellia为州花。本州州府蒙哥马利Montgomery,位于本州中南部。大商港木比耳Mobile在木比耳湾头。港口每年吞吐量达4000万吨。大工业都市伯明罕在本州中北部,附近产铁、煤与石灰,易于发展钢铁工业。近年来,由南美州大量输入铁矿砂。本市之北有一座小山,其上有一座用铁铸成的巨大神像,叫做“冶铁之神”,充分显示钢铁工业进展之迅速。本州著名大学为阿拉巴马大学,创于1820年,分设于土斯卡鲁沙Tuscaloosa,伯明罕及亨次维尔。

本州特征有二:第一,阿帕拉契山地最南端位于本州之内。阿拉巴马河流域也在本州之内。第二,本州之伯明罕Birmingham,是美国南部各州中最大之钢铁都市。本州原来是一个农业州,并且是往昔重要产棉之州。由于发生害虫,破坏棉铃,乃发展工业,现今已成为大工业之州。例如位于本州北部田纳西河流域之亨次维尔Huntsville,是美国太空器材制造中心之一。本州土质肥美(有名之黑土带),宜于植棉。田纳西河由东向西流,横贯本州北部,水电事业迅速发展,对于本州工业之兴起,大有帮助。南部之阿拉巴马河与顿比比河,南流注入墨西哥湾。这两条河以兴筑多座水库,用来发电与灌溉。本州东北部产煤、铁、铝土与石油。林区面积约占本州面积65%。锯木业及制纸业甚盛。主要作物为花生、大豆、大核桃及棉。

Introduction简介

本套书共50册,分为美国各州的小知识,七彩缤纷的音符,优美好看的小散文,开心时分的短文,经典流传的寓言,超级高效的短句,实际有用的词汇等等在这些书中,备有单词解释,相关简介,或中文翻译,便于同学们更好的阅读和理解,真正进入文字的内涵当中,准确地和文字进行交流。主要介绍阿拉巴马州、阿拉斯加州、亚利桑那州和阿肯色州的概况、州长、州鸟、州花、州旗、州歌以及相关资料,附有话里话外部分,主要介绍美国概况。

Alabama received its name from the Alabama River,which in turn was named after a Native American tribe that inhabited the region at the time the first Europeans arrived.The name is believed to be a combination of two Choctaw words roughly meaning vegetation (alba)and gatherer (amo),which were applied to the Alabama,or Alibamon,people.On December 12,1819the state of Alabama,also known as the “Heart of Dixie”became the 22nd state admitted into the Untied States of America.The Alabama state flag has a white background with a St.Andrews cross (large red X)in the foreground(前景).The word Alabama comes from a Native American language,believed to be Choctaw (乔克托语的),which is translated to,“I clear the thicket.”Alabama sits on the Gulf of Mexico and has several popular tourist destinations along the coast and in further inland as well.

Alabama played a significant role in the development of the space program.The rocket used by Apollo 11,the first successful flight to the moon,was designed and built in Alabama.The first NASA Space Flight Center was built in Alabama and the first director of the center was an Alabama native.His name was Dr.Wernher Von Braun and he led the U.S.Space program until June 1972.There are still many places throughout Alabama which ties to the Space Program including a Space Camp facility.

Although many people associated Mardi Gras with Louisiana,it was actually the state of Alabama that brought the tradition of the Mardi Gras Festival to the U.S.

In 1703,the city of Mobile was a French Colony.The soldiers of this colony had just survived a particularly bad yellow fever epidemic and decided to celebrate.So they painted their faces and partied!It became an annual event.In 1840a group known as the Cowbellion de Rakin Society transformed the party into a celebration and parade (游行,阅兵).Since then the Festival of Lent,or Mardi Gras,has just continued to grow.Every year during the months of February and March the streets of Mobile come alive with music,color and fun.

A few Alabamian towns and cities still maintain an air of informal dignity and charm characteristic of the Old South,supported by prosperous(繁荣的)cotton plantations.This popular image,however,was never wholly true of Alabama and is far less so now.Although cotton is still an important crop,corn,peanuts(花生),soybeans(大豆),and other crops,with pasture grasses and woodlands,have taken over much of the former cotton lands.Modern agricultural machinery([总称]机械)has replaced mules and picking cotton by hand.

The most marked change in Alabama,however,has been its comparatively(比较地,相当地)rapid industrialization,particularly in the second half of the 20th century.In the northwest the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)program of hydroelectric power production,begun in the 1930s,fostered the growth of giant fertilizer,munitions(军需品),and aluminum([化]铝)industries.Similar industrial expansion has occurred in central and southwestern areas,including around Birmingham,the states largest city.

Governor州长

鲍勃·里利州长出生在阿拉巴马州的Ashland的克莱县的小镇上,他家已有六代在那里靠农场和农田生活。20岁时从阿拉巴马大学毕业,获工商管理硕士学位。之后他回到家乡和他高中同学结了婚,并且和他的兄弟做起了买鸡蛋的小本生意。这个小型家庭买卖逐渐变成了东南地区最大的综合家禽加工基地之一。32岁时他成功开办了一家货运公司、汽车代理、一家房地产公司、一家杂货店和一家小药房。在2003年1月20日当选为阿拉巴马州第52任州长。

Governor Bob Riley was sworn into office as Alabamas 52nd chief executive on Jan.20,2003,after representing the state for six years in the United States Congress.

Governor Riley comes into office during troubling financial times within the states education,correction,and transportation systems,along with several other agencies.He has pledged (保证,发誓)a host of reforms,from constitutional to budgetary (预算的),to reshape Alabamas government into a model of efficiency (效率,功效)and competency (资格,能力).

“Alabamas government was established to serve the citizens,not the system,”Gov.Riley said.“I believe that as a nations first responsibility is to defend its people,a states first responsibility is to educate its young.”

Governor Riley has appointed successful and proven leaders to head the various state agencies needing urgent attention,and has recruited a worldclass staff to help implement(贯彻)his many proposals for change.

Governor Riley was born and raised in the small Clay County town of Ashland,Alabama where his family has lived on ranches (大农场)and farms for six generations.

After graduating from the University of Alabama at the age of 20with a degree in Business Administration,he returned to his hometown,married his high school sweetheart and started a small business with his brother selling eggs doortodoor.That small,familyowned venture grew to become one of the largest integrated poultry (家禽)operations in the Southeast.

For 32years,Governor Riley ran a number of successful businesses including a trucking (货车运输)company,a car dealership (n.代理权,经销权),a real estate company,a grocery store and a small pharmacy (药房).Hes also been a cattleman for the last 25years,having more than 400head of cattle on his Ashland ranch.