Cecilia
加拿大國土面積很大,非常大,就連它的名字也很“大”。它的國土面積居世界第二,人口卻不足中國的一個省份。
加拿大是一個移民國家,只有四百來年的歷史,但它的美是世界公認的。街道旁,公園里,山巒上,峽谷中,色彩繽紛的楓葉飛舞,歡迎著世界各地的朋友們。
“楓葉”和“白雪”可能是最能代表加拿大的標識。因此,從小生活在寒冷的楓葉國,加拿大人習慣了冰天雪地。零下10度對他們來說,根本不叫冷;零下20度可以稱之為“cold”;而零下30度,他們才會聳聳肩說“freezing”。
本期“大千世界”,我們一起走進美麗的楓葉之國——加拿大。
Canada is famous for being “the Maple1 Country”.
Sugar maple is the national tree of Canada. And maple leaves that grow on the maple trees, are the typical symbol of Canada. The symbol is on Canadian national flags, and on most Canadian-style logos. When people see the red maple leaf, they are probably thinking of Canada.
According to many historians2, the maple leaf began to serve as a Canadian symbol as early as 1700. Long before the first European explorers went to Canada, Canadas aboriginal(土著)peoples had discovered the tasty treat of maple sap3, which they gathered every spring. With years passing by, the maple leaf started to appear on decorations, in books and Canadian coins. And since 1965, the big red maple leaf has been the center of the Canadian flag. Maple leaf pins and badges4(別針和徽章) are worn by Canadians almost everywhere they go. In 1996, the maple tree was officially the national symbol of Canada.
Today, maples are still valuable wood products. They sustain5 the maple sugar industry and beautify Canada.
加拿大素有“楓葉之國”的美譽。
糖楓是加拿大的國樹。長在楓樹之上極具特色的楓葉,則是加拿大的象征。不僅加拿大國旗上有楓葉,各種加拿大風格的圖標上,楓葉也比比皆是。人們一看到楓葉,自然就會想到加拿大這個國家。
據(jù)歷史學家們研究,早在1700年,楓葉就作為加拿大的標志而存在了。在歐洲人到訪加拿大之前,當?shù)赝林鸵呀?jīng)發(fā)現(xiàn)楓樹汁液的美味之處,于是每年春天都會進行采集。隨著時間流逝,楓葉開始出現(xiàn)在裝飾品上、相關(guān)書目中,最終登上了加拿大硬幣。自1965年起,加拿大國旗正中央就繪上了巨大的紅色楓葉圖案。不管加拿大人去哪里,他們都會佩戴楓葉徽章、紀念章等。1996年,加拿大正式將楓葉定為國家的象征。
直到今天,楓樹仍然是高級木制品原材料。它們支撐著楓糖產(chǎn)業(yè),也讓加拿大變得更加美麗。