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Do you know where a mule comes from?
你知道骡子是从哪来的吗？
It is the child of a donkey and a horse.
它是驴和马的后代。
Mules have strong muscles like horses, but they eat less, can work longer, and are gentler, like donkeys.
骡子有着像马一样健壮的肌肉，但是吃的更少，工作更久，并且更温顺，像驴子一样。
George Washington was the first person in the United States to own mules.
乔治·华盛顿是美国第一个拥有骡子的人。
He had heard that mules made good farm animals and he contacted the US ambassador in Spain to ask about them.
他听说骡子是很好的农场帮手，所以他联系了美国的西班牙大使馆并向他们咨询。
In 1785, King Charles III of Spain sent Washington a male donkey as a gift.
在1785年，西班牙国王查尔斯三世送了一头公驴给乔治·华盛顿当礼物。
That male donkey became the father of the mule industry in the US.
那头公驴成为了美国骡子产业之父。
Every April, Maury County holds a Mule Day celebration.
每年四月，马里郡都会举行骡子节庆祝活动。
Held in Columbia, Tennessee, Mule Day had its beginning as "Breeder's Day" in the 1840s.
在田纳西州的哥伦比亚市，骡子节开始于19世纪40年代的“繁殖日”。
Farmers and farm animal breeders would bring their animals to market every April to show, buy, and trade.
农场主和农场里饲养员会带着他们的动物到市场来展示、购买和交易。
This was an important business before the days of tractors,
在没有拖拉机的年代，
when many families made a living from farming and mules were used as work animals.
那时大部分家庭还是用牲口来耕地，这是一个很重要产业。
Eventually, tractors began to replace mules, making them less in demand.
最终，拖拉机取代了骡子，骡子的需求量下降。
A parade was added to Mule Day in 1934 to attract more people.
1934年，为了吸引更多的人，骡子节增加了游行。
Over the years other activities have been added and today more than 200,000 people show up each year to watch and participate.
后来几年，骡子节有了更多的活动。如今，超过二十万人来参加或者观看骡子节。
If you visit the Mule Day celebrations,
如果你去参加骡子节，
you might see mule-driving contests, square dances, horse shows, or even tree-cutting competitions.
你会看到骑骡子比赛，广场舞，马秀，甚至修剪树的比赛。
Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.
请根据你刚刚听到的文章回答问题22至问题25。
Question 22: What does the speaker say about mules?
问题22：讲话者说了关于骡子的什么？
Question 23: What do we learn about the donkey which is said to be the father of the U.S. mule industry?
问题23：我们可以了解据说是美国骡子之父的驴的什么信息？
Question 24: What did farmers usually do on Mule Day in the 1840s?
问题24：在19世纪40年代的骡子节，农民通常做些什么?
Question 25: What made mules less in demand in America?
问题25：是什么导致骡子在美国的需求减少？
