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1.Thevastexpanse of the United States ofAmerica stretchesfromthe heavilyindustrialized, metropolitan Atlanticseaboardacrossthe rich flat farmsofthe centralplains,overthe Rocky Mountainstothefertile west coast, thenhalfway acrossthe Pacifictothebalmy island-state of Hawaii. The American scene awes the viewerwithboth itsvarietyand size. The continental United States (not counting outlyingAlaska andHawaii) measures, 4,500 kilometersfromits AtlantictoPacific coasts, 2,575 kilometersfromCanadatoMexico. The entirenation (all 50 states)coversan area of 9million square kilometersandhasa population of 220 million people.
1、美利坚合众国的辽阔地域(vast expanse)，从高度工业化、遍布大都市的大西洋沿岸(Atlantic seaboard)，延伸至中部平原肥沃平坦的农场，越过洛矶山脉，到达富饶的(fertile)西海岸，然后横跨半个太平洋(the Pacific)到达气候温和的(balmy)由群岛组成的夏威夷州。来美国观光的人无不赞叹(awe)这块土地幅员广阔、多姿多彩（variety）。美国大陆(不包括远离本土的(outlying)阿拉斯加和夏威夷)从大西洋沿岸到太平洋海岸的距离为4500公里，从加拿大到墨西哥的距离为2575公里。全国50个州的总面积为900万平方公里，人口为2.2亿。
2.The sparsely settled, far-northern state of Alaskais the largest of America's 50 states(in many countriestheywould be calledprovinces). It ismore than two and ahalf timesthe size of Sichuan province, Texas, in the southern part ofthe country, is secondin size.Texas ishalf the size ofAlaska.
2、人口稀少的(the sparsely settled)阿拉斯加州位于美国的最北部，在全国50个州(在很多国家叫做省(province))中，它的面积最大，比中国四川省的两倍半还大。南部的得克萨斯州的面积是第二位，只有阿拉斯加州的一半大。
3. A land of heavyforests(311 million hectares) and barren deserts, of high-peakedmountains(McKinleyrisesto6,300 meters) and deep canyons, America also enjoys bountiful rivers and lakes. The broad MississippiRiver system, famed in song and legend, meanders 6,400 kilometersfrom Canada to the Gulf of Mexicothe world's third longest riverafterthe Nile and Amazon.A canal in the north joinsthe Mississippitothe five Great Lakes-theworld's largest inland water transportation routeandthe biggest body of fresh water in the world.
3、除许多茂密的森林(达3.11亿公顷(hectare))、荒芜的沙漠、多高峰的山脉(麦金莱山海拔6300米)和深深的峡谷(canyon)以外，美国还有（enjoy 享有）很多美丽的河流和湖泊。为很多民歌和传说(legend)所传颂(famed)的宽阔的(broad)密西西比河水系，从加拿大蜿蜒曲折(meander)6400公里，流入墨西哥湾，是除尼罗河、亚马孙河以外的世界第三大河。北部的一条运河(canal)将世界上最长的内河航线(inland watertransportation route)-密西西比河同世界上最大的淡水群-五大湖连接在一起(join)。
4.America'searlysettlers were attractedby the fertile land andvaried climates it offered for farming. Today,with121 million hectares under cultivation, American farmersplantspring wheatonthe cold western plain; they raise corn andfine beef cattlein the central plains, andricein the damp heat ofLouisiana.Florida and California are famous for their citrus fruits andtropicalavocados;the cool rainy northeastern states(arefamous)forapples, pears, berriesand vegetables.
4、适于农业的肥沃土地和各种不同的气候吸引了早期来美洲的移民(settlers)。现在美国的耕地达1.21亿公顷。美国农场主在寒冷的西部平原上种植春小麦(spring wheat)，在中部平原上种植玉米、饲养良种肉牛(fine beef cattle)，在气候湿热的(the damp heat)路易斯安那州种植水稻。佛罗里达州和加利福尼亚州以盛产柑橘和热带鳄梨闻名，凉爽多雨(coolrainy)的东北各州则以苹果、梨、莓和蔬菜而著称。
5. Underground,a wealth ofminerals providesa solid base for American industry.History has glamorized the gold rushestoCalifornia and Alaska, andthe silverfindsinNevada.YetAmerica'syearly production of gold ($140million) and silver ($150 million)isnow valuedfar less thanthe oil ($25,000 million), copper, iron, coal and other mineralsit mines. Texas, a bigoil-producer in the southwest,aloneaccounts forone-fifththe value of allU.S. mineralproduction.
5、丰富的地下矿藏(underground, a wealth ofminerals)是美国工业的坚实基础(a solid base forAmerican industry)。美国历史虽然曾对加利福尼亚州和阿拉斯加州的淘金热(thegold rushes)以及内华达州银矿的发现(the silver finds)作过动人的描绘(has glamorized)，然而(yet)美国当今的黄金年产值(1.4亿美元)和白银年产值(1.5亿美元)都大大低于(far less)石油(250亿美元)、铜、铁、煤及其他开采的（it mines）金属。得克萨斯州是西南部主要的产油州(a big oil-producer in thesouthwest)，仅该州的石油总产值就占美国矿产品产值的五分之一(one-fifth)。
6. Americahaslongbeen known asa "melting pot,"forit is a nation ofimmigrants fromall over the world.The firstto arrive-from Siberia,morethan 10,000 years ago,it isbelieved-were the American Indians. Today theynumbernearly 850,000;halfliveon landset aside for them in 31 states;theresthave"melted" inwiththe rest of America'snearly220 million population.
6、美国历来以“熔炉(各种族融合的国家)”(melting pot)而著称，因为(for)这个国家的人口是由世界各地来的移民所组成的。最早的移民是美洲印第安人，据信(it is believed)是一万余年前从西伯利亚来的。现今印第安人约有(number)85万，其中一半人居住在31个州内为他们专门划出的土地上（onland set aside for them），其余的人已“融入”全美国的近2.2亿人口中。
7. Europe, the major source of immigration,began sendingcolonists to America in the early 17th century.Tens of millions flooded to America's shores from Europebetween 1880 andthe First World War.The next largest group of Americanstracetheir ancestry toAfrica, black peoplenowconstitute over 11 percent of the population.The melting pothas alsoabsorbed nearly 600,000Japanese,half a millionChineseand 340,000Filipinos. Many live in Hawaii, more thantwo-thirds ofwhosepeople boast onAsian or Polynesian heritage.
7、(1)欧洲这个移民的主要来源地，在17世纪初就开始输送殖民地开拓者来(colonists)到美洲。从1880年到第一次世界大战，有几千万（tens of millions）人从欧洲涌上(flood to)美洲海岸。(2)美国第二大族群的祖先(ancestry)可追溯到非洲；黑人现在占美国人口的百分之十一(2420万人)。这个多种族融合的国家还吸收(absorb)了近60万日本人、50万中国人和34万菲律宾人。很多移民生活在夏威夷，超过三分之二的夏威夷居民自称(boast)为亚洲人和波利尼西亚人的后裔(heritage)。
8.Oncea nation of farmers,the United Stateshas becomeincreasinglyurban since the turn of the last century.Todaythree out of fourAmericans live in towns, cities or suburbs. Two-thirds of allfamilieslive inseparate households, and 65 percent own their homes.
8、美国一度曾是农场主的国家，自进入上世纪以来（since the turn of the last century）日益城市化(increasingly urban)。如今，四分之三(three out of four)的美国人居住在城镇、城市及市郊(suburbs)。三分之二的家庭独立成户，百分之六十五的家庭拥有自己的住宅。
9. Americans are alwayson the move. Each year,onein every five Americansleaves home and jobto find new onessomewhereelse. The population is shifting ever westward. California recently passed New Yorkasthe mostpopulous state, although New York City (population: 8 million)and Chicago (3 million) are stilllargerthanCalifornia's largest city, Los Angeles.
9、美国人口的流动性很大。每年，每五个美国人中就有一个(one in every fiveAmericans)离开家和工作到别处(somewhere else)去安家和找新的工作。人口总是流向西部。(The population is shiftingever westward.)加利福尼亚州最近已超过纽约州成为美国人口最多的一个州，虽然纽约市(人口为800万)和芝加哥市(300万)的人口仍然多过加利福尼亚州最大的城市洛杉矶。
10. The nation's capital, Washington, is ninthin size,witha population of over700,000.Laid out by Frencharchitect PierreL'Enfant in the late 18th century, it wastheworld's first cityespeciallyplannedasa center of government.
10、美国首都华盛顿的面积(in size)在全国的城市中为第九位，人口70余万。它在18世纪末(in the late 18th century)由法国建筑师(architect)皮埃尔·朗方设计（lay out），是世界上专门作为一个政府中心而规划设计的(especially planned as a center ofgovernment)第一个城市。
* FromFacts & FiguresUSA by USICA 选自美国国会新闻署《美国的事实与数字》。
