托福阅读机经背景：美国人种树纪念内战阵亡军人

1、智课网TOEFL备考资料托福阅读机经背景：美国人种树纪念内战阵亡军人 The U.S. Civil War was the bloodiest war in American history. From 1861 to 1865, at least 620,000 soldiers died in the fighting. The war was fought between the states of the North - the Union, and the South - the Confederacy, which were divided over states rights,

2、including slavery. Now 150 years later, the soldiers who died are being memorialized through a tree planting project that will span four eastern states where many of the battles took place. 美国南北战争是美国历史上最血腥的战争。从1861年到1865年， 至少有62万人死在战场上， 交战的北方联邦和南方邦联在奴隶制和州的权利等问题上意见分歧。150年后的今天，为了纪念南北战争的阵亡将士，美国一个团体在东部四

3、个州展开植树活动。 These are the faces of soldiers who were pitted against one another during the U.S. Civil War. More than half the soldiers died and most are no longer remembered. 美国南北战争期间，参战者有一半战死沙场，大多数人已被忘怀。 Now the group Journey Through Hallowed Ground is keeping their memory alive by planting trees, or

4、 dedicating existing trees, to each of those soldiers. Trees are being planted along a 290-kilometer road from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania - where the most famous battle occurred - to the home in Virginia of Thomas Jefferson, the third U.S. president. Beth Erickson is with the organization. 现在美国一个名为“通过

5、圣地之旅”的团体决定用植树来纪念内战的军人。从南北军队浴血奋战的东北部宾夕法尼亚州著名的盖茨堡战场到南方维吉尼亚州美国第三任总统杰佛逊的故乡，他们在沿途290公里的道路两旁种树，或是以现有的一棵树来纪念某位阵亡将士。 “Each tree is a life," said Erickson. "As you see these trees one after another, it will truly make an impact.” “通过圣地之旅”的副主席贝斯.埃里克森说，“每颗树都是一个生命。 这些树，一棵接一棵，会有影响，会让人记起那些阵亡将士。 The firs

6、t trees were planted in November on a former plantation called Oatlands in Leesburg, Virginia. Today, the early 19th century home is owned by a historic trust. 第一批树是在维吉尼亚州立斯堡的一个名叫奥特兰斯的前庄园里种下的。这个19世纪建造的房子目前归一个历史文物保护基金会所有。 Andrea McGimsey, Executive Director of Oatlands, says the estate was a natural

7、place to begin the tree project. “Oatlands has some very old trees and they were here during the Civil War time. Many of them are actually going to be adopted as part of this project,” she explained. 奥特兰斯管理委员会的执行总裁安德里亚.麦克吉姆斯说，植树活动从这里开始是很自然的。 她说：“奥特兰斯有一些内战时期的老树。作为项目的一部分，这些树，很多都会被用来纪念内战的阵亡军人。” McGimse

8、y says Oatlands was also part of civil war history. “Oatlands had 128 slaves in 1860, right before the Civil War started. And also the family who lived here had two sons who joined the Confederate Army,” she added. 麦克吉姆斯还说， 奥特兰斯本身就是南北战争历史的一部分：“1860年内战爆发前，奥特兰斯庄园有128个奴隶，庄园主的两个儿子都参加了邦联军。” Richard Willi

9、ams, the grandson of the last family that lived in the house, says one of his ancestors was a famous Confederate general. His family still owns property next to Oatlands, and they too are involved in planting the trees. 理查德.威廉姆斯的祖父一家是最后一个居住在奥特兰斯的家庭。威廉姆斯说，他的祖先中有一位著名的邦联军的将军。他的家庭仍然拥有奥特兰斯附近的地产，他们也参与了植树活

10、动。 “Were hoping as private landowners we can also show its a great success and encourage some other private landowners,” Williams stated. 他说： “作为私人土地所有者，我们希望能够显示这个计划很成功， 并鼓励其他土地所所有者参与植树活动。 The $65 million project is being financed through private contributions, in which individuals can also help by

11、donating $100 for a tree. The trees will be geotagged to allow Smart Phone users to learn the story of a soldier. 纪念内战阵亡将士的植树活动耗资6500万美元， 这笔钱都由私人捐献。赞助一棵树需要捐款100美元。每颗树都有地理标记，人们可以在智能手机上看到这棵树所纪念的那位内战士兵的故事。 “These trees will have a number associated with a person. They can use GPS technology to find out

12、 who these people were,” Erickson noted. “通过圣地之旅”的副主席贝斯.埃里克森说：“每颗树纪念一个军人，每颗树都有一个号码，人们用全球定位系统技术就能查到这些军人是谁。” Eleanor Adams has contributed a tree to honor her ancestor, Joseph McGowan, a 23-year-old Confederate soldier from the southern state of Alabama who was shot and killed. He fought, along with s

13、everal brothers, only two of whom survived the war. 埃莉诺.亚当姆斯捐助了一棵树，纪念她的一位祖先，来自南方阿拉巴马州的23岁的约瑟夫.麦克加文。他在战场上中弹身亡。约瑟夫.麦克加文的几个兄弟跟他一起参军，只有两个活着回来。麦克加文在给家人的信中，谈到战场上的苦难。 McGowan wrote letters to his family about the hardships on the battlefield. “He talks about sickness, the heat in the summertime, the bad food - really a tough time being a soldier in those days,” she said. 埃莉诺.亚当姆斯：“他谈到疾病，夏天的高温，糟糕的食物，那时候的士兵确实很苦。” Adams hopes other relatives will join her in planting trees for the