英语博客:Queens and Princesses

For 90 years, Wenatchee has celebrated¹ the Apple Blossom² Festival. It is a huge event that takes place, as the title suggests, in Spring. At that time of year, the valley becomes full of the color(our) and smell of pink apple blossoms³. The festival celebrates not only the beauty of Spring, but the community that has been built around the apple tree, and the lives that the orchards⁴ support. A queen and two princesses are chosen from many High School age girls who apply. To become one of the royalty⁵, there are some tough prerequisites⁶. You can't just be a pretty face. You have to be a well-rounded individual, intelligent, involved in the community, and focused on several hobbies and causes. This year's royalty have just been chosen. They will be seen, from now on, in the newspaper, and in shops and businesses, making appearances and having their photographs taken. There is a great reward for becoming one of the royalty, as well, scholarships for college! When education is so expensive, that is a tremendous benefit. There are many other areas of preparation for Apple Blossom that take months of hard work. There will be a large parade downtown, a kids parade, a food fare, and a whole host of activities and events that involve the whole community. The festival is big business! It attracts 100,000 people every year, providing a great whoosh⁷ for the economy. At the entrance to Wenatchee, there is a sign that says, "The Apple Capital of the World". Though the economy has changed in recent years, and even the orchards, the Apple Blossom festival celebrates the roots of the community, and its human and natural resources. So, when I stand on the sidewalk with all the other people on the day of the parade, I will make sure that I give the queen and princesses a very enthusiastic wave.

Grammar notes.

Related vocabulary: prerequisites, well-rounded, a cause, to make an appearance.

1. The prerequisites for the psychology⁸ course are: general sciences, mathematics, and English.

2. He is a well rounded student. He is academic yet sporty, social yet focused.

3. A famous actor made an appearance at the local bookshop to sign books.

 

1 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

2 blossom   

n.花，开花；vi.开花，发展

参考例句：

• The blossom on the trees looks lovely in springtime.春天树上的花很漂亮。
• Let a hundred flowers blossom,let a hundred schools of thought contend.百花齐放，百家争鸣。

3 blossoms   

n.（尤指果树的）花( blossom的名词复数 )；花丛，花簇v.（植物）开花( blossom的第三人称单数 )；发展；长成；变得更加健康（或自信、成功）

参考例句：

• It was springtime and the slopes were ablaze with almond blossoms. 时当春季，怒放的扁桃花使那片山坡鲜红似火。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The spring comes and peach blossoms [flowers] are all open. 春天了，桃花都开了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 orchards   

（通常指围起来的）果园( orchard的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They turned the hills into orchards and plains into granaries. 他们把山坡变成了果园，把平地变成了粮仓。
• Some of the new planted apple orchards have also begun to bear. 有些新开的苹果园也开始结苹果了。

5 royalty   

n.皇家，皇族

参考例句：

• She claims to be descended from royalty.她声称她是皇室后裔。
• I waited on tables，and even catered to royalty at the Royal Albert Hall.我做过服务生， 甚至在皇家阿伯特大厅侍奉过皇室的人。

6 prerequisites   

先决条件，前提( prerequisite的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Good muscles are one of the prerequisites of physical fitness. 肌肉发达是身体健康的一个必备条件。
• One of the outstanding prerequisites of any city is a local transportation system. 本地运输系统是任何城市的突出前提条件之一。

7 whoosh   

v.飞快地移动，呼

参考例句：

• It goes whoosh up and whoosh down.它呼一下上来了，呼一下又下去了。
• Whoosh!The straw house falls down.呼！稻草房子倒了。

8 psychology   

n.心理，心理学，心理状态

参考例句：

• She has a background in child psychology.她受过儿童心理学的教育。
• He studied philosophy and psychology at Cambridge.他在剑桥大学学习哲学和心理学。