美国西部探险 第2期:印第安人

 　　Chapter One The First Americans: The Indians

　　第一章 最早的美国人：印第安人

　　The American Indians came from Asia about 40,000 years ago!

　　美国印第安人大约从4万年前来自亚洲！

　　They crossed the Bering Strait. Then they went down to North and South America.

　　他们驶过白令海峡，然后一直到美国的北部和南部。

　　About 20 million Indians lived in America when the first explorers arrived.

　　当首批探险者抵达时，大约有2000万印第安人生活在美国。

　　These Indians lived in many different tribes. Every tribe had a chief.

　　这些印第安人生活在许多不同的部落里，每个部落有一个首领。

　　The Indians and the explorers were friends.

　　印第安人和探险者成为了朋友。

　　The Indians taught the explorers how to grow corn, potatoes and tobacco.

　　印第安人教探险者如何种植玉米，土豆和西红柿。

　　They taught them how to travel by canoe in the wilderness¹.

　　他们（印第安人）教探险者如何在荒野中乘独木舟而行。

　　The explorers brought the Indians rifles, tools, cattle and horses.

　　探险者给印第安人带来了步枪，工具，牛和马。

　　The explorers also brought illnesses.

　　探险者还带来了疾病。

　　Many Indians died from these illnesses.

　　许多印第安人因为这些疾病而死。

　　The Indians of the Plains were expert hunters. They rode fast horses.

　　平原上的印第安人是捕猎专家，他们骑马骑得很快。

　　They hunted the buffalo² with bows and arrows or rifles.

　　他们用弓箭或步枪猎捕野牛。

　　These Indians followed the buffalo across the Plains.

　　这些印第安人跟随野牛跨过平原。

　　They used the buffalo for food, clothes and tepees.

　　他们以野牛为食，并用来做衣服和圆锥形帐篷。

　　The other American Indians were farmers.

　　其他的美国印第安人是农民。

　　They farmed, fished and hunted small animals.

　　他们耕种，捕鱼并且猎杀小动物。

　　These native Americans were happy people.

　　这些本土美国人是一群快乐的人。

　　They were strong, healthy and courageous³. They loved and respected nature.

　　他们强壮，健康并且勇敢。他们热爱并尊敬自然。

　　After many years, more new settlers and explorers went to America.

　　许多年后，更多的新移民和探险者来到了美国。

　　They wanted to go to the West. They wanted to live there.

　　他们想去西部，想住在哪里。

　　They took the land from the Indians.

　　他们从印第安人手里抢走土地。

　　The Indians were very angry and the Indian Wars started. Many people were killed.

　　印第安人很愤怒，印第安战争爆发了。许多人被杀。

　　The Indians lost their land and their way of life.

　　印第安人失去了他们的土地和生活方式。

　　They went to live on reservations.

　　他们住到了居留地。

1 wilderness   

n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

2 buffalo   

n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛

参考例句：

• Asian buffalo isn't as wild as that of America's. 亚洲水牛比美洲水牛温顺些。
• The boots are made of buffalo hide. 这双靴子是由水牛皮制成的。

3 courageous   

adj.勇敢的，有胆量的

参考例句：

• We all honour courageous people.我们都尊重勇敢的人。
• He was roused to action by courageous words.豪言壮语促使他奋起行动。