美国学生世界地理教材 第162期:丰饶之国(2)

 Often a traveler buys something in a Damascus bazaar¹ only to find on it later the tell-tale words "Made in Birmingham." 游客常常在大马士革街市上买一件纪念品，后来却发现上面有“伯明翰制造”的标志。

A white picture painted on white paper or a red picture on red paper would not show, 如果在白纸上用白色颜料画画，或者在红纸上用红色颜料画画，上面的画就显现不出来。

but in Damascus they used to make a beautiful kind of cloth with designs of the same color as the cloth woven into it by hand. 但是在大马士革，人们过去生产一种精美的布料，上面的图案是手工织入的，和布的颜色一样。

This kind of cloth is called damask, after Damascus. White damask has white designs on it and red damask has red designs, and they do show. 这种布就是以产地“大马士革”命名的，叫做“大马士革花缎”，简称“织花布”。白色的织花布上有白色的图案，红色的有红色的图案，所有图案清晰可见。

You probably have in your own home linen² damask table-cloths and napkins or silk coverings on chairs, 很可能你家里就有亚麻织花桌布和餐巾、或丝质织花椅套，

but the damask that we buy now is made by machinery³ and does not come from Damascus. 但是，我们现在所买的织花布都是机器生产的，产地也不是大马士革。

The people in Damascus also used to make a kind of jewelry⁴ of iron, with gold designs laid in the iron. 大马士革人过去还生产一种铁质的饰品，上面镶有金色的图案，

This was called Damascene work. Damascene work was much used in decorating swords, 这种饰品叫做“大马士革工艺品”，主要用来装饰剑。

and they used to make wonderful swords and knives with edges so sharp they could cut through a bar of iron, so they say. 大马士革人过去打造出精美刀剑，非常锋利，据说能削断铁块。

These were called Damascus blades. Soldiers no longer use swords except for show or ornament⁵. 这些剑被称作“大马士革剑”。除非为了炫耀或装饰，士兵们不再使用剑了。

Wars are now fought at long distance and soldiers seldom get close enough to use swords. 现在的战争都是远距离作战，士兵们很难有机会可以近身用剑搏斗。

South of Syria is Palestine, which is also called the Holy Land. 叙利亚的南边是巴勒斯坦，巴勒斯坦也被称为“圣地”。

On my map there is no room to print the names of even a very few of the places you know. 在我的地图上，已经没有空间印上哪怕是很少几个你所熟悉的地名，

They would run out into the Mediterranean⁶ on one side and into the desert on the other, 如果印上地名，这些地名就会一边冲进地中海，另一端伸进沙漠，

and would be so crowded together that they would cover the little country completely. 整个地图密密麻麻布满文字，会把这个小国家完全遮盖。

You see how small the Holy Land really is. 你可以看出这“圣地”是多么小了吧。

1 bazaar   

n.集市，商店集中区

参考例句：

• Chickens,goats and rabbits were offered for barter at the bazaar.在集市上，鸡、山羊和兔子被摆出来作物物交换之用。
• We bargained for a beautiful rug in the bazaar.我们在集市通过讨价还价买到了一条很漂亮的地毯。

2 linen   

n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的

参考例句：

• The worker is starching the linen.这名工人正在给亚麻布上浆。
• Fine linen and cotton fabrics were known as well as wool.精细的亚麻织品和棉织品像羊毛一样闻名遐迩。

3 machinery   

n.(总称)机械，机器；机构

参考例句：

• Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
• Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。

4 jewelry   

n.（jewllery）（总称）珠宝

参考例句：

• The burglars walked off with all my jewelry.夜盗偷走了我的全部珠宝。
• Jewelry and lace are mostly feminine belongings.珠宝和花边多数是女性用品。

5 ornament   

v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物

参考例句：

• The flowers were put on the table for ornament.花放在桌子上做装饰用。
• She wears a crystal ornament on her chest.她的前胸戴了一个水晶饰品。

6 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。