美国学生世界地理教材 第200期:风景明信片(1)

 When I came home from Japan I sent picture post-cards to all the Japanese school-boys who had given me their names. 我从日本回国后，就给那些想和我通信的日本男孩都寄了风景明信片。

I had chosen cards that I thought would give them some idea of the size and importance of our country. 我特地挑选了一些明信片，这些明信片我认为可以让他们对美国的国土面积和国际地位有所了解。

One card had a picture of the Capitol at Washington, another Niagara Falls, another sky-scrapers in New York. 一张明信片上的图画是华盛顿的国会大厦，另一张是尼亚加拉瀑布，还有一张是纽约的摩天大楼。

In reply each boy wrote me a letter on thin rice paper and drew or painted or inclosed a picture of some scene or common sight in Japan. 每个男孩都用薄薄的米纸给我写了回信，有的用铅笔画了一幅画，有的用颜料画了一幅画，有的随信附上一张图片，上面画的都是日本风景或常见的景点。

Three of the pictures were of the same thing—a beautiful mountain with a snow-white top. 有三张画是同一景物——一座美丽的山，山顶白雪皑皑，

It is the sacred mountain of Japan, called Fujiyama or just Fuji. 那是日本的圣山——叫做“富士山”，

It is really not a mountain at all but a burnt-out volcano, the top of which is covered with snow. 其实，它不是一座真正的山，而是一座死火山，山顶覆盖着白雪。

You can see it from afar,   人们远远地就能看见它。日本人非常喜欢富士山，

and the Japanese love it so they put pictures of it on every conceivable thing they want to ornament¹, on fans, boxes, trays, umbrellas, lanterns, screens.  他们将富士山的照片贴在他们想要装饰的任何一件东西上：扇子上、盒子上、托盘上、伞上、灯笼上、屏风上。

No movie queen or famous beauty has ever had as many pictures made of her as have been made of Fuji. 没有哪位影后或名媛佳丽能像富士山那样让人拍了那么多的图片。

There were two pictures of a huge bronze statue of Buddha² seated out-of-doors in a grove³ of trees. 有两张画画的是一个巨大的青铜佛像，坐落在树丛中。

It is so large that half a dozen people can sit on its thumbs. 青铜佛像非常大，仅两只大拇指就可以坐得下六个人。

The eyes are of solid gold and more than a yard long, and in its forehead is a large ball of solid silver. They call it the Diabutsu. 眼睛是用纯金做的，有1码多长，前额上有一个巨大的纯银制的球。他们把铜像称为“Diabutsu”，

We might call it an idol⁴, but the Japanese make statues of Buddha as we put up monuments to famous men and saints⁵, 我们也许称其为偶像。日本人就像我们为名人或圣人竖立纪念碑一样制作佛像，

and their statues of Buddha are to remind them that he was wise and good. His life was an example which even Christians⁶ might imitate. 是为了提醒自己，佛陀是充满智慧的、和善的，他的一生是个榜样，即使是基督徒也可以效仿。

1 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。

2 Buddha   

n.佛；佛像；佛陀

参考例句：

• Several women knelt down before the statue of Buddha and prayed.几个妇女跪在佛像前祈祷。
• He has kept the figure of Buddha for luck.为了图吉利他一直保存着这尊佛像。

3 grove   

n.林子，小树林，园林

参考例句：

• On top of the hill was a grove of tall trees.山顶上一片高大的树林。
• The scent of lemons filled the grove.柠檬香味充满了小树林。

4 idol   

n.偶像，红人，宠儿

参考例句：

• As an only child he was the idol of his parents.作为独子，他是父母的宠儿。
• Blind worship of this idol must be ended.对这个偶像的盲目崇拜应该结束了。

5 saints   

圣人般的人（指特别善良、仁爱或有耐性的人）( saint的名词复数 )； 圣…（冠于人名、地名之前）； （因其生死言行而被基督教会追封的）圣人； 圣徒

参考例句：

• The children were all named after saints. 这些孩子都取了圣徒的名字。
• In 1461, the bishop of Saints, Louis de Rochechouart, saw only a plain wall. 1461年Saints主教，LouisdeRochechouart主教看到只剩一堵朴质的墙。

6 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。