2007年VOA标准英语-The Map That Named 'America' Now in Washington

By Paul Sisco
Washington
02 May 2007
 

Americans are celebrating a new arrival to Washington D.C. -- one that is 500 years old.  VOA's Paul Sisco explains.

"America's birth certificate" on display at the U.S. Library of Congress

Across from the U.S. Capitol is the Library of Congress.  Thousands of citizens and visitors to Washington D.C. use the library's vast resources every day. In addition to its millions of books and papers, there are more than five million maps, 75,000 atlases¹, and over 500 globes.

A celebration at the library on April 30 marked the arrival of what is being called the crown jewel of the vast collection. It is a large world map made 500 years ago.

Cartographer John Hessler explains the significance of the Martin Waldseemuller 1507 world map. "It's called 'America's birth certificate' for a number of reasons but mostly because it's the first time 'America' appears on a map."  It is printed on the southern landmass in the lower left part of the map. 

For scholars the map raises profound² questions. "The map shows for the first time the continent of South America separated from Asia, and it shows the Pacific Ocean," says Hessler. "What's important about that, and what's mysterious about that ,and what makes scholars excited about the map, and constantly questioning what the map is about, is that that's before the Pacific Ocean was discovered."

In an accompanying guide, the 1507 mapmaker is credited with naming the continents.

"He did name America, America.  It appears first in the little book which was printed 500 years ago today, in fact, May second.  The map was probably printed around that same period, and in that book he gives his us his reasons for naming America and he names it after Amerigo Vespucci, the discoverer of South America."

Originally, more than 1,000 copies of the map were made from 12 wood blocks, but the Waldseemuller map is the only one known to exist.  Remarkably³, it is complete and in pristine⁴ condition.  Waldseemuller's map of the world goes on permanent public display later this year.

1 atlases   

地图集( atlas的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Besides the two novels, I have bought two atlases. 我买了两本小说，另外还买了两本地图册。
• The facts of monsoon climate have been presented in a number of texts and atlases. 季风气候的一些事实已在一些教科书和气候图集中加以介绍。

2 profound   

adj.深奥的，造诣深的；深度的，极度的

参考例句：

• I give you my profound thanks for saving my life.我对您的救命之恩深表谢意。
• He has a profound knowledge of mathematics.他数学知识渊博。

3 remarkably   

ad.不同寻常地，相当地

参考例句：

• I thought she was remarkably restrained in the circumstances. 我认为她在那种情况下非常克制。
• He made a remarkably swift recovery. 他康复得相当快。

4 pristine   

adj.原来的，古时的，原始的，纯净的，无垢的

参考例句：

• He wiped his fingers on his pristine handkerchief.他用他那块洁净的手帕擦手指。
• He wasn't about to blemish that pristine record.他本不想去玷污那清白的过去。