Washington Hosts Annual Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival

A gift of friendship from Japan nearly a century ago is in full bloom here in Washington. This time each year, thousands of cherry trees display white and pink flowers throughout the city, and prominently around the Tidal Basin near the Washington Monument and next to the Jefferson and Roosevelt Memorials. The event this year comes as Japan struggles to overcome effects from a huge earthquake and tsunami¹.
The Spring season in Washington is highlighted by the blooming of cherry trees and a festival that runs for 16 days.
"The Cherry Blossom Festival is the (U.S. National) Park Service's biggest event over the course of the year. The single biggest event is the Fourth of July. But the biggest (overall) event is the Cherry Blossom Festival," said Steven Hanneker of the National Park Service, who greets visitors and tells them about the trees. In 1912, Japan sent the first small group of trees to Washington as a gift. Those trees turned out to be diseased, and President William Taft reluctantly ordered then to be burned. A second shipment arrived.
"Those trees were good enough to pass inspection² of the Department of Agriculture. They started planting them in 1912. This spot right here marks where the first two were planted. Mrs. Taft planted the first one," he said.
Former U.S. Ambassador John Malott heads the Japan-America Society. He marvels³ how the area was transformed into one of the most recognizable images of Washington and the United States. "This is where it all started. There was nothing but the water. Mrs. Taft and the wife of the Japanese Ambassador came down and they planted two trees. And look what it has become today. So just from those two trees it was a great act of faith and it created one of the most famous scenes in the country," he said.
Ambassador Malott says many trees from the first planting remain. "There are still 100 trees there that are from the original group in 1912. So that is a tribute to the Park Service which has taken such good care of the trees over the years. You can sort of tell which are the originals because they are kind of big and gnarly. If they bloom, they bloom at the top and not at the sides," he said.
An ancient Japanese lantern stands in the shadows among the old trees stands.
" Malott.
This year the air is crisp. Cool weather has not deterred⁴ the cherry trees in Washington from blooming, but it may shorten their annual glory. Typically, the cherry blossoms are out for about two weeks. But the peak viewing time is now, and that only lasts a precious few days.
But for about two weeks, performers a short distance away at the Washington monument showcase traditional Japanese music and dance.
" said the to us was It is one performer.
Back at the Tidal Basin, Steven Hanneker of the National Park Service says the cherry trees not only were a gift from Japan, but have been a gift back to the Asian nation from the United States in previous times of turmoil⁵.
"What may not be good at one point in history you can change things and make relationships better again. The cherry trees have been a good ambassador in that respect, in terms of that cultural exchange going back and forth⁶. It has been a two way exchange. We have given their trees back to them at times when they needed them, after World War II and again after a flood in 1982," he said.
To observe the centennial of the trees next year, Ambassador Malott says another gift is on its way to Japan now.
"The Park Service took 144 clippings from these original trees. They were sent to Japan where eventually they will go to the Japanese Cherry Blossom Association. They will be grafted⁷ on to tree stalk in Japan. So they will become 100-percent clones of the original trees. And so the original trees go back to Japan this year, hopefully will bloom next year," he said.
The blooms from the original trees next year in Japan will no doubt hold special significance as a rebirth of life one year after the devastating⁸ earthquake and tsunami. Money for aid to the victims in Japan is being raised throughout the 16-day Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington.
Hundreds of people also took part in a march along the Tidal Basin just ahead of the festival to raise awareness⁹ and money. The devastation¹⁰ in Japan has been compounded by radioactive fallout from a damaged nuclear power plant, making the need for donations more urgent.

1 tsunami   

n.海啸

参考例句：

• Powerful quake sparks tsunami warning in Japan.大地震触发了日本的海啸预警。
• Coastlines all around the Indian Ocean inundated by a huge tsunami.大海啸把印度洋沿岸地区都淹没了。

2 inspection   

n.检查，审查，检阅

参考例句：

• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。
• The soldiers lined up for their daily inspection by their officers.士兵们列队接受军官的日常检阅。

3 marvels   

n.奇迹( marvel的名词复数 )；令人惊奇的事物（或事例）；不平凡的成果；成就v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The doctor's treatment has worked marvels : the patient has recovered completely. 该医生妙手回春，病人已完全康复。 来自辞典例句
• Nevertheless he revels in a catalogue of marvels. 可他还是兴致勃勃地罗列了一堆怪诞不经的事物。 来自辞典例句

4 deterred   

v.阻止，制止( deter的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• I told him I wasn't interested, but he wasn't deterred. 我已告诉他我不感兴趣，可他却不罢休。
• Jeremy was not deterred by this criticism. 杰里米没有因这一批评而却步。 来自辞典例句

5 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

6 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

7 grafted   

移植( graft的过去式和过去分词 )； 嫁接； 使（思想、制度等）成为（…的一部份）； 植根

参考例句：

• No art can be grafted with success on another art. 没有哪种艺术能成功地嫁接到另一种艺术上。
• Apples are easily grafted. 苹果树很容易嫁接。

8 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

9 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

10 devastation   

n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤

参考例句：

• The bomb caused widespread devastation. 炸弹造成大面积破坏。
• There was devastation on every side. 到处都是破坏的创伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》