书城外语课外英语-美国各州小知识(四)(双语版)
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第16章 爱荷华州(3)

在使用此州旗之前,爱荷华州已有75年的历史了。爱国组织多年来建议创造州旗,但直到一战时才付之于行动,那时爱荷华国家保卫队驻扎在莫斯科边界,他们需要一种州旗来表明他们的身份。1917年这便促使本州美国革命女儿组织来设计此旗。在1921年的会员大会上便采用了此旗。它是由美国革命女儿组织成员Mrs.Dixie Cornell Gebhardt设计完成的。

Iowa was almost 75years old before the state flag was adopted by the General Assembly.Creation of the state flag had been suggested for years by patriotic(爱国的,有爱国心的)organizations,but no action was taken until World War I,when Iowa National Guardsmen stationed along the Mexican border suggested a state flag was needed to designate their unit.This prompted the state’s Daughters of the American Revolution(DAR)to design a flag in 1917.The Iowa General Assembly officially adopted the design in 1921.Designed by Mrs.Dixie Cornell Gebhardt of Knoxville,Iowa,a member of the DAR,the state flag consists of three vertical stripes(垂直条纹)—blue,white and red.Gebhardt explained that the blue stands for loyalty,justice and truth;the white for purity;and the red for courage.On the white stripe is a bald eagle(〈美〉[动]秃头鹰)carrying a blue streamer in its beak(鸟嘴,喙).The state motto“Our Liberties We Prize,and Our Rights We will Maintain”is written on the streamer.The name of the state is emblazoned(用纹章装饰,盛饰)in red letters.The flag may also be flown on the sites of public buildings.

1B.1Specifications of state flag.The banner designed by the Iowa society of the Daughters of the American Revolution and presented to the state is hereby adopted as the state flag for use on all occasions where a state flag may be fittingly(适切地,适合地)displayed.The design consists of three vertical stripes of blue,white,and red,the blue stripe being nearest the staff and the white stripe being in the center.On the central white stripe is depicted a spreading eagle bearing in its beak blue streamers on which is inscribed(记下)the state motto,“Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain”in white letters,with the word“Iowa”in red letters below the streamers.

State Song州歌

Iowa State Song

You asked what land I love the best,Iowa,tis Iowa,

The fairest State of all the west,Iowa,O!Iowa,

From yonder(更远的,那边的)Misissippi’s stream

To where Missouri’s waters gleam(闪烁,隐约地闪现)

O!fair it is as poet’s dream,Iowa,in Iowa.

See yonders fields of tasseled(用缨装饰)corn,Iowa in Iowa,

Where plenty fills her golden horn,Iowa in Iowa,

See how her wonderous praries shine.

To yonder sunset’s purpling(变紫)line,

O!happy land,O!land of mine,Iowa,O!Iowa.

And she has maids(少女,女仆)

whose laughing eyes,Iowa,O!Iowa.

To him whose loves were Paradise,Iowa,O!Iowa

O!happiest fate that e’er was known.

Such eyes to shine for one alone,

To call such beauty all his own.Iowa,O!Iowa

Go read the story of thy past.Iowa,O!Iowa

What glorious deeds,what fame thou hast

(vbl.have的第二人称单数现在式)!Iowa,O!Iowa

So long as time’s great cycle runs,

Or nations weep their fallen ones,

Thou’lt not forget thy patriot(爱国者)sons,Iowa,O!Iowa

Facts and Trivia相关资料

1.Ripley’s Believe It or Not has dubbed Burlington’s Snake Alley the most crooked(弯曲的)street in the world.

2.Strawberry Point is the home of the world’s largest strawberry.

3.The state’s smallest city park is situated in the middle of the road in Hiteman.

4.Scranton is home to Iowa’s oldest water tower still in service.

5.Dubuque is the state’s oldest city.

6.Crystal Lake is home to a statue of the world’s largest bullhead([动物]大头鱼,鳅之类,顽固的人)fish.

7.Rathbun Dam and Reservoir is the largest body of water in the state.

8.Spirit Lake is the largest glacier(冰河)-made lake in the state.

9.West Okoboji is the deepest natural lake in the state.Its depth is 136feet.

10.Imes Bridge is the oldest of Madison County’s six bridges.

11.Iowa’s longest and highest bridge crosses Lake Red Rock.

12.Elk Horn in the largest Danish settlement in the United States.

13.At 16miles,East Okoboji is the longest natural lake in the state.