书城外语课外英语-美国各州小知识(八)(双语版)
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第12章 新墨西哥州(1)

新墨西哥州小档案:

人口:约170万

面积:约315,113平方公里,排名第5位

州府:圣塔非Santa Fe

新墨西哥州,名称来自印第安语,其意义是“战神”War God(西班牙人把格兰河以北及以西之地,都叫做墨西哥)。

1605年开始殖民。1912年1月6日成为美国第47州。以丝兰Yucca为州花。本州别名叫做“迷人之地”Land of Enchantment。本州箴言:“能向前行,就能进步”It Grows,as It Goes。

州府是圣塔非Santa Fe,位于本州北中部。大都市阿布奎基Albuquerque,在州府之西南方。本州高等学府有13所,其中以新墨西哥大学为最有名,位于阿布奎基,创于1889年。

本州特征有三:第一,本州铀产量及钾盐产量均为各州冠。第二,本州文化对比性很明显,印第安人及西班牙的古化文化与现代文化并存。世界第一枚原子弹在本州之内制成(1945年在本州北中部洛斯阿拉莫斯Los Alamos)。第三,本州天气干燥,夏季极热。

本州北界科罗拉多州,东邻俄克拉荷马及德克萨斯二州,南毗德克萨斯州并与墨西哥共和国接壤,西连亚利桑那州,西北角与犹他州对顶(这个顶点是一个很奇特的地点,因为它正是犹他、科罗拉多、亚利桑那及新墨西哥四州相连接之地)。

本州地势复杂,海拔介于500—2000公尺之间。本州东部是高平原之一部,其余全是落矶山地及山间高原。格兰河由北向南流,通过本州中部。因此,本州中部是一条南北向纵谷。夏季吹南风,来自墨西哥干而热的气流,侵入谷内,造成奇热的天气。由于山地多河流,灌溉、发电、美化风景等事业,都做得很好。作物有棉、玉蜀黍、花生、芦黍、大核桃。由于山地多,牧羊业甚盛。矿产有石油、天然气、钾盐、铜、及铀。

Introduction简介

New Mexico is a timeless(永恒的)land of ancient cultural traditions and striking environmental diversity(差异,多样性).For thousands of years,man has traveled through this Land of Enchantment(着迷,魅力)leaving footprints to a rich and colorful past.Some of the earliest known inhabitants included the folsom PaleoIndians who wandered into the area hunting animals that have been extinct(熄灭的,灭绝的)for more than 10000years

Shortly before the arrival of the Spanish,the Athapascan tribes entered the Southwest.Divided into two related groups,the Apache(美洲印第安人的一种族)and the Navajo[纳瓦霍人(美国最大的印第安部落)],the Athapascans established permanent(永久的,持久的)villages only in the last 200years.

Explorer Vasquez de Coronado trekked(艰苦跋涉)through New Mexico in 1540.In search of treasure,and convinced that the adobe pueblos(印第安人村庄)were the legendary Seven Cities of Cibola,Coronado had orders to conquer the Indians and claim their riches.Failing to find the fabled(寓言中的,虚构的)gold,however,he and his men returned to New Spain without any newly won wealth.

Don Juan de Onate made the first successful exploration of Mexico del Norte’s wilderness(荒野,荒地).In 1598he marched up the Rio Grande claiming land for Spain,accompanied by troops,colonists and cattle.

Santa Fe was founded as the capital in 1609by New Mexico’s third governor,Don Pedro de Peralta.For the next 70years the Spanish pushed on with sword and cross,building missions and converting(使转变)Indians to Catholism.

The first church in North America was constructed in 1598at San Juan Pueblo,30miles north of Santa Fe.Within the first quarter of the 17th century,50churches had been built in New Mexico.These churches,which predate(提早日期,居先)the great missions along the coast of California by a century and a half,are beautiful examples of Spanish Colonial architecture(建筑)and provide a glimpse of the earliest history of American culture.

Some Indians accepted Christianity,others found it oppressive.By the middle of the 17th century,there was growing discontent(不满)among the Pueblo people.On Aug.10,1680,after years of careful planning,the tribes rose up and drove the Spanish out of Santa Fe in the great Pueblo Revolt.By 1692,however,the Spanish had returned.Don Diego De Vargas,the newly appointed governor and captaingeneral of New Mexico,began to reconquer(夺回)the northern pueblos,a task that took four years.

New Mexico remained under Spanish rule for another 125years until 1821when Mexico won its independence from Spain.Soon after,another passage in New Mexico history was born,the Santa Fe Trail.Running from Missouri to Santa Fe,the trail opened trade with the U.S.and brought new lifestyles,money and settlers to New Mexico.

The United States declared war on Mexico in 1846.Shortly thereafter,U.S.General Stephen Watts Kearny maneuvered(调遣)his troops down the Santa Fe Trail and declared New Mexico an American territory.

During the U.S.Civil War,federal troops,aided by the New Mexico Volunteers,foiled a Confederate(同盟的,联合的)invasion at Apache Pass near presentday Glorieta.

In the late 1880s,railroad companies laid their tracks across New Mexico,bringing with them improved commerce and access to new markets.The beef industry boomed(兴隆),and cattle barons like John Chisum trailed longhorns(长角牛,音乐探测器)in from Texas,creating vast cattle kingdoms on the southeastern plains.

Chisum was also associated with events leading to the Lincoln County War,a bloody merchant conflict that sparked the brief outlaw(歹徒,逃犯)career of Billy the Kid and involved even territorial(领土的)Gov.Lew Wallace,author of the novel Ben Hur.

Although New Mexico was colonized nearly 25years before the Pilgrims’arrival at Plymouth Rock,it did not achieve statehood until Jan.6,1912,when it was admitted to the Union as the 47th state.Since that time,New Mexico has experienced a whirlwind(旋风)of growth and change.

Two regiments from New Mexico endured the Bataan Death March during World War II,while Navajo[纳瓦霍人(美国最大的印第安部落)]“code talkers”used their native language to send military messages that were incomprehensible(不能理解的)to the Japanese.On July 16,1945,the first atomic bomb(原子弹)was detonated(引爆)at Trinity Site near Alamogordo,a dramatic opening to the nuclear age.

In the decades between 1940and 1980,New Mexico’s population tripled(增至三倍).The state now boasts more than a million and a half inhabitants,a third of whom live in Albuquerque(美国新墨西哥州中部大城),New Mexico’s largest city.

Centuriesold agricultural and ranching traditions exist alongside a rapidly developing electronics industry.Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratory in Albuquerque are leaders in the defense industry,taking giant steps forward in energyrelated and hightech computer research.

Today,New Mexico continues to lure(引诱)people with its clear skies and abundance(丰富)of sunshine.The limitless(无限的,无界限的)landscapes encourage people both to retrace(折回)the paths of New Mexico’s rich heritage(遗产,继承权)and to leave their own footprints on the pages of the state’s rich history.

Governor州长

Bill Richardson在2002年当选为新墨西哥州州长。在第三次立法会议圆满结束后,他就成功地为500,000墨西哥州工人降低收入税收,并为他们创造就业机会。他还在全州范围实施学前教育方案,完善本州高等教育体制,提高医疗保险。