美国学生历史 第92期:1800年的美国(3)

 　　232. Making of the West. 232．西部地区的创建

　　Even before the Revolutionary War explorers and settlers had crossed the Alleghany Mountains. 远在革命战争之前就有人穿过奥利哈尼山到西部探险和定居。

　　In Washington's time pioneers, leaving Pittsburg, floated down the Ohio River in flatboats. 在华盛顿担任总统的时候，拓荒者乘坐平底船离开匹兹堡，沿着俄亥俄河顺流而下。

　　Some of these settled Cincinnati. Others went farther¹ down the river to Louisville, in Kentucky, and still others founded Wheeling and Marietta. 他们有的定居在辛辛那提，有的沿着俄亥俄河继续前进到达肯塔基州的路易斯维尔，还有的在威灵和玛丽埃塔定居。

　　In 1811 the first steamboat appeared on the Western rivers. 1811年，第一艘气垫船出现在西部的河流上，

　　The whole problem of living in the West rapidly changed. 居住在西部的生活问题迅速得到转变，

　　For the steamboat could go up stream as well as down stream. 因为气垫船可以顺流而下也可以逆流而上，

　　Communication between the new settlements, and New Orleans and Pittsburg, was now much safer and very much easier. 现在聚居地之间的交流以及新奥尔良与匹兹堡之间的交通比以往变得更加安全和便利。

　　233. Cotton Growing in the South. 233．南方的棉花种植

　　Cotton had been grown in the South for many years. 南部各州种植棉花已经有多年的历史，

　　It had been made on the plantations² into a rough cloth. 棉花在种植园被加工成粗棉布，

　　Very little had been sent away. 很少卖到外地

　　The reason for this was that it took a very long time to separate the cotton fiber³ from the seed. 原因是将棉花纤维与棉籽剥离开来要花费很多时间，

　　One slave working for a whole day could hardly clean more than a pound of cotton. 一个奴隶工作一天只能加工一磅多棉花。

　　Still as time went on more cotton was grown. 而棉花种植面积越来越大。

　　In 1784 a few bags of cotton were sent to England. 1784年有人将几包棉花运到英格兰，

　　The Englishmen⁴ promptly⁵ seized it because they did not believe that so much cotton could be grown in America. 英国人迅速盯上了这件事，他们想不到在美国可以种植这么大面积的棉花，

　　In 1791 nearly two hundred thousand pounds of cotton were exported from the South. 1791年南方各州出口的棉花几乎有20万磅。

　　Then came Whitney's great invention, which entirely⁶ changed the whole history of the country. 后来就有了惠特尼的伟大发明，这项发明彻底改变了美国的历史。

1 farther   

adj.更远的，进一步的；adv.更远的，此外；far的比较级

参考例句：

• I can throw the ball farther than you can.这个球我能比你扔得远。
• The farther hill is five kilometres away.那座更远的小山在五公里以外。

2 plantations   

n.种植园，大农场( plantation的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Soon great plantations, supported by slave labor, made some families very wealthy. 不久之后出现了依靠奴隶劳动的大庄园，使一些家庭成了富豪。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• Winterborne's contract was completed, and the plantations were deserted. 维恩特波恩的合同完成后，那片林地变得荒废了。 来自辞典例句

3 fiber   

n.纤维，纤维质

参考例句：

• The basic structural unit of yarn is the fiber.纤维是纱的基本结构单元。
• The material must be free of fiber clumps.这种材料必须无纤维块。

4 Englishmen   

n.英国人；英格兰（男）人，英国（男）人( Englishman的名词复数 )；英国人的家就是他的城堡（意即一个人的家是安全的私人场所）

参考例句：

• Few Englishmen wear frock coats now.They went out years ago. 现在，英国人很少穿大礼服了，大礼服在多年以前就不时兴了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• During the disturbance which followed, three Englishmen were hurt. 在接下来的骚乱中，3名英国人受伤。 来自辞典例句

5 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

6 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。