维尔京群岛国家公园:美国的天堂

Virgin¹ Islands National Park: America's Paradise 维尔京群岛国家公园:美国的天堂

This week on our national parks journey, we leave the United States mainland and travel down to the Caribbean. There, you will find three islands that make up the United States Virgin Islands: St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John.

The Virgin Islands National Park is a tropical paradise on the island of St. John. The park covers more than half of the small island. It is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and the Caribbean Sea to the south. The climate here is warm all year.

Tall green peaks rise from the ocean, which is filled with wildlife. The island’s white sand beaches and clear blue seas are considered to be among the most beautiful in the Caribbean.

Cultural history in the park

Evidence of human history on the island dates back thousands of years.

Archaeological evidence shows the first people to arrive on the Caribbean islands came in canoes from South America more than 2,750 years ago. The Taino people lived along the shores of St. John island. Over the years, the population of the Taino natives grew. You can see evidence of the Taino culture in the petroglyphs within the Virgin Islands National Park.

Christopher Columbus first saw the island in 1493. Later, Spain, Holland, England and Denmark all tried to claim the Virgin Islands as their territory.

These nations sought to profit from the production of two main crops: cotton and sugar. The crops were grown on large farms, called plantations³, that once covered the island.

African slaves and indentured⁴ servants were forced to travel on ships in terrible conditions to live and work on the plantations.

In 1733, the slaves revolted. During the revolt, almost one quarter of the island’s population was killed. Plantations were destroyed.

In 1762, after many struggles, Denmark took control of the Virgin Islands.

Slavery in the Danish-controlled Caribbean islands ended in 1848. After that, St. John’s crop production and its population greatly declined.

In 1917, the United States bought the islands of St. John, St. Croix and St. Thomas from Denmark. By the 1930s, news of these beautiful American islands spread to the mainland United States. It was the beginning of what is now a profitable tourist industry.

And in 1956, land on St. John island formed America’s 29th national park.

Forming the national park

Laurence Rockefeller was an American millionaire, businessman, conservationist and philanthropist. He visited St. John in the 1950s. He quickly fell in love with the island’s clean, pure beauty.

He purchased a small resort there, Caneel Bay. He also purchased more than 2,000 hectares of the island and donated it to the government.

That donation created the U.S. Virgin Islands National Park. It was officially opened as a national park on December 1, 1956. Along with land, the Virgin Islands National Park today protects almost 3,000 hectares of coral reefs, marine⁵ life and shoreland. In 1978, much of the nearby Hassel Island was also donated to the Virgin Islands National Park.

The only way to reach the park is by boat. Some people arrive on their own sailboats. Others come in on large cruise ships. Visitors also arrive on water taxis from the island of St. Thomas.

St. John offers many kinds of places to stay: very large or very small hotels, villas⁶, or campgrounds with wood framed tents. At Cinnamon Bay, visitors can rent an empty camp space and set up their own tent. It is an affordable⁷ and adventurous⁸ way to stay in the park.

?From the tropical hills to the blue waters, there are many things to do at the Virgin Islands National Park. Visitors enjoy fishing, camping, sailing, scuba⁹ diving, snorkeling, and bird watching.

There are many paths to take. Some of the walking paths lead visitors to historical ruins. These ruins help explain the park’s cultural history.

The Peace Hill trail, for example, is a short walk up a rocky and sharp hill. It leads to the Peace Hill windmill ruin. People built the windmill centuries ago. The windmills made energy for sugar production.

The Cinnamon Bay Trail goes through a forest and leads to the ruins of the Cinnamon Bay Sugar Plantation². Along the way, hikers smell the scents¹¹ of mango, kapok¹² and apple trees.

Some of the oldest and tallest trees in the park are found along the Reef Bay trail. Hikers also pass Danish sugar plantation ruins, stone walls, and ancient rock carvings¹⁴, or petroglyphs, from the Taino people.

Along the way, there is also a huge waterfall, fresh water pools and animals, such as deer, bats and land crabs¹⁵.

Some of the hiking trails end at a beautiful beach where you can swim, snorkel¹⁰ or dive.

Of all of the park’s beaches, Trunk Bay Beach is said to be the most striking. Below the clear blue water is a 200-meter snorkeling path. Signs beneath the water describe the turtle, coral and exotic fish species found here.

Hawksnest Beach is also a popular place for snorkeling. Near the shore are three small reefs of Elkhorn Coral. The Elkhorn Coral gets its name from its shape. The reef looks similar to the huge horns of an animal called an elk¹⁶. It is a very rare kind of reef. Scientists say it is in danger of becoming extinct.

The Virgin Islands National Park is often called America’s paradise. It protects St. John's pristine¹⁷ nature, and preserves the record of human history in the Caribbean.

Words in This Story

tropical – n. a place of warm climate and many plants and forests

paradise – n. a very beautiful, pleasant, or peaceful place that seems to be perfect

canoes – n. long narrow boats that are pointed¹⁸ at both ends and that is moved by a paddle with one blade

petroglyphs - n. a rock carving¹³, especially a prehistoric¹⁹ one

indentured - adj. required by a contract to work for a certain period of time

servant – n. one that performs duties about the person or home of a master or personal employer

conservationist – n. someone who works to protect animals, plants, and natural resources

philanthropist – n. a wealthy person who gives money and time to help make life better for other people

resort – n. a place where people go for vacations

coral reefs – n. long lines of coral that lie in warm, shallow water

marine – adj. of or relating to the sea or the plants and animals that live in the sea

shoreland – n. The land at the shore of a lake, sea or other body of water

cruise – n. a journey on a boat or ship to a number of places as a vacation

villas – n. houses to rent and live in when on vacation

tent – n. a portable shelter that is used outdoors, is made of cloth and is held up with poles and ropes

scuba diving – n. a sport or activity in which you swim underwater using an air tank and a special breathing machine that you attach to your body

snorkeling – n. swimming underwater while using a special tube so you can breathe

windmill – n. a structure that has parts which are turned around by the wind and that is used to produce power

grind – v. to crush or break (something) into very small pieces

plantation – n. a large area of land especially in a hot part of the world where crops (such as cotton) are grown

exotic – adj. very different, strange, or unusual

species – n. a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants

extinct – adj. no longer existing

1 virgin   

n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的

参考例句：

• Have you ever been to a virgin forest?你去过原始森林吗？
• There are vast expanses of virgin land in the remote regions.在边远地区有大片大片未开垦的土地。

2 plantation   

n.种植园，大农场

参考例句：

• His father-in-law is a plantation manager.他岳父是个种植园经营者。
• The plantation owner has possessed himself of a vast piece of land.这个种植园主把大片土地占为己有。

3 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

4 indentured   

v.以契约束缚（学徒）( indenture的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The Africans became indentured servants, trading labor for shelter and eventual freedom. 非洲人成为契约上的仆人，以劳力交换庇护及最终的自由。 来自互联网
• They are descendants of indentured importees. 他们是契约外来工的后代。 来自互联网

5 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

6 villas   

别墅，公馆( villa的名词复数 )； （城郊）住宅

参考例句：

• Magnificent villas are found throughout Italy. 在意大利到处可看到豪华的别墅。
• Rich men came down from wealthy Rome to build sea-side villas. 有钱人从富有的罗马来到这儿建造海滨别墅。

7 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

8 adventurous   

adj.爱冒险的；惊心动魄的，惊险的，刺激的　

参考例句：

• I was filled with envy at their adventurous lifestyle.我很羨慕他们敢于冒险的生活方式。
• He was predestined to lead an adventurous life.他注定要过冒险的生活。

9 scuba   

n.水中呼吸器

参考例句：

• I first got hooked on scuba diving when I was twelve.12岁时我开始迷上了带水中呼吸器潜水。
• While on honeymoon in Bali,she learned to scuba dive.她在巴厘岛度蜜月时学会了带水肺潜水。

10 snorkel   

n.泳者所戴的通气管，潜水艇的吸、排气装置

参考例句：

• With a snorkel,however,a diver can stay under water for quite a long time.潜水员携带一根通气管就可以在水下呆很长时间。
• I did buy a mask and fins and a snorkel.我买了面镜、蛙鞋和一个呼吸管。

11 scents   

n.香水( scent的名词复数 )；气味；（动物的）臭迹；（尤指狗的）嗅觉

参考例句：

• The air was fragrant with scents from the sea and the hills. 空气中荡漾着山和海的芬芳气息。
• The winds came down with scents of the grass and wild flowers. 微风送来阵阵青草和野花的香气。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 kapok   

n.木棉

参考例句：

• As all we know,kapok is the city flower of Guangzhou.众所周知，木棉是广州市的市花。
• Kapok becomes red when spring comes.春天来了，木棉红了。

13 carving   

n.雕刻品，雕花

参考例句：

• All the furniture in the room had much carving.房间里所有的家具上都有许多雕刻。
• He acquired the craft of wood carving in his native town.他在老家学会了木雕手艺。

14 carvings   

n.雕刻( carving的名词复数 )；雕刻术；雕刻品；雕刻物

参考例句：

• The desk was ornamented with many carvings. 这桌子装饰有很多雕刻物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Shell carvings are a specialty of the town. 贝雕是该城的特产。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 crabs   

n.蟹( crab的名词复数 )；阴虱寄生病；蟹肉v.捕蟹( crab的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• As we walked along the seashore we saw lots of tiny crabs. 我们在海岸上散步时看到很多小蟹。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The fish and crabs scavenge for decaying tissue. 鱼和蟹搜寻腐烂的组织为食。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 elk   

n.麋鹿

参考例句：

• I was close enough to the elk to hear its labored breathing.我离那头麋鹿非常近，能听见它吃力的呼吸声。
• The refuge contains the largest wintering population of elk in the world.这座庇护所有着世界上数量最大的冬季麋鹿群。

17 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。

18 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

19 prehistoric   

adj.（有记载的）历史以前的，史前的，古老的

参考例句：

• They have found prehistoric remains.他们发现了史前遗迹。
• It was rather like an exhibition of prehistoric electronic equipment.这儿倒像是在展览古老的电子设备。