VOA标准英语2011--Fish, Hunt, Win in Missouri

Fish, Hunt, Win in Missouri

Many American states tout¹ themselves as fishing and hunting paradises, and with good reason. There's a lot of "great outdoors" across our vast nation.
And although you may not think of fields and woods and streams as tourism magnets, we know a lot of people who pack up the family - or a group of friends - and head off to, say South Dakota to hunt pheasants, or Tennessee to go after trophy² bass³.
But when it comes to promoting their state as an outdoorsman's - or woman's - paradise, we have to hand it to the Midwest state of Missouri. Two huge and famous rivers the Mississippi and the Missouri as well as hundreds of their tributaries⁴, flow through or beside it. And Missouri's Ozark Mountains are loaded with game.
The state does not leave it to parents to recruit and reward future generations of hunters and fishers. It proudly presents commemorative "First Turkey" and "First Fish" certificates to young hunters and anglers.
"Shooting that first turkey is a landmark⁵ event in a young hunter's life," writes the Missouri Department of Conservation in a news release. The "First Turkey" or "Fish" program, it says, "helps turn such milestones⁶ into mementoes."
Well, why stop there? How about a "First Squirrel" Certificate? Or a "First Worm Successfully Threaded on a Hook" or "First Log Reeled in By Mistake" Award? The last two experiences are milestones for every new angler.
The best, though - especially for scouts⁷ and summer campers - would be a "First Snipe Certificate." "Snipe hunts," in which camp counselors⁸ send kids into the scary woods at night with stones to bang together to attract the elusive⁹ snipe, and bags in which to bring it back alive, are a youth-camp tradition. A source of great fun for the counselors, too.
There is such a thing as a snipe; it's a shorebird, and it IS hard to catch. But THIS snipe is imaginary, so if a Missouri kid could bag one, he or she would really have EARNED that First Snipe Certificate.

1 tout   

v.推销，招徕；兜售；吹捧，劝诱

参考例句：

• They say it will let them tout progress in the war.他们称这将有助于鼓吹他们在战争中的成果。
• If your case studies just tout results,don't bother requiring registration to view them.如果你的案例研究只是吹捧结果，就别烦扰别人来注册访问了。

2 trophy   

n.优胜旗，奖品，奖杯，战胜品，纪念品

参考例句：

• The cup is a cherished trophy of the company.那只奖杯是该公司很珍惜的奖品。
• He hung the lion's head as a trophy.他把那狮子头挂起来作为狩猎纪念品。

3 bass   

n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴

参考例句：

• He answered my question in a surprisingly deep bass.他用一种低得出奇的声音回答我的问题。
• The bass was to give a concert in the park.那位男低音歌唱家将在公园中举行音乐会。

4 tributaries   

n. 支流

参考例句：

• In such areas small tributaries or gullies will not show. 在这些地区，小的支流和冲沟显示不出来。
• These tributaries are subsequent streams which erode strike valley. 这些支流系即为蚀出走向谷的次生河。

5 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

6 milestones   

n.重要事件( milestone的名词复数 )；重要阶段；转折点；里程碑

参考例句：

• Several important milestones in foreign policy have been passed by this Congress and they can be chalked up as major accomplishments. 这次代表大会通过了对外政策中几起划时代的事件，并且它们可作为主要成就记录下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Dale: I really envy your milestones over the last few years, Don. 我真的很羡慕你在过去几年中所建立的丰功伟绩。 来自互联网

7 scouts   

侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员

参考例句：

• to join the Scouts 参加童子军
• The scouts paired off and began to patrol the area. 巡逻人员两个一组，然后开始巡逻这个地区。

8 counselors   

n.顾问( counselor的名词复数 )；律师；（使馆等的）参赞；（协助学生解决问题的）指导老师

参考例句：

• Counselors began an inquiry into industrial needs. 顾问们开始调查工业方面的需要。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• We have experienced counselors available day and night. ) 这里有经验的法律顾问全天候值班。） 来自超越目标英语 第4册

9 elusive   

adj.难以表达(捉摸)的；令人困惑的；逃避的

参考例句：

• Try to catch the elusive charm of the original in translation.翻译时设法把握住原文中难以捉摸的风韵。
• Interpol have searched all the corners of the earth for the elusive hijackers.国际刑警组织已在世界各地搜查在逃的飞机劫持者。