VOA慢速英语：关于你不了解的美国独立日
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Things You (Probably) Don’t Know About the 4th of July
关于你不了解的美国独立日
By Kelly Jean Kelly and Caty Weaver
03 July 2020
The United States observes its Independence Day on July 4th.
美国将于7月4日庆祝其独立日。
It normally includes massive public celebrations of music, fireworks and food in cities and towns across the country. This year, however, much of the country is avoiding large gatherings, or barring them.
它通常包括在全国城镇举行的音乐、烟花和食物大规模公共庆祝活动。然而今年美国大部分地区都避免或禁止大规模聚集。
So, we are turning to the ghost of Independence Day past to note some lesser-known history of the holiday.
因此，我们将目光投向独立日的一些过往，以记录这个假日一些鲜为人知的历史。
This day will be remembered in American history, wrote John Adams in 1776. People will honor it with fireworks and celebrations.
约翰·亚当斯在1776年写道，这一天将载入美国历史。人们将用烟花和庆祝活动来纪念这一天。
He was talking about the second of July.
他当时说的是7月2日。
That is the day the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence from the British. The colonies officially became self-ruling states on that day.
那一天，大陆会议投票支持脱离英国独立。这个殖民地那天正式成为了自治国家。
But the date written on the Declaration of Independence is July 4. So, since 1776, Americans have honored July 4 as the country's Independence Day.
但是写在独立宣言上的日期是7月4日。所以，自1776年以来，美国人一直将7月4日作为美国的独立日来纪念。
Patriotic to the end
爱国到最后
Adams went on to become the first vice-president of the United States of America and its second president. He observed many July 4th Independence Days right up until he died --- on July 4th, 1826. That same day, a few hours earlier, Adams' lifelong friend, opponent, former vice president, and third president, Thomas Jefferson, also died.
亚当斯后来担任了美国第一任副总统以及第二任总统。他庆祝了很多次7月4日独立日，直到他于1826年7月4日去世。而就在同一天的几个小时之前，亚当斯的老朋友和老对手、前副总统以及第3任总统托马斯·杰斐逊也与世长辞。
It was the 50th anniversary of Independence Day.
这是美国独立日的50周年。
Five years later, James Monroe, the country's fifth president, also died on July 4.
5年之后，美国第5任总统詹姆斯·门罗也在7月4日去世。
And one president, Calvin Coolidge, was born on July 4, in 1872.
还有一位总统卡尔文·柯立芝，他于1872年7月4日出生。
Most Americans celebrate Independence Day with barbecues, parades and, yes, fireworks. But a few celebrate by eating all the hot dogs they can.
大多数美国人通过烧烤、游行和烟花来庆祝独立日。但是一少部分人则通过吃掉所有他们能吃下的热狗来庆祝这天。
Every July 4th since the early 1970s, a restaurant called Nathan's Famous has held a competition to see who can eat the most hot dogs in ten minutes. The event involves 30 to 40 competitors divided by sex. Women face women. Men face men.
自上世纪70年代以来，每年7月4日，纳森餐厅都要举办比赛看谁能在10分钟内吃下最多的热狗。这项比赛涉及三四十名按性别划分的参赛选手。女性跟女性比。男性跟男性比。
The competition is held at Nathan's Famous in the Coney Island area of New York City. The 1916 restaurant grew over the years into a large food business, with many stores.
这项比赛在纽约市康尼岛地区的纳森餐厅举行。这家1916年成立的餐厅多年来已经发展成为拥有多家分店的大型食品企业。
The undeniable star eater at Nathan's is Joey Chestnut of California. The 36-year-old has won the men's championship 12 times, including last year. He also holds the Nathan's record for most hot dogs eaten in competition --- 74.
纳森餐厅无可争辩的大胃王是加州的乔伊·切斯纳特。这位36岁的男子包括去年在内已经12次夺冠。他还保持了纳森餐厅在比赛中吃掉最多热狗的记录，吃下了74个热狗。
New York native Miki Sudo is Nathan's Famous current women's champion. She has won the event six times, more than any other woman.
纽约本地人三木须藤是纳森餐厅的现任女冠军。她6次夺冠，远远超过了其他女性。
But her opponent, South Korean-born Sonya Thomas has eaten more hot dogs at the event. Thomas set the record in 2011 downing 40 hot dogs in ten minutes. But, that record did not last long. Thomas returned to Nathan's the following year and ate 45.
但是她的对手，出生于韩国的索尼娅·托马斯在比赛中吃掉了更多的热狗。托马斯在2010年创下了10分钟吃掉40个热狗的记录。但是，该记录没有持续很长时间。托马斯次年重返纳森热狗大赛，吃下了45个。
Nathan's is holding the hot dog eating competition again this Independence Day. The event is not open to the public because of COVID-19. But, it will be covered live on television and the web.
纳森餐厅今年独立日再次举办了吃热狗大赛。这次比赛因为新冠肺炎不向公众开放。但是，它将在电视和网络上进行现场直播。
So, let's go back to those fireworks, probably the most common image linked to Independence Day. Americans really, really love fireworks. The American Pyrotechnic Association – "pyrotechnic" is another word for "fireworks" – reported that Americans spent $1 billion on ordinary fireworks last year. And, the industry group said it also earned $375 million from sales of professional fireworks.
让我们再说回烟花，它可能是独立日最为常见的画面。美国人真的非常喜欢烟花。美国烟花协会报告称，美国人去年在烟花上花费了10亿美元。而且，该行业组织称其还从专业烟花销售中获得了3.75亿美元的收入。
But although fireworks are in popular use in America, they are rarely made in America. The huge majority is imported from China.
但是虽然烟花在美国大受欢迎，却很少是在美国制造。绝大多数烟花是从中国进口的。
And, most American flags are made there too!
而且，大多数美国国旗也是在中国生产的。
Happy Independence Day!
最后祝大家独立日快乐！
I'm Caty Weaver.
我是凯蒂·韦孚。
Words in This Story
barbecue -n. to cook food, especially meat, outside over hot coals or an open fire
hot dog -n. a small cooked sausage that is mild in flavor and is usually served in a long roll (called a hot dog bun)
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