The Great Seal of the United States of America 美国徽章小记
- 详细资料
- 创建于 2003年10月22日
- 最后更新于 2024年5月25日
- 发布于 2011年6月08日
- 作者：Mike Lee
- 点击数：427
课文朗读
课文讲解
The head of the U.S. State Department, the secretary of state, is responsible for safeguarding the Great Seal of the United States – the official mark of the nation. The seal is used to authenticate important government documents, such as treaties and official presidential communications to foreign governments. The word “seal” refer to the die-cast original guarded by the State Department and any impression made by that die.
身为美国国务院领导人的国务卿，必须负责保管美国大徽章──它是代表美国官方的印记。大徽章用在让重要的政府文件具有法律效力，像是缔约和总统与外国政府往来的正式文件。「印记」这个词汇指由国务院原来保管的那一颗铸模，以及所有由它所印出来的图案。
U.S. State Department embassies and consulates represent the U.S. government and its citizens in nearly every country of the world. The presidential commissions which appoint such diplomats are legitimized with an impression of the Great Seal.
美国国务院所属分散在世界各国的大使馆和领事馆代表了美国政府和人民。总统委员会藉由大徽章印记而能合法地任命外交使节。
The Continental Congress, precursor of the United States Congress, passed a resolution to create a national seal on July 4, 1776. Although there have been several incarnations of the seal over the years, the basic motif has remained the same: The design is centered around an eagle grasping thirteen arrows in one claw and an olive branch in the other. The olive branch represents the desire for peace, while the arrows represent willingness to fight to defend the country. A scroll held in the eagle’s beak bears the national motto of the United States, the Latin phrase E Pluribus Unum, meaning “out of many, one.”
做为美国国会前身的大陆会议，在1776年7月4日通过了制作国家徽章的一项决议。虽然这些年来已有好几款大徽章，但基本主题仍然相同：在设计上是以一只老鹰为主，老鹰一爪抓着13支箭，另一爪抓着一束橄榄树枝。橄榄树枝代表的是冀望和平，箭则代表着愿意为国家而战。叨在鹰嘴里的一幅卷轴，有以拉丁语写成的美国国家铭言，意思为「集众人之力而成」。
Vocabulary
单词发音
seal [sil] n. 印章，图章，印信
secretary of state【美】国务卿
safeguard [ˋsef͵gɑrd] v. 保护；防卫
authenticate [ɔˋθɛntɪ͵ket] v. 证明〔某物〕是真的﹐鉴定…之真实性
treaty [ˋtritɪ] n.〔国家或政府间的〕条约
communication [kə͵mjunəˋkeʃən] n. 通信; 书信
die-cast 以印模压铸的
original [əˋrɪdʒən!] n. 原物；原著；原画；原版
impression [ɪmˋprɛʃən] n. 压印；印记；压痕
die [daɪ] n. 钢模，印模
embassy [ˋɛmbəsɪ] n.（常大写）大使馆
consulate [ˋkɑns!ɪt] n. 领事馆
commission [kəˋmɪʃən] n. 委员会
diplomat [ˋdɪpləmæt] n. 外交官
legitimize [lɪˋdʒɪtə͵maɪz] v. 使……合法，宣布为合法；承认，批准
precursor [priˋkɝsɚ] n.【正式】〔事物的〕前身﹐初期形式
resolution [͵rɛzəˋluʃən] n.（会议等的）正式决定，决议
incarnation [͵ɪnkɑrˋneʃən] n. 典型，化身（象征某种质量、概念或思想等）
center around 集中围绕
scroll [skrol] n. 卷轴；裱成卷轴的古书；画卷
motto [ˋmɑto] n. 座右铭；格言；训言
Sentence of the Day
It's how the country makes its mark.
这是这个国家功成名就的方式
make one’s mark 出名; 成功
课文讲解
Antonia, an American who recently began working at AIT, is talking with her assistant, Mr. Luo: 一名美国人安东妮亚最近开始到美国在台协会工作，她和她的助理罗先生正在对话：
L: A document just arrived from a city official who’s like to welcome you to Taiwan.
市政府官员来了一封公文，表示欢迎妳到台湾来。
A: How considerate! The seal on this document is quite elaborate.
真体贴！这封公文的印信很细致。
L: Yes, the official’s chop is clearly the work of a skilled engraver.
是啊，这公家印信的篆刻明显地是出自名家之手。
A: Have the Chinese always used chops?
中国人都用印章吗？
L: For a very long time. The tradition began about 3,500 years ago. Even today, most Chinese validate documents with chops rather than signatures.
用很久了。历史发源大约可以追溯到3500年前。即使到如今，大多数中国人仍然用印章，而不是签名来让文件生效。
A: I’ve heard that Chinese emperors used stylized chops call yu xi as symbols of their power.
我听说中国皇帝有叫做「玉玺」的制式印信来象征他的权威。
L: That’s true. What is the US government’s emblem of authority?
那是真的。美国政府用什么象征来代表它的权威？
A: It’s called the Great Seal.
那叫做大徽章。
L: Where can one see it?
哪里可以看得到它？
A: On important government documents which bear the obverse front of the seal. But the reverse side is rarely used.
政府的重要文件上会有大徽章的正面图案，不过反面就很少用了。
L: So most people have never seen that side?
所以大多数的人都没见过反面？
A: Actually, both sides can be found in any American’s wallet like on this one-dollar greenback.
事实上，大多数美国人皮夹里的一元美钞上面就能看见它的两面图案。
L: What’s this pyramid with an eye at its top?
这个顶端有一只眼睛的金字塔是什么意思？
A: That symbolism is a bit esoteric but the official description states that the pyramid signifies “strength and duration,” and the unblinking eye probably suggests God’s favor.
那个象征意义有点深奥难解，不过官方的说法是金字塔象征了「力量与持久」，而不眨眼的眼睛或许是指上帝的恩宠。
L: You could say your Founding Fathers had an eye for symbolism.
妳可以说妳们的开国始祖对于意义象征别具慧眼。
－by Patrick M. O’boyle
Vocabulary
单词发音
considerate [kənˋsɪdərɪt] adj. 体贴的；考虑周到的
chop [tʃɑp] n.（远东国家的）官印
engraver [ɪnˋgrevɚ] n. 雕刻师；雕刻匠
validate [ˋvælə͵det] v. 使有效；使生效
stylized [ˋstaɪlaɪzd] adj. 按固定的传统风格处理某事物的
emblem [ˋɛmbləm] n. 象征；标志
obverse [ˋɑbvɝs] adj. 正面的；朝外的
greenback [ˋgrin͵bæk] n.【美】美元纸币，美钞
symbolism [ˋsɪmb!͵ɪzəm] n. 象征作用；象征性; 象征主义（手法）
esoteric [͵ɛsəˋtɛrɪk] adj. 深奥的﹐ 只有内行才懂的
description [dɪˋskrɪpʃən] n. 描写；叙述
unblinking [ʌnˋblɪŋkɪŋ] adj. 不眨眼的
founding father 创建人；开国元勋
Sentence of the Day
It was designed many moons ago.
那是很久以前设计的。
many moons ago 很久以前
