第一单元课文翻译及重难点.docVIP

选修八第一单元 CALIFORNIA  美国加州 California is the third largest state in the USA but has the largest population. 加州是美国第三大州，但人口最多。It also has the distinction of being the most multicultural state in the USA, having attracted people from all over the world. The customs and languages of the immigrants live on in their new home. 加州与众不同之处在于它也是美国最具多元文化的一个州，它吸引了来自世界各地的人们。这些移民的风俗习惯以及语言在他们的新家都得以延续。。This diversity of culture is not surprising when you know the history of California. 当你了解了加利福尼亚的历史后，你就不会对此感到惊讶了。 1.NATIVE AMERCANS美洲土著人 Exactly when the first people arrived in what we now know as California, no one really knows. 最早的一批人具体是在什么时候来到我们现在所知道的加利福尼亚地区的，谁也说不清楚。 However, it is likely that Native Americans were living in California at least fifteen thousand years ago. 然而，很可能至少在15 ,000年以前美洲土著人就住在加利福尼亚了。 Scientists believe that these settlers crossed the Bering Strait in the Arctic to America by means of a land bridge[ which existed in prehistoric times]. 科学家们认为，这些迁居者通过一条史前时代曾经存在的大陆桥穿越北极地区的白令海峡到达美洲。 In the 16th century, after the arrival of the Europeans, the native people suffered greatlyThousands were killed or forced into slavery. .欧洲人在16世纪来到这儿后，土著人遭受了极大的苦难，成千上万的人被杀害或被迫成为奴隶。 In addition, many died from the diseases [brought by the Europeans. ] 此外，欧洲人带来了疾病，使许多人染病而死， However, some survived these terrible times, and today there are more Native Americans living in California than in any other state. 不过，还是有一些人在经历了这些恐怖时期后活下来了。今天住在加利福尼亚的美洲土著人比任何其他州的都要多。  2.THE SPANISH 西班牙人 In the 18th century California was ruled by Spain. Spanish soldiers first arrived in South America in the early 16th century, when they fought against the native people and took their land. 在18世纪的时候，加利福尼亚是由西班牙统治的西班牙士兵最早是在1 6世纪初期来到南美洲的，他们同土著人打仗，并夺去了他们的土地. Two centuries later, the Spanish had settled in most parts of South America and along the northwest coast of what we now call the United States. 两个世纪以后，西班牙人在南美洲的大部分地区定居下来，而且还在我们现在称之为美国的西北沿海地区住下来. Of the first Spanish to g