Interesting national flag cultures 有趣的国旗文化.docVIP

Interesting national flag cultures 有趣的国旗文化 　　National flags provide a wealth of information about the countries they represent. Among the world’s flags， you can see all the colors of the rainbow， complete with stars， stripes， and even animals！ Every color， shape， and picture on a flag is symbolic 1 . These symbols reflect the country’s heritage and values. 　　A flag’s colors can represent a country’s past， and it’s hopes for the future. Blue is commonly used to symbolize democracy 2 and freedom. White usually stands for equality and peace. Red often stands for blood or revolution. This color is a reminder of the people who sacrificed their lives for that country. 　　Many flags have stars， which usually symbolize the states or provinces that make up that country. The 50 stars on the American flag represent America’s fifty states. Brazil’s flag has a star map of the constellations 3 visible in the Brazilian night sky. The 27 stars represent Brazil’s 27 districts. 　　Many world flags feature animals or religious symbols. On the Mexican flag， for example， there is an eagle devouring a snake. This image represents Mexico’s mythological origins. Bhutan’s flag illustrates the country’s magical past with a fierce-looking dragon. Among flags， which use religious symbols， Saudi Arabia’s is one of the best-known. It includes a written declaration of spiritual faith from the Koran. 　　Because a flag is representative of a country’s culture， it should always be treated with respect. For example， flags should never be allowed to touch the ground. There are also prescribed 4 rules about how a flag should be displayed. A national flag is always flown higher than other flags. When two or more national flags are flown together， they should be flown at equal heights. 　　The features of a national flag can make clear the nature of the country. Like great works of art， flags have profound meaning. They’re like paintings that are saluted 5 by entire nations！ 　　一个国家的国旗显示了该国相关的丰富信息。在各国的国旗中，你可以