轻声细语的博客

Watching children, particularly when they don't know you are doing so, is a particular pleasure. Those quick changes of mood, for instance. Small boys who dribble an imaginary football down the street and then get more interested in trying to balance on the edge of the kerb. And then stand quite still to think for a few seconds before jumping up and down with their feet together for no special reason, except that they feel like jumping up and down. Maybe the fact that I no longer feel in the least like jumping up and down adds to the interest.

I once watched a child of about two-and-a-half trying to stamp on little waves breaking across a wide Cornish beach. She stretched her hands out in pleasure with every little stamp and her bathing pants fell lower and lower, till she jumped them off altogether but didn't notice it, so intent was she on the important job of stamping on those waves. She sang to herself a sort of monotone running commentary on what she was doing and

Troubled past

Ever since the Civil War, the South has struggled to find ways to deal with its troubled past. 自从美国内战以来，美国南方一直在设法处理过去遗留下来的麻烦事。（P43，Unit 16 人教高二英语）

根据Longman Dictionary的解释，troubled作形容词，主要有三个意思：

1. worried or anxious 如：
troubled face/eyes/look 忧虑的脸/眼神/表情
Benson looked troubled when he heard the news. 当本森看听到这个消息的时

美国城市的别名

阿伦敦(Allentown): 水泥城(Cement City)

阿格伦(Arkron): 世界橡胶之都(Rubber Capital of the World)；轮胎城(Tyre City)

伯明翰(Birmingham): 南方钢都(Pittsburgh of the South)

波士顿(Boston): 豆城(Beantown)；宇宙中心(Hub of the Universe)

布法罗(Buffalo): 野牛城(Bison City)

查尔斯顿(Charleston): 矮棕榈城(Palmetto City)

芝加哥(Chicago): 多风城(Windy City)

达拉斯(Dallas): 大D城(Big D)

丹佛(Denver): 一里高城(Mile High City)

底特律(Detroit): 汽车城(Motor City; Motown)

26.  密苏里(Missouri): 别哄我州(Show-Me State) 

美国各州的别名

1.  

New Campaign to Restore Ellis Island

重建埃利斯岛

为什么Ellis Island又称为“Island of Tears”?

Ellis Island 埃利斯岛（爱丽丝岛/艾里斯岛）是原美国移民局的驻址,也是美国移民历史的象征。位于纽约市。

19世纪末，因为土豆病毒造成的饥荒和战争，大批的欧洲移民涌入美国，从纽约港登陆。在登陆前，Ellis Island（美国移民局）是最后一关。这个岛被称为 “Island of Hope, Island of Tears”(希望之岛,眼泪之岛)。因为通过这个岛，进入美国充满了希

为什么纽约叫“the Big Apple”？

网上关于为什么纽约叫“the Big Apple”的解释很多，但我最喜欢下面这种说法：

1920～1930年，爵士乐大行其道，有个爵士乐手大唱：

There are many apples on the success tree,

but when you pick New York City , you pick the Big Apple.

成功树上苹果何其多，但如果你挑中纽约市，你就挑到了最大的苹果！