美国文化的象征

Each country has its own unique culture, often represented by symbols, such as foods，sports, music, and clothes, which tell us something about it. When you think of America, what symbols come to your mind first?

每个国家都有自己独特的文化，通常以食品、运动、音乐和服装等标志为代表，这些标志告诉我们一些事。当你想到美国时，你首先想到的是什么标志呢？

Perhaps one of the most famous symbols of the US is fast food. Fast-food restaurants became popular when people began driving cars around the country. Many of the earliest fast-food restaurants were drive-ins where people ate in their cars while they were parked. However,now drive-throughs have become popular because people need to keep up with the speed of modern life. With a drive-through,you can just drive up to a window, pick up the food, and then drive away. About 20% of all American meals are eaten in the car, and Americans spend about 10% of their income on fast food.No wonder America s called the"fast-food Nation"!

也许美国最著名的标志之一是快餐。当人们开始在全国盛行驾车游时，快餐店就开始流行起来。早期，很多的快餐店都是免下车，停车时人们就在车里吃饭。然而，因为人们需要跟上现代生活的速度，现在汽车餐厅已经流行起来。开车经过，你可以开车到窗户，拿起食物，然后开车离开。大约20%的美国人在汽车里吃饭，美国人把收入的10%花在快餐上。难怪美国也叫"快餐国"！

When it comes to seeing a game in person, baseball is by far the most popular sport in America. In a typical year, more people attend baseball games than football and basketball games combined. And for most people, baseball is" America's game"in a way that football and basketbal are not, because it is a special symbol of the American spirit. For one thing,while baseball is a team sport, every player can be a hero or star. For another, almost anyone can play baseball, even if you do not have great skils or abiity. Finally, there is nothing more American than eating a hot dog while watching a baseball game on a hot summer afternoon.Baseball still is the"national pastime".

当谈到现场亲自到场观赛，棒球是迄今为止美国最受欢迎的运动。按正常来说，每年参加棒球比赛的人比参加足球和篮球比赛的人加起来还要多。对大多数人来说，棒球是"美国的运动"，足球和篮球不是，因为它是美国精神的特殊象征。首先，虽然棒球是一项团队运动，但每个球员都可以成为英雄或明星。另一方面，几乎任何人都可以打棒球，即使你没有很好的技巧或能力。最后，没有什么比在炎热的夏日下午看棒球比赛时吃热狗更具有美国特色了。棒球仍然也是"全民消遣运动"。

Jazz is often called "America's music". It is a music stye completely created in the United States by African American musicians. Jazz music broke through the colour barriers, and has become a key part of American culture. One early jazz pioneer was the trumpet player Louis Armstrong (1901-1971). Perhaps more than any other person, Armstrong helped spread jazz beyond its home in New Orleans to the rest of the United States, and to the world. Jazz musicians freely make up their own music to express ther own feelings, even while playing in a group. This freedom and individuality make jazz a popular symbol of America.

爵士乐通常被称为"美国音乐"。它是一种完全由非裔美国人音乐家在美国创作的音乐。爵士音乐冲破了肤色的障碍，成为美国文化的重要组成部分。早期的先驱者是小号手路易斯·阿姆斯特朗（1901-1971）。也许比任何人都多，阿姆斯特朗从新奥尔良故乡到美国其他地区帮助传播爵士乐，乃至到世界各地。爵士音乐家自由地创作自己的音乐来表达他们自己的感情， 甚至在团队里玩的时候。彰显自由和个性使爵士乐成为美国流行的象征。

There are many other symbols of America, such as the Statue of Liberty, Hollywood, and Broadway. These are but a few symbols that show something of American culture.

还有许多其他的美国象征，如自由女神像，好莱坞和百老汇。这些只是一些美国文化的象征。