乔治·华盛顿作为美国的创始人和第一任总统而为美国人民永远纪念，其诞辰二月二十二日成为联邦各州的法定假日。届时各州都将举行盛大宴会、舞会等庆祝活动。美国人在这一天还喜欢吃樱桃馅饼、玩纸制小斧，这是为纪念华盛顿小时候用斧子砍坏樱桃树后向其父诚实认错、不说谎的美德。华盛顿纪念碑更是人们这一天的最佳去处。
The Washington Monument, the tallest structure in Washington, D.C., honors George Washington, the first president of the United States. George Washington led the American colonies in the war of independence1 against England from 1775 to 1783. Later he headed the group that wrote the American Constitution2. As president, he helped the new United States of America through its difficult first years.
Today, millions of people from around the world visit the stone structure that honors George Washing-ton. The Washington Monument stands almost 170 meters high, not far from the Potomac River. The monument is a white stone structure called an obelisk3. Its four sides end in a point at the top.
Fifty American flags surround the monument. They represent the fifty states. The Washington Monument is one of the most photographed places in the world. Lights shine on the obelisk at night. It can be seen from far away. Fireworks are launched from near the monument on America’s Independence Day—the Fourth of July—and during other special celebrations.
The monument recently reopened after being closed for more than a year. Workers made several improvements. They built a new elevator to carry visitors to the observation4 area at the top of the monument. New security measures also were added. Workers had carried out a more extensive repair project beginning in 1998. That project took two years and cost more than nine million dollars.
Visitors to the Washington Monument begin by getting a free ticket. Long lines often form at the ticket office. Once people have their tickets, they stand in a short line near the monument. On a recent day, visitors talked to one another while waiting. They discovered that they came from all over the United States and several other nations. Some of the visitors commented5 about the surrounding flags, which flew straight out in the spring wind. They said the flags looked as if they had been painted that way.
National Park Service officials supervise the Washington Monument. They lead visitors to a big elevator for the ride up to the observation area at the top of the monument. During the ride, another National Park Service employee tells about the history of the structure. He also tells visitors they can see all of Washington from the observation area if the weather is good.
The observation area is more than 150 meters high. Many people say “ooh” and “aah” as they stand at the windows. Looking north, you can see such famous places as the White House. You can also see the Corcoran Gallery of Art and the Willard Hotel, one of the oldest hotels in Washington. America’s sixteenth president, Abraham Lincoln, stayed there. To the east, you can see the Capitol6 building, where ConGREss makes laws. You can also see the Smithsonian Institution museum buildings.
The return elevator trip to the ground is equally interesting. Two sides of this elevator have windows. Through the windows you can see some of the almost two hundred carved memorial stones on the inside walls of the monument.
Every state gave a stone to the monument. Stones also arrived from other countries. For example, one stone came from the library of Alexandria7, Egypt. The Free Swiss Federation in Switzerland gave a stone that says, “To the Memory of Washington.” Japan gave a stone made from rock from a volcano.
Notes:
1. the war of independence n.独立战争
2. constitution n.宪法,规章
3. obelisk n.方尖石塔
4. observation n.观察, 观测
5. comment vi. 评论, 注释
6. Capitol n.国会大厦
7. Alexandria n.亚历山大大帝
