英语翻议讲解：

现在是VOA特别英语词语典故栏目

今天我们将结束对美国50个州有趣的别名的讲述。

俄亥俄州位于美国中西部。它以七叶树命名，别名叫做“七叶树之州”(Buckeye State)。七叶树的果实与栗子比较类似。

位于大平原上的俄克拉荷马州叫做“抢先之州”(Sooner State)。这个名字来源于1889年的土地的出售活动。一部分人比预定时间更早到达这块领土，宣布这是他们的土地。他们作弊，“抢先”获得了这块土地。

宾夕法尼亚州的别名是“拱心石之州”(Keystone State)。就像拱心石撑起石拱门一样，宾夕法尼亚州被认为支撑起美国共和党人。宾夕法尼亚有时也被叫做“教友派之州”(The Quaker State)。 因为该州的创始人及其大部分追随者都是新教徒教友派的成员。

罗德岛的别名是“小罗地” (Little Rhody)因为他的面积很小。该州比加利福尼亚州的洛杉矶还小。

田纳西州因为它的公民英勇善战而被叫做“志愿者之州”(Volunteer State)。在1812年的战争中，他们志愿加入田纳西人Andrew Jackson的队伍保卫路易斯安那的新奥尔良免受英国军队入侵。

德克萨斯州因为旗帜上的一颗孤星而被叫做“孤星之州”(Lone Star State)。这代表了得克萨斯为了获得自治而对抗墨西哥的短暂的独立国家时期。

被称为“蜂窝之州”(Beehive State)的犹他州的蜜蜂并不比其他州更多。这个别名来自摩门教堂的标志物，象征人们的辛勤劳动。

位于东部的佛蒙特州以他们的绿岭感到自豪，因此叫做“绿岭之州”(Green Mountain State)。位于南部的佛吉尼亚叫做“老自治州”(Old Dominion)。

很久以前，英国国王查理二世在盾牌上加上该殖民地的徽章。佛吉尼亚也就加入英国，爱尔兰和苏格兰的行列。

19世纪60年代，西佛吉尼亚从佛吉尼亚脱离出来。他们以古老的阿帕拉契山脉命名，叫做“山颠之州”(Mountain State)。

我们把最美国化的别名留到了最后。曾经有一段时间，位于西部的怀俄明州将牛运往东部。只要有牛的地方就有人——现在换成了女子——来运输他们。所以怀俄明州叫做“牛仔州”(Cowboy State)。

英语听力原文：

Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.

(MUSIC)

Today, we finish telling about the interesting nicknames that have been given to the fifty American states.

The state of Ohio is in the midwest. It is named the Buckeye State after a tree that produces nuts similar to chestnuts.

The Great Plains state of Oklahoma is called the Sooner State. That is because of a sale of land in eighteen eighty-nine. Some people arrived in the territory to claim their land earlier than they were supposed to. They cheated and got there "sooner."

Pennsylvania's nickname is the Keystone State. Just as a keystone holds together a stone arch, Pennsylvania was seen as holding together the young American republic. Pennsylvania is also sometimes called the Quaker State. Its founder, William Penn, and most of his followers, were members of the Protestant Quaker religion.

Rhode Island's nickname is Little Rhody because of its size. The state is smaller than the area around Los Angeles, California.

Tennessee got its nickname -- the Volunteer State -- because of the bravery of its citizens. They volunteered to join Tennessean Andrew Jackson to defend the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, against the British army in the War of Eighteen Twelve.

Texas is called the Lone Star State. It gets its nickname from the single star on its flag. This represents the short time Texas was an independent nation battling Mexico for self-rule.

The Beehive State of Utah has no more beehives than any other state. The nickname is from the Mormon Church's symbol for hard work.

The eastern state of Vermont is proud of its beautiful Green Mountains so it calls itself the Green Mountain State. The southern state of Virginia is called the Old Dominion.

Long ago, King Charles the Second of England added the colony's coat of arms to his shield. It joined his other dominions of England, Ireland, and Scotland.

West Virginia broke away from Virginia in the eighteen sixties. It is called simply the Mountain State for the ancient Appalachian mountains.

And we have saved perhaps the most American nickname for last. The western state of Wyoming was once an area where cattle were transported east. And where there are cattle, there are men -- and now women -- to move them. So Wyoming is the Cowboy State.

This VOA Special English program was written by Ted Landphair. I'm Barbara Klein. We hope you enjoyed these programs about states and their nicknames. You can find more WORDS AND THEIR STORIES at rrting.net.