VOA慢速英语:美国人喜欢圣诞树
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Americans Love Christmas Trees
By VOA
23 December, 2013
From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report.
Americans love Christmas trees. The National Christmas Tree Association says more than 35 million of them were bought last year in the United States.
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| Michelle Obama with daughters Sasha and Malia and family dog Bo welcomes the arrival of the official White House Christmas tree, a 19-foot Fraser Fir from Jefferson, N.C., Nov. 23, 2012. |
In large American cities, many people buy trees that have already been cut. But many people drive to a tree farm and cut them own tree. Some buy one from a catalogue or online, the tree is then delivered to their home.
The National Christmas Tree Association represents growers and sellers of most of the farm-grown Christmas tress in the United States. It estimated that 10.9 million artificial trees were sold in 2012, compared to 24.5 million natural trees.
The group says the average cost of a natural tree was $40, and about $70 for an artificial one.
Most Christmas trees are now grown on farms. The trees take six to ten years to grow. In some states, fewer than half of the planted trees survived the weather conditions to become Christmas trees.
To make sure there is always a supply, farmers usually plant one to three new saplings for every tree they cut down.
The Christmas Tree Association says 40 percent of people who bought natural trees last year chose them at a farm and cut the tree themselves. The Association says real trees are better for the environment, that is because as Christmas trees grow, they collect carbon dioxide and other gases while supplying fresh oxygen. The trees also protect water supplies.
Christmas trees are grown on soil that does not support other crops. Some people throw away their natural tree when the holiday season ends. But many People recycle them. There are many ways to do this.
Christmas trees can be cut up to be used as fertilizer. They can also be cut and used to provent the wearing down of soil. Christmas trees helped many communities near the ocean following tropical Storm Sandy on the eastern coast of the United States. They were placed near large hills of sand to prevent the sand from blowing away.
Artificia trees which come mostly from China can be reused for years. Families use them for an average of six to nine years before throwing them away. These trees can remain in a landfill for hundreds of years.
And that's the Agriculture Report from VOA Special English. I'm Christopher Cruise.
From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report.
这里是美国之音慢速英语农业报道。
Americans love Christmas trees. The National Christmas Tree Association says more than 35 million of them were bought last year in the United States.
美国人喜欢圣诞树。美国圣诞树协会表示，去年美国售出了超过3500万棵圣诞树。
In large American cities, many people buy trees that have already been cut. But many people drive to a tree farm and cut them own tree. Some buy one from a catalogue or online, the tree is then delivered to their home.
在美国的大城市，很多人购买已经砍好的树，但也有很多人开车到林场自己去砍。还有些人通过商品目录或上网购买圣诞树，然后邮寄到家。
The National Christmas Tree Association represents growers and sellers of most of the farm-grown Christmas tress in the United States. It estimated that 10.9 million artificial trees were sold in 2012, compared to 24.5 million natural trees.
美国圣诞树协会代表美国大多数林场种植圣诞树的种植者和销售商。据它估计，2012年美国售出了1090万棵人造树，与此相比售出的真树为2450万棵。
The group says the average cost of a natural tree was $40, and about $70 for an artificial one.
该协会表示，真树的平均价格为40美元，而人造树的价格为70美元。
Most Christmas trees are now grown on farms. The trees take six to ten years to grow. In some states, fewer than half of the planted trees survived the weather conditions to become Christmas trees.
大多数圣诞树种在林场，它们需要6到10年长成。在一些州，种下的树只有不到一半能够经受住气候考验成为圣诞树。
To make sure there is always a supply, farmers usually plant one to three new saplings for every tree they cut down.
为了确保圣诞树常年供给，农民们通常每砍一棵树就种植一到三棵树苗。
The Christmas Tree Association says 40 percent of people who bought natural trees last year chose them at a farm and cut the tree themselves. The Association says real trees are better for the environment, that is because as Christmas trees grow, they collect carbon dioxide and other gases while supplying fresh oxygen. The trees also protect water supplies.
圣诞树协会表示，去年40%购买真树者到林场去挑树并亲自砍树。该协会表示，真树更加环保，这是因为在圣诞树的生长过程中，它们会吸收二氧化碳和其它气体同时释放出新鲜氧气。这些树还能保障供水。
Christmas trees are grown on soil that does not support other crops. Some people throw away their natural tree when the holiday season ends. But many People recycle them. There are many ways to do this.
圣诞树种在不支持种植其它农作物的土壤中。有些人在假日结束后扔掉他们的真树，但很多人会回收利用这些树。回收利用的方法有很多种。
Christmas trees can be cut up to be used as fertilizer. They can also be cut and used to provent the wearing down of soil. Christmas trees helped many communities near the ocean following tropical Storm Sandy on the eastern coast of the United States. They were placed near large hills of sand to prevent the sand from blowing away.
圣诞树可以被粉碎用作肥料，还能被切割后用于防止土壤消蚀。圣诞树帮助美国东海岸邻近大海的很多社区防范热带风暴桑迪。它们被放在大沙堆附近防止沙子被吹走。
Artificial trees which come mostly from China can be reused for years. Families use them for an average of six to nine years before throwing them away. These trees can remain in a landfill for hundreds of years.
人造树大多数来自中国，可以重复使用很多年。各家在扔掉它们之前平均使用6到9年。这些人造树在垃圾场还能维持数百年不腐烂。
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