Going to the Fair 去园游会一游
From competitions to food to music, fairs offer something for everyone
从竞技、美食到音乐，园游会让大人小孩均可玩个尽兴
August 20
In the summer months, nothing stirs excitement in North American communities like county fairs. Over the course of several days, locals enter their livestock, homemade products, and crafts in fair competitions. They also enjoy the entertainment and food the fair offers. County fairs mean fun for the whole family.
Fair history
County fairs began as agricultural fairs in rural America in the 1800s. These events were held so farmers could see new equipment and share knowledge about crops and livestock. They were often the first time rural people saw new inventions. Some people saw sewing machines, washing machines and a printing press for the first time at fairs in the 1850s and 1860s.
Groups of individuals organized the first fairs, but later local governments helped finance the events. With the government money, communities built permanent fairgrounds. They had large buildings to house animals and a midway area for games and rides. By the 1870s, the fairs were much like the festive ─ and competitive ─ events held today.
一到夏天，北美各社区里，没有什麽比郡区园游会更令人兴奋了。为期数日中，乡亲父老会带着自家牲畜、自制产品和工艺创作去园游会和别人一较高下。他们也尽情享受园游会上的趣味活动和美食，郡区园游会对阖家大小来说都是件乐事。
园游会历史
郡区园游会始於十九世纪美国乡下的农业市集。农业市集的举行目的在於让农民见识新器材，并且交换有关庄稼和家畜的见闻。这些乡亲通常是在农业市集首度见识新的发明，在一八五０和一八六０年代，有些乡亲父老是在园游会上第一次看到缝纫机、洗衣机和印刷机的面貌呢。
早期的园游会是由个别团体筹办，但是後来地方政府也出力赞助这类活动。有了政府的资助，各社区便建造固定的园游会场地。这些场地有大型建物来安置牲畜，还有游乐场地以供游客玩游戏和骑乘游乐设施。到了一八七０年代，这些园游会跟现在充满节庆气息和竞赛氛围的活动已相去不远。
Word Bank
livestock (n)牲畜；家畜
This farm's livestock includes 50 cows and 21 sheep.
agricultural (adj)农业的
Corn and wheat are the major products from this agricultural area.
finance (v)资助；筹措资金
Mary relies on both scholarships and loans to finance her college education.
permanent (adj)永久的
The museum bought several paintings for its permanent collection.
More Information
printing press (n)印刷机
fairground (n)市集场地
midway (n)园游会的游乐区
Chat Room
在乡下的青少年往往会参加4-H Club，中文叫作四健会，4-H Club是一个非营利性青年组织，为了让年轻人可以在青春时期尽可能发展他们的潜力，所谓的四健分别对应英文的4个h，代表head健全头脑, heart健全心胸, hands健全双手and healthy健全身体
除了4-H Club在美国乡下还有另外一个组织，叫做Future Farmers of America美国未来农夫，来自于乡村或农场的这些孩子们可以透过这些俱乐部学习到许多的农场或农业知识
---Hi, everyone! Welcome to the Chat Room. And we’d like to welcome Linda back to the Chat Room today. Hi, Linda!
---Hi, Ken! Hi, everyone! It’s nice to see you all again. So Ken, what should we chat about today?
---Well, I was wondering if you have ever been to a county fair?
---Well, I’ve been to several. In fact, when I was 12, I won a purple ribbon for sewing at my local county fair.
---What place is a purple ribbon? Is that like a second or third place?
---Well, second place is red, and third is white. And everyone gets either a blue, red or white ribbon, but there’s only one purple in each category, that grand prize.
---Wow! I’m impressed!
---Well, I entered as a member of my 4-H club.
---4-H, what’s that?
---Well, the 4Hs stand for head, heart, hands and health. Originally it was a club for kids in rural areas to encourage them to learn how to do things with their hands and to raise animals. But it expanded into the cities after the Second World War.
---在美国的乡下常常有举办county fair乡镇的市集，在这些fair会有农产品的品评会，也会举办不同的竞赛，在乡下的青少年往往会参加4-H Club，中文叫作四健会，4-H Club是一个非营利性青年组织，为了让年轻人可以在青春时期尽可能发展他们的潜力，所谓的四健分别对应英文的4个h，代表head健全头脑, heart健全心胸, hands健全双手and healthy健全身体. So, you belong to one of those clubs?
---Yes, there we learn like to cook and so event like that. And we entered what we made in the county fair. And a lot of the livestock that is entered by use has done by members of the FFA, which originally stood for the future farmers of America. But it has been changed to the just the National FFA organization now. There’re over 7,000 clubs in the United States.
---So this sounds like an organization to help kids learn to be farmers.
---Right. And it is expanded now to teach leadership. They even had a motto, “Learning to do, doing to learn. Learning to live, living to serve.”
---Mm, good motto.除了4-H Club在美国乡下还有另外一个组织，叫做Future Farmers of America美国未来农夫，来自于乡村或农场的这些孩子们可以透过这些俱乐部学习到许多的农场或农业知识。
---OK. Let’s now go visit Michelle and see what she has for us.
livestock (n)牲畜；家畜
集合名词
1 Early in the morning, the guide took us to visit the livestock auction to fill the excitement.
导游一大早带我们去家畜的拍卖场，去体会一下那里的兴奋的气氛。
2 All the residents and their livestock were evacuated from the flooded area.
所有淹水地区的住户和牲口都被撤离了。
finance (v)资助；筹措资金
1 The government decided to finance this company because it is facing bankruptcy.
政府决定要支援这家公司，因为他们即将面临破产。
2 The construction of the road in the area was partially financed by local businesses.
这个区域道路的兴建有部分是由当地的企业所资助的。
midway (n)园游会的游乐区
(adj, adv)中途的，中间的；在游乐场中用on
1 Iren won several stuffed animals from the games on the midway.
Iren在游乐场玩游戏的时候赢了好几只填充玩具。
2 We stopped midway on our trip to get some food.
我们在旅途中中途停下来去买些吃的东西。
August 21
Fairs today
Fair time is a busy time for many youth and adults. Those who live on farms prepare their best animals for competition. Separate competitions are held for cattle, swine, sheep, poultry and more. The top winners receive blue ribbons and may even be sold for large amounts of cash. In addition, everything from flowers and crops to handicrafts and photography is judged. Before and after judging, entries are displayed so that all can admire the best in local products.
The entertainment also draws crowds. Screams can be heard from the midway as rides go up and down or spin around. Some people try their luck at game booths, often spending more than planned in an attempt to win a big prize. Musical acts such as country singers and rock bands perform at the grandstand. In a contest called the "demolition derby," cars smash into each other until only one car is left running.
No matter what their age is or where they're from, young and old alike enjoy the fair.
今日园游会
对许多青年和成人来说，园游会是令人忙得团团转的时节。农场乡亲为了比赛，纷纷准备拿出他们最优质的牲畜。牛群、猪只、羊、家禽等动物的赛事分别举行，优胜者获颁蓝色绶带，甚至能以高额现金卖出呢。此外，从花卉、农作物到手工艺品和摄影作品等作品都会接受评审。参赛品会在评审前後展出，好让大家欣赏当地的最优质产品。
娱乐项目也吸引了大批人潮。随着游乐设施上下移动或旋转，你会听见从游乐场传出的连声惊呼。有些人会在游戏摊位试手气，由於一心想抱回大奖，往往花费超出预算。乡村歌手和摇滚乐团会在看台上表演音乐节目。在一种称作「撞车比赛」的游戏中，车子互相冲撞，直到只剩下一部车能动为止。
无论年龄大小，也不论来自何方，大人小孩都能在园游会中享受尽兴时光。
Word Bank
poultry (n)家禽
Chicken is the most common kind of poultry that people eat, but duck is popular too.
handicraft (n)手工艺品
Kim showed me several of her handicrafts, including a blanket she had sewn.
booth (n)摊位
The first booth in the food market sells fruit. The one next to it sells fish.
smash (v)冲撞
Michael lost control of his bicycle and smashed into a tree.
More Information
swine (n)猪只
grandstand (n)看台
Chat Room
在美国除了有county fairs还有state fairs就是州政府举办的农产品博览会。
demolition derby：撞车大赛（把旧车加以改装再拿去比赛）
---Hi, friends! Welcome to the Chat Room. And we’d like to welcome Linda back today. Hi, Linda!
---Hi, Ken! Hi, everyone! It’s nice to be back. So Ken, have you ever been to a fair?
---I’m afraid not. I’ve been to a carnival. But I know that’s quite different. Is there a bigger fair than a county fair?
---Well, there’s a state fair. Notice that besides county fairs, the states have fairs and they’re huge. I love everything about them. I sometimes try to visit my home state of Minnesota towards the end of August, because that’s when our state fair is held. And I love the fair food. But hey, have you ever been to a demolition derby?
---Mm…no, but from the article, it sounds like this is where cars drive around and hit each other.
---That is exactly right. But they’re usually old cars. And they do try to demolish or totally destroy each other’s cars.
---Why is it called a derby? I thought that was a horse race like the Kentucky derby.
---Well, that’s what we often think of, right? But a derby with cars or even motorcycles is more open, so almost anybody can join.
---在美国除了有county fairs 还有state fairs就是州政府举办的农产品博览会。但fair有时候会有demolition derby撞车大赛，把旧车加以改装再拿去比赛，比赛过程中车子会被demolish摧毁，比赛的方法就是不停的撞别人，撞到最后一个还能开动车子的人就是胜利者
---OK. Let’s now go to Michelle for today’s Language Tips.
poultry (n)家禽
1 These poultry farmers get together periodically to discussing new farming methods.
这些家禽类的农场主人定期聚会来讨论新的饲养方法。
2 The restaurant offered wide varieties of meat, poultry and seafood.
这家餐厅提供各式各样的肉类，家禽类及海鲜类的料理。
booth (n)摊位
有隔间的小亭或棚子；餐厅中两排对坐的包厢式的雅座
1 There are over 500 booths at this computer convention.
这个电脑展里面有超过500个摊位。
2 a phone booth
电话亭
3 a voting booth
投票处
4 We’d like to sit in the booth by the window.
我们想要坐靠窗的包厢的位子。
grandstand (n)看台
have a grandstand view：有着绝佳的景观
1 All the grandstand seats for the concert are already sold out.
这场演唱会正面看台的票全部都卖完了。
2 From our hotel room window, we had a grandstand view of the cathedral.
我们的旅馆的房间的窗户，可以一览大教堂的美景。
