《英语流行话题阅读:语境识词4500》47 Texas Cowboy Culture

　　Unit 47
Texas Cowboy Culture
The culture of the western United States, which many consider the epitome¹ of American-ness, is in origin a synthesis of Anglo and Hispanic cultures which was created in Texas the days of the Texas Republic and spread with the herds² to what is now the western United States. Major elements of the clothing, food, language and most importantly the cultural values and attitudes derive³ from Mexican as well as Southern American sources. There were many sources for the population of the western North America but these disparate peoples assimilated the Anglo-Hispanic culture of Texas. Although this culture is perceived as American by the rest of the United States, it is a cousin culture rather than a sibling⁴ culture and it is just as much a cousin culture for Mexicans as it is for Americans of the eastern and mid-western United States. The ties of the Texan culture to the culture of the southern United States, particularly that of the Scot-Irish of the southern Appalachians, are closer than those to the rest of the United States.
Texas Cowboys: Cowboys appeared in Texas as a result of the colonization⁵ encouraged by Mexico. The cattle and horses introduced by the Spanish explorers had multiplied and were available in great numbers to anyone who could catch them. The Mexican vaquero, Anglo and black cowboy had fully⁶ evolved by the end of the Civil War. The combination of land, freedom, horses, and cattle had become the state of mind called Texas.
Texas Made Jeans: Jeans were invented by Levi Strauss (not a Texan). They were adopted by cowboys with a couple of modifications⁷. Original jeans had rivets⁹ at all the stress points. The rivets in the back pockets were removed to prevent damage to the saddle. Those same rivets are hell on the hood¹⁰ of your pick-up too. It's a good idea to inspect cowgirls' jeans before you let them sit on your hood. The crotch rivet⁸ was removed as a result of discomfort¹¹ while squatting¹² near a campfire.
The Six Gun: The six-shot revolver hand gun had a specifically Texas origin. The Texans had found that single shot long guns were not effective defense¹³ against the hostile tribes of Texas. Very soon in the conflict the native tribes learned that once a settler had fired his single shot they could attack firing a multitude of arrows while the settler was reloading. The repeating fire was essential for the survival of settlers in small numbers. The hand gun was handier in the close combat the settlers faced. The Colt Company of New Jersey¹⁴ manufactured a five-shot revolver. Some of these handguns were provided to the Texas Rangers¹⁵. They were pleased with them but Sam Walker of the Texas Rangers felt they could be made even better. Walker is said to visited Colt in New Jersey and suggested a number of modifications: increase the number of shots from five to six; provide a trigger guard to prevent inadvertent firing; eliminate the separation of parts  when the gun was reloaded to prevent accidental loss of parts; increase the weight of the gun so it would function more effectively as a club when all the shorts were fired. These suggestions were adopted and the Texas Rangers made the Colt six shooter its official hand gun in 1847.

1 epitome   

n.典型，梗概

参考例句：

• He is the epitome of goodness.他是善良的典范。
• This handbook is a neat epitome of everyday hygiene.这本手册概括了日常卫生的要点。

2 herds   

兽群( herd的名词复数 )； 牧群； 人群； 群众

参考例句：

• Regularly at daybreak they drive their herds to the pasture. 每天天一亮他们就把牲畜赶到草场上去。
• There we saw herds of cows grazing on the pasture. 我们在那里看到一群群的牛在草地上吃草。

3 derive   

v.取得；导出；引申；来自；源自；出自

参考例句：

• We derive our sustenance from the land.我们从土地获取食物。
• We shall derive much benefit from reading good novels.我们将从优秀小说中获得很大好处。

4 sibling   

n.同胞手足(指兄、弟、姐或妹)

参考例句：

• Many of us hate living in the shadows of a more successful sibling.我们很多人都讨厌活在更为成功的手足的阴影下。
• Sibling ravalry has been common in this family.这个家里，兄弟姊妹之间的矛盾很平常。

5 colonization   

殖民地的开拓，殖民，殖民地化； 移殖

参考例句：

• Colonization took place during the Habsburg dynasty. 开拓殖民地在哈布斯堡王朝就进行过。
• These countries took part in the colonization of Africa. 这些国家参与非洲殖民地的开发。

6 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

7 modifications   

n.缓和( modification的名词复数 )；限制；更改；改变

参考例句：

• The engine was pulled apart for modifications and then reassembled. 发动机被拆开改型，然后再组装起来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The original plan had undergone fairly extensive modifications. 原计划已经作了相当大的修改。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 rivet   

n.铆钉；vt.铆接，铆牢；集中(目光或注意力)

参考例句：

• They were taught how to bore rivet holes in the sides of ships.有人教他们如何在船的舷侧钻铆孔。
• The rivet heads are in good condition and without abrasion.铆钉钉头状况良好，并无过度磨损。

9 rivets   

铆钉( rivet的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Straighten the rivets, please. 请把那铆钉铆直。
• Instead of rivets there came an invasion, an infliction, and a visitation. 但是铆钉并没有运来，来的却是骚扰、混乱和视察。

10 hood   

n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖

参考例句：

• She is wearing a red cloak with a hood.她穿着一件红色带兜帽的披风。
• The car hood was dented in.汽车的发动机罩已凹了进去。

11 discomfort   

n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便

参考例句：

• One has to bear a little discomfort while travelling.旅行中总要忍受一点不便。
• She turned red with discomfort when the teacher spoke.老师讲话时她不好意思地红着脸。

12 squatting   

v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的现在分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。

参考例句：

• They ended up squatting in the empty houses on Oxford Road. 他们落得在牛津路偷住空房的境地。
• They've been squatting in an apartment for the past two years. 他们过去两年来一直擅自占用一套公寓。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

14 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

15 rangers   

护林者( ranger的名词复数 )； 突击队员

参考例句：

• Do you know where the Rangers Stadium is? 你知道Rangers体育场在哪吗？ 来自超越目标英语 第3册
• Now I'm a Rangers' fan, so I like to be near the stadium. 现在我是Rangers的爱好者，所以我想离体育场近一点。 来自超越目标英语 第3册