Passage 3 Geographic environment

The geographical location of a country and its physical characteristics are very important to its development and progress. The United States is very fortune in this respect.

一个国家的地理位置及其环境特征对于这个国家的发展和进步十分重要。美国在这方面是一个幸运的国家。

First of all, it has a good climate. In almost all sections of the country, it is possible to live comfortably during the whole year. It is true that in the south it sometimes gets very hot and in the north very cold, but the people who live in these regions become accustomed to the climate and never suffer very much when the weather is either very hot or very cold.

首先，美国有良好的气候。几乎在美国任何一个地方，一年四季都可以过得很舒服。不过，这个国家的南部有时很炎热，北部很寒冷。但是这些地区的居民已适应了那种气候。无论炎热还是寒冷，他们都不会感到难受。

In a large country, there is usually a great variety of different physical characteristics. In the United States, there are wide plains and high mountains, thousands of lakes and rivers of all sizes, cool forests and hot deserts, and a coastline several thousands miles long.

一个大国通常有各种不同的地理环境。美国有宽广的平原、高大的山脉、数以千计形状各异的江河湖泊，凉爽的森林、炎热的沙漠，以及长达数千英里的海岸线。

The many lakes and rivers as well as the long coastline have been of great importance to the development of the country. Since they make it possible the easy transportation of people and all the things people need. Transportation by water is still necessary and important. In modern times, however, trains, automobiles, trucks and airplanes are doing much of the work which was formerly done by ships and boats.

众多的江河湖泊和漫长的海岸线为人和物提供了便利的运输条件，对国家的发展起了重要作用。时至今日，水路运输依然是不可缺少的重要交通工具。不过昔日大部分的船运任务现已由火车、汽车、卡车和飞机来承担。