1. Washington Monument: A Symbol of Liberty 华盛顿纪念碑：独立的标志

The Washington Monument is an obelisk on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate the first U.S. president, George Washington. The monument, made of marble, granite, and bluestone gneiss, is both the world's tallest stone structure and the world's tallest obelisk, standing 555 feet 5+1/8 inches (169.294 m).

位于华盛顿特区国家广场上的方尖碑——华盛顿纪念碑，是为了纪念美国第一任总统乔治·华盛顿而建立的。该纪念碑是世界上最高的方尖碑，高555英尺5又1/8英寸（169.294米），建设材料包括大理石、花岗岩、青石质片麻岩。

●History of Washington Monument 华盛顿纪念碑的历史沿革

Construction of the monument began in 1848, but was halted from 1854 to 1877, and finally completed in 1884. The hiatus in construction happened because of co-option by the Know Nothing party, a lack of funds, and the intervention of the American Civil War. A difference in shading of the marble, visible approximately 150 feet (46 m) or 27% up, shows where construction was halted.

Its original design was by Robert Mills, an architect of the 1840s, but his design was modified significantly when construction resumed. The cornerstone was laid on July 4, 1848; the capstone was set on December 6, 1884, and the completed monument was dedicated on February 21, 1885.It officially opened October 9, 1888. Upon completion, it became the world's tallest structure, a title previously held by the Cologne Cathedral. The monument held this designation until 1889, when the Eiffel Tower was completed in Paris, France. The monument stands due east of the Reflecting Pool and the Lincoln Memorial. Monument is locate in east of the reflection pool and Linked Memorial.

The monument was damaged during the Virginia earthquake of August 23, 2011; it remains closed to the public while the structure is assessed and repaired.

纪念碑的建设工程开始于1848年，但在1854年到1877年期间被迫停工，最终在1884年才完成。停工的原因包括政党斗争、缺乏资金和美国内战的干扰。纪念碑上一块大理石上约150英尺（46米）地方有27%的着色差异告诉人们工程曾经中断。

纪念碑最早是由19世纪40年代的著名建筑师罗伯特·米尔斯设计的，复建纪念碑时，其对原设计方案作了一些修改。纪念碑于1848年7月4日打下地基，1884年12月6日封顶，1885年2月21日全部完工。1888年10月9日正式对外开放。建成开放后，它成为当时世界上最高的建筑，并由科隆大教堂前任大主教主持开放仪式。华盛顿纪念碑一直保持世界最高的称号，直到1889年埃菲尔铁塔在法国巴黎建成。纪念碑位于反省池和林肯纪念堂的正东。

纪念碑在2011年8月23日的弗吉尼亚州地震中遭到损坏，至今尚未对外开放，因为要对其建筑结构进行重新评估和修理。

●Interior inscriptions 美轮美奂的石雕

On the interior of the monument are 193 commemorative stones, donated by numerous governments and organizations from all over the world. A stone at the 240-foot level of the monument is inscribed in Welsh: My language, my land, my nation of Wales -Wales for ever. The stone, imported from Wales, was donated by Welsh citizens of New York.

Another inscription, this one sent by the Ottoman government, combines the works of two eminent calligraphers: an imperial tughra by Mustafa Rakım's student Has im Efendi, and an inscription in jalī ta‘līq script by Kadıasker Mustafa zzet Efendi, the calligrapher who wrote the giant medallions at Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.

纪念碑的内部拥有193座来自世界各国和组织所捐赠的纪念性石雕。其中有一座高240英尺，刻着“我的语言，我的土地，我的国家威尔士—威尔士永远”铭文的纪念碑是纽约威尔士市民捐赠的。

另一由奥斯曼土耳其帝国所赠送的石雕上面的铭文是由两位著名书法家共同创作的：他们分别是穆斯塔法的学生哈瑟姆·芬迪所创作的《帝国宰相阿齐兹》和创作过伊斯坦布尔圣索菲亚大教堂内巨型画作的穆斯塔法·伊捷芬迪所创作的《贾利·塔里克》。

●Observation Deck at the top of the Monument 纪念碑顶上的观景台

Washington Monument has stairs and elevator; we can reach the top of monument by those. 8 view finders on the top of the Washington Monument, which offer sweep panoramic views of the national lawn.

It opened in early 1888, 898 steps inside the monument, leaving many hearts and revered footsteps of the American people, the steps now almost no one walking, but the elevator hosted visitors from around the world, it have not been changed for the monument master's reverence for centuries.

华盛顿纪念碑内有台阶和电梯，皆可到达碑顶。华盛顿纪念碑顶部的8个观景窗，可纵览国家广场的草坪全景。

1888年年初开放时，碑身内的898级台阶上，留下了许多心怀崇敬的美国民众的脚步，尽管现在的台阶几乎已无人行走，但电梯中承载的来自世界各地的游客，对于这座纪念碑主人的崇敬之心，百年来并无更改。

●Inscription on the Monument: Immortalizing 纪念碑上的碑文：名垂千古

The four faces of the aluminum apex all bear inscriptions in cursive letters

纪念塔的顶部、观览阶四面墙上刻了下列纪念文字：

●The “Father of Our Country”: George Washington 美国国父：乔治·华盛顿

George Washington (1732—1799) was a founding father and the commander of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War from 1775 to 1783. He was elected as the first president of the United States of America—the only president ever to win a unanimous vote in the Electoral College, and served two terms before retiring. Because of his significant role in the revolution and in the formation of the United States, he is often revered by Americans as the "Father of Our Country".

Born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, George Washington was a son of a colonial plantation owner. As a youth, Washington worked as a surveyorand in 1752 he joined the British army and served as a lieutenant in the French and Indian War.

The Continental Congress appointed Washington commander-in-chief of the American revolutionary forces in 1775. Part of his success in the Revolutionary War was due to his shrewd use of what was then considered the "ungentlemanly, " but effective, tactic of "guerrilla " warfare, in which stealthy "hit-and-run" attacks foiled British armies.

In Washington's first term, an opposition began to make itself heard, and in his second term, the outlines of the first party system, composed of the Democratic-Republican and Federalist parties, became clear. Fatigued and somewhat discouraged, he retired to Mount Vernon after he left the presidency.

On December 12, 1799, he rode out into the freezing sleet to survey business affairs on his estate. He returned home late for a dinner engagement and refused to take the time to change out of his wet clothes. On December 13, he developed a severe respiratory infection. On December 14, 1799, George Washington dies at his Mount Vernon estate in Virginia.His last words were "It's well." The nation plunged into a state of mourning. He was described by fellow soldier Henry Lee as "first in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen".

乔治·华盛顿（1732—1799年）是美国的开国元勋，美国独立战争（1775—1783年）时期的大陆军总司令。他是美利坚合众国第一任总统，美国有史以来唯一经总统选举团全票通过的总统，退休前曾连任两届总统。鉴于其在美国革命和建国过程中的贡献，他被美国人尊称为“美国国父”。

华盛顿生于弗吉尼亚州威斯特摩兰县，是一个殖民地种植园主的儿子。他年轻时做过土地测量师。1752年，他加入英国军队，在法国和印度战争中担任中尉。

1775年，大陆会议推选华盛顿为美国大陆军总司令。他获得战争胜利的原因在于高明地采用了当时认为“非君子”却十分有效的“游击”战争策略，即：以偷偷摸摸的“打了就跑”方式挫败英国军队。

在华盛顿的第一个任期内，反对派就开始发出自己的声音，第二任期内，由民主共和与联邦主义政党构成的一党系统轮廓变得清晰。第二任期期满后，疲劳和沮丧的华盛顿离开总统宝座，回到弗农山庄。

1799年12月12日，他骑马冒着冻结雨夹雪去调查他的地产商业事务，因为聚餐回家很晚，而且没有及时换掉湿衣服。12月13日，他患了严重的呼吸道感染。1799年12月14日，他在弗吉尼亚州的弗农山庄逝世，留下的最后一句话是“很好”。整个国家都陷入悲痛。他昔日的革命战争伙伴哈瑞·李这样描述他：“他是一个公民，他是战争中的第一人，是和平时代的第一人，也是他的同胞们心目中的第一人。”