英语励志演讲

　　To us it seems so natural to put up an umbrella to keep the water off Whenit rains. But actually the umbrella wasn't invented as protection against rain.Its first use was a shade against the sun!

　　在我们看来,下雨打伞是很自然的事。 但事实上伞在发明的时候并不是用来防雨的,而是用来遮阳的 。

　　Nobody knows who first invented it, hut the umbrella was used in veryancient times. Probably the first to use it were the Chinese, way back in theeleventh century BC.

　　没有人知道是谁发明了伞,但是伞在很早很早的古代就开始使用了 。可能首先使用伞的人是中国人,这要追溯到公元前11世纪。

　　We know the umbrella was used in ancient Egypt and Babylon as a sunshade.And there was duanwenw a strange thing connected with its use: it became asymbol of honor and authority. In the Far East in ancient times, the umbrellawas allowed to be used only by royalty or by those in high office.

　　我们知道,在古埃及和古巴比伦伞是用来遮阳的 。关于这一用途有一点很奇怪:伞成了尊严与权力的象征 。在古代的远东地区,只有皇室和高官才能使用伞。

　　In Europe, the Greeks were the first to use the umbrella as a sunshade. Andthe umbrella was in common use in ancient Greece. But it is believed that thefirst persons in Europe to use the umbrella as protection against Romans.

　　在欧洲,希腊人是首先把伞用于遮阳的人。 伞的使用在古希腊很普遍.但是据信在欧洲首先使用伞的人是为了防范罗马人 。

　　During the middle ages, the use of umbrella practically disappeared Then itappeared again in Italy in the late sixteenth century. And again it was duanwenwconsidered a symbol of power and authority. Byl680, the umbrella appeared inFrance, and later in England.

　　中世纪的时候伞几乎消失, 16世纪后期又在意大利出现,并再一 次成为权力和威严的象征。 到1680年,伞开始在法国出现,之后又出现在英国 。

　　By the eighteen century, the umbrella was used against rain throughout mostof Europe. Umbrellas have not changed much in style during all this time, thoughthey have become much lighter in weight. It wasn't until the twentieth centurythat women's umbrellas began to he made, in a whole.

　　到18世纪,伞在整个欧洲几乎都用来遮雨了 。 在这期间,伞的样式一直没有发生太大变化,只是重量上轻了许多 。直到20世纪才出现了各种颜色的女士用伞。