National flags provide a wealth of information about the countries they represent. Among the world's flags, you can see all the colors of the rainbow, complete with stars, stripes, and even animals! Every color, shape, and picture on a flag is symbolic. These symbols reflect the country's heritage1 and values.

　　A flag's colors can represent a country's past, and its hopes for the future. Blue is commonly2 used to symbolize3 democracy and freedom. White usually stands for4 equality and peace. Red often stands for blood or revolution. This color is a reminder of the people who sacrificed5 their lives for that country.

　　Many flags have stars, which usually symbolize the states or provinces6 that make up that country. The fifty stars on the American flag represent America's fifty states. Brazil's flag has a star map of the constellations visible in the Brazilian night sky. The 27 stars represent Brazil's 27 districts.

　　一个国家的国旗提供了与该国相关的丰富信息。在各国国旗之中，你可以见到如彩虹般的各种色彩，兼有星星、条纹甚至动物的图案！国旗上的每种颜色、图形和图案皆有其象征，而这些象征反映了该国的文化资产及价值观。

　　国旗的颜色可代表该国的历史，以及其对未来的期望。蓝色普遍用来象征民主与自由；白色通常代表平等与和平；而红色常代表鲜血与革命，以提醒人民不要遗忘曾为国捐躯的先烈。

　　许多国旗上都有星型图案，通常是象征组成该国的州或省分。美国国旗上的50颗星星代表了美国的50个州。巴西国旗上的星图所呈现的是巴西夜空中可见到的星座排列，其中27颗星星代表巴西的27个地区。

　　Vocabulary

　　

　　1. heritage n. the traditions, art, and beliefs that give a culture its identity 文化遗产

　　Traditional Chinese characters are an important part of the people's heritage.

　　繁体字是中国人民重要的文化遗产之一。

　　2. commonly adv. often 普遍地

　　

　　Plants and herbs were commonly used by Native American medicine men to treat illness.

　　植物和药草普遍被美洲原住民的药师用来治疗疾病。

　　 3. symbolize v. to express the meaning of sth. 作为…的象征

　　

　　To many westerners, the color white symbolizes good while black symbolizes evil.

　　对许多西方人而言，白色象征善，而黑色象征恶。

　　4. stand for sth. v. phr. to represent sth. 代表

　　

　　Some people refer to Britain as the U.K., which stands for United Kingdom.

　　有些人称英国为"the U.K."，即代表"大英联合王国"。

　　5. sacrifice v. to give up sth. valuable for an important reason 牺牲；奉献

　　Dan sacrificed his day off to help Margaret move into her new house.

　　阿丹牺牲了一天的假期，帮忙玛格莉特搬进新家。

　　6. province n. an area of a country 省份

　　

　　Sichuan Province is the largest province in the People's Republic of China.

　　四川省是中华人民共和国最大的一省。